Going Viral on a Tiny Budget

Imagine a new coffee shop in your neighborhood---small, cozy, and relatively unknown.

One day it's just another place to get your caffeine fix.

The next, it's a must-visit destination, with people traveling from different cities just to sip its (allegedly) magical brews.

But how did this happen? Did they discover an ancient coffee bean variety grown by mystical monks? Nope.

The coffee shop didn't suddenly inherit a fortune from an eccentric billionaire or receive an endorsement from a Kardashian.

Instead, they used a creative, low-cost marketing approach to make a huge impact. A strategy any business can do, even yours!

Grab your biggest, most hipster-approved mug and stay with me to learn:

• What's this mysterious method about and the tools you need for it 

  • (spoiler: none of them involve actual magic).

• A case study of one global company who uses it to make you feel special for buying something expensive.

• How to plan a similar strategy for your business.

• What metrics you need to track for maximum ROI using this tactic.

• What you need to watch out for so it doesn't backfire and you end up on the evening news. For all the wrong reasons.

The Mysterious Method

Just like a magician amazes the audience with unexpected illusions, the coffee shop used creative and surprising tactics to draw in crowds of customers.

• They hosted pop-up events in unusual locations

• Served mystery-flavored coffees

• Turned each visit into a unique, memorable experience. 

It wasn't just about where they served coffee, but how they connected with customers and turned a regular cup of joe into a personal adventure.

The Coffee Shop’s Tools

Their marketing toolkit was pretty simple:

• Creativity

• Community engagement

• A knack for creating buzz. 

They used social media to get people excited by teasing secret menu items and special coffee events

They had campaigns where customers could vote on new flavors or design seasonal cups 

Personal touches like handwritten notes with each order made people feel special and more likely to brag about the shop to their friends.

Your Business as the Next Big Hit

Now imagine it's your business at the center of this whole story. Exciting, right?

You don't need a massive budget to make waves - you need the right strategies.

Start by deeply understanding what delights your customers. 

What elements of surprise can you introduce? 

Craft memorable experiences that transform casual visitors into loyal enthusiasts.

I strongly recommend the book "Be Our Guest: Perfecting the Art of Customer Service by The Disney Institute Leadership Series" if you want to learn about creating magical experiences.