You can’t pay for the product placement that President elect recently gave one of my all-time Chicago “Hole In the Wall” favorites, Harold’s Chicken, during an interview with 60 Minutes. For Chicago Southsiders, Harold’s is an institution. However, for me, I moved beyond raving fan. This place is MUST EAT CHICKEN. This place is so good, that like Obama when describing my home address, I often used the location of the nearest Harold’s as a geographical point of reference. In short, my culinary world revolved around Harolds. It was one of the pillars of my fresh out of college, new to the workforce diet. Their is nothing short of culinary magic in the timeless order and downing of a “Half White Dinner with Ketchup and Hotsauce and Slaw.” You will want to chase that with one can of orange pop and one can of grape pop. If you are celebrating something really special during your Harold’s feast, you may consider the timeless Tahitian Treat as your beverage du jour. For those of you in my current neck-of-the-woods, “The South,” substitute soda for the word pop.
Regardless of what type of pop you chase your Harold’s with, it is an institution that should be shared with the world. What a wonderful world we live in when you can watch the President Elect make a side-reference to your gastronomic addiction of choice and think WOW…”I hope the owner’s of Harold’s Chicken take their product placement moment and make the most of it! I hope they do it so well that the institution and magic of Harold’s spreads far and wide across this land…especially in my tiny hamlet of Charlotte, NC” It got me pondering how but how could the legions of Harold’s Chicken Fans ok, ok, ok Harold’s Chicken Addicts carry the message of the Fried Chicken King across the great expanse of our nation. Here are some quick thoughts from the voice of three Harold’s Chicken Customer, scratch that, Fan, double scratch that, Harold’s Addict/Connisseur/Freak:
- Post immediately on the shoutout that you just received from the Leader of the Free World. You just had your business named by the Leader of the Free World…loop that reference into as many creative, fun, and engaging messages that you possibly can.
- Let your Webgend GROW! Okay I’m stealing a little bit from a quote that Earl Woods offered his son Tiger during a tight competition to win his third consecutive US Amateur Championship when the father leaned into the son before a challenging and defining putt to seal the championship. He whispered to his son…”Let The Legend Grow.” In the Harold’s example, Letting the Webgend (combo Web and Legend) Grow means understanding who you are in the eyes of your Fans, your Addicts, your Missionaries (aka Harold’s Freaks) and exploding their appreciation for the value that you add in their lives. For example going to Wikipedia or Googling will allow Harold to understand his relevance and awareness amongst Fried Chicken Freaks! Listen and then recommit to letting your WEBLEGEND GROW! Sink the putt with simply outstanding service that is true to your business’ highest aspirations. Let those aspirations shine in your Webutation.
- Ask your customers to weigh in on their connection with their theories of how Harold’s Chicken took a community organizer from zero to HERO! What is it about that Chicken that inspires that type of greatness….Does it sound off the wall?…YOU BET…but it is the stuff that drives loyalty through relationship. Harold’s does not have a Patron/Yardbird Hall of Fame…What a great time to start!!! By store location, create walls of fame that contain pictures, comments, and signatures of the customers that make that location great. Now you have to be a true fan of Harold’s to understand how challenging a task this maybe…that being said…often the worthiest Promotional work proves to be the most difficult in successful execution. Know that going in and commit to making it happen for your customers. Our GLORY is often YOUR GLORY…any doubters please see the title of this post!
- Stay genuine to your experience…President Elect Obama and his wife Michelle mentioned Harold’s Chicken while recalling their humble beginnings. Tap into that authenticity and make sure that your brand thrives…”Chicken that is great creates greatness that is bold…Fried Chicken that is humble in its beginnings yet incredible in your mouth, priceless yet affordable, timeless, and yet YOURS TODAY!”
One last corny idea for the road…create the Commander-In-Chief Special. Ask your customers what the special should be and than issue a proclamation from King Harold decreeing the launch of the Commander-In-Chief Special as recognition for one of the greatest product placements ever delivered for your Fried Chicken Kingdom. Did I mention it was corny?…but remember this your business’ biggest fans will often be the corniest and most loyal subjects that your business will ever serve. Fill their memories in a way that inspires them to deliver their outstanding and authentic endorsements of your service kingdom.
Finally, when your customer is elected Leader of the Free World will your service and products leave indellible marks in their life such that they will, without pause or fear of consequence, acknowledge the presence of your business in their lives as a referential landmark?
Your customer’s voice is worthy of the service and products required to garner the emphatic “Yes” to the aforementioned question.
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