I was given this marketing idea after not finishing a meal at Maggiano's Littly Italy restaurant in Center City Philadelphia. I stopped here with friends after visiting the Philadelphia Flower Show .  The meal and atmosphere were fantastic. Unfortunately, I couldn't finish all that I was served; so, I asked to take the leftovers home with me.  I was presented with this paper bag holding the leftovers in an aluminum pan with re-heating instructions on them. I like this marketing idea - yes, this is marketing - for a number of reasons:

1. Maggiano's thought about me, the customer.  They made carrying and re-heating my leftovers easy.  I wasn't carrying out a white styrofoam container by itself or in a plastic 'thank you' bag that could break or spill.   This is smaller and easier to manage.
2. Maggiano's understands it is all about the value equation, and it has the opportunity to affect that equation long after the customer leaves.  When customers perceive value, they return. Clearly, Maggiano's wanted me to remember the value it provides for much longer than the 1.5 hours I spent there.
3. Maggiano's differentiated itself from competitors. It proudly sends customers home with leftovers; which says much about the quality and quantity of food it provides.  The bag and container are reminders of that.  It wants customers to remember the value it provides.
4. The bag is a fantastic promotion.  This restaurant, which is part of a chain, is located next to the Pennsylvania Convention Center.  Satisfied diners walking around the convention center with these bags are walking billboards.
5. This is an inexpensive promotion.  These bags may be a little more expensive than the generic plastic 'thank you' bags, but the return on their investment cannot be overstated.  Only satisfied customers would take food with them.  Those customers are the best ambassadors a business could have.

Can you do this?  Of course you can!  Use our Eight Point method to think about how you might design this kind of promotion.

1. Think about customers.  Walk through their entire experience: before they get to your business and long after they leave.  There are promotion opportunities everywhere.  Help them in some way and their view of the value you provide will rise more than the cost to provide that value.
2. Look at competitors.  How are your competitors helping their customers?  Do they prove their value?
3. Hook up with channel partners.  How can your suppliers help you?  Can they print bags with your name, logo and contact info on them?
4. Use your company's assets.  How are you using your assets to provide value to customers?  What's lying around that could be better used to enhance customers' experience?
5. Embellish your products.  What can be added to products to improve their value in customers' eyes?
6. Play with price. Can you bundle and unbundle products to create price points that motivate and satisfy customers?
7. Plan your promotions.  Find the best times and places to put promotions.  Put shoppers - even employees - on the street with bags (with your name on it) from your shop.
8. Place is important.  Make sure you are promoting in the places where your best customers live and work.

Market Knowledge can help you.  Contact us by replying to this email or by calling 302.777.2279. For other ideas, check out our website at www.eightpoints.com .