Giving ’em what they want…

Evidently, Estee Lauder is offering free make-overs at their department store cosmetic counters all over the country.

Then, they’ll do a free photo shoot and send your digital picture to use on Facebook or any other online profile you have.

It’s all free. No purchase required, though obviously when you’re at the counter, they’re using their products to make you look better.

Their goal is sampling, and eventual sales.

Your goal is to look fabulous.

Estee Lauder knows that your friends will comment on your profile pic and they’re hoping you then tell everyone about Estee Lauder. They have a fan page on Facebook with over 51,000 fans.

Here’s my question: Why can’t your station do something like this?

It’s not possible? It’s too expensive?

Or, you don’t have anyone on your team that thinks like this?

Radio is a megaphone which can attract attention, build a crowd, but it is best used person to person.

Our listeners are just like us, only they don’t care about radio beyond what it can provide to them right now. Ok, just like us. Skip the “only.”

And if you’ve built any kind of personal relationship with any percentage of your listeners through your online presence, you would know which ones might thank you for creating — or finding — an offer like this.

I don’t know about you, but when someone does something nice for me, unexpectedly, I’m always surprised and delighted.

So mix some surprise and delight into your brand this spring, and let me know how it works for you.

BTW, I found out about this from Holly Buchanan and her blog, Marketing to Women Online. If you’re not a subscriber already, you should be, and if you have any clout with the NAB, let them know that Holly is exactly the kind of person we would pay money to hear at one of their conventions.