Page 48 - 100 Great Marketing Ideas (100 Great Ideas)

20 THROW A PARTY

Getting the product as close as possible to your customers is
an obvious tactic. The easier it is for people to buy, the more likely
they are to do so, yet a surprising number of firms put unnecessary
barriers in the way—making people travel long distances, having
inconvenient business hours, not offering credit, and so forth.

The ultimate convenient marketing approach is, of course, the
party plan.

The idea

Selling consumer goods to people in their own homes goes back a
long way. The Tupperware party has been around since 1946, and
is the model for all other party plans. The original ethos behind
the party plan was that it created a social obligation on the part of
those attending to buy something—and at the same time allowed
housewives to earn some extra cash for themselves, independently
of their husbands.

Times have moved on. Party plan is now the ideal way to sell products
that people would not buy in any other way—as Ann Summers has
demonstrated. Ann Summers is a company that sells sexy lingerie
and sex toys, largely to women: although the company has High
Street retail outlets, most women would be reluctant to be seen
entering or leaving, so party plan is the obvious answer. Women
enjoy the “girls’ night in” feel to the parties, which include party
games and prizes, and feel comfortable buying sex aids.

Getting close to customers is one thing—bringing customers close
to you is even better.

100 GREAT MARKETING IDEAS • 39