Page 81 - 101 Ways to Market Your Business

101 WAYS TO MARKET YOUR BUSINESS

21 Life in the chicken suit

It’s corny and somewhat embarrassing but it does work.
Walt Disney built an empire on a similar idea. For some
reason a person in a crazy suit makes us all smile. If you
have no shame (remember no one can recognise you in a
clown costume) put on the suit, grab some flyers and hit
the streets.

It is a good idea to make the costume relevant to your
business and try to make it a good quality suit. A rough
homemade job can have the opposite effect and tell people
that your business is also a bit rough around the edges. Most
cities have someone who makes costumes like this. Once
again have a look at previous costumes they have made to
make certain that you will receive a professional looking end
result.

You can build an entire advertising campaign around
the character that you develop. Don’t try to be too clever,
as the character needs to be instantly recognisable and it
should tie in with your business. The aim is to try and get
people to think of your business the minute they see the
costume figure. Many small businesses have developed a
character like this which has gone on to become a promi-
nent feature in parades, at local charity days and during
sporting events.

Imagine the free publicity these companies receive.
McDonald’s is probably the most famous with Ronald
McDonald and the team.

When making a costume, once again take the advice of
those that are super successful. Don’t make the costume too
big or kids will be scared. Try to make it easy to get into
and out of and as cool as possible. Dress costumes like this
can be extremely hot, requiring the people inside to have
regular, frequent breaks.

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