Wouldn’t it be nice to generate additional revenues without paying salespeople a dime? Simple, recruit customers to sell for you. Clothing retailer Men’s Wearhouse has done just that as it prepares for the busy prom season. The company has created a Prom Reps program in which prom customers are transformed into word-of-mouth marketers. Their job is to promote Men’s Wearhouse as the place to rent tuxes for prom. The payoff? If a rep is responsible for 10 tux rentals, his tux is free. Men’s Wearhouse even provides reps the capability to track their performance online.
This idea is outstanding! Word-of-mouth can be a powerful channel for reaching teenage boys, particularly for a purchase that many of them may have never made before. In the absence of prior experience, prospective renters are likely to place heavy weight on recommendations for tux rental outlets from people whom they know. Can you think of ways to enlist your customers to help promote your company? If you explore this approach, be prepared to answer the question that your customers would almost certainly ask: What’s in it for me? In the case of Men’s Wearhouse, the prom reps are typically going to be high school students who may be thrilled if they are spared the outlay for tux rental.
If one of my sons was attending prom this year, I would strongly encourage him to go to work for Men’s Wearhouse… at least for prom season!
DMNews – Men’s Wearhouse launches tuxedo campaign for prom season –
Once upon a time, I wore a tux to high school in efforts to promote a local tux rental business in Germantown, TN. Granted, I was forced in to this by my girlfriend who worked at the tux rental place, but it resulted in a free tux for me at the end of the day. Anyway, as a result of myself and three other guys wearing tuxes to our respective high schools, this local business had the highest sales for prom season to date. This practice does work and under the right circumstances be utilized by other businesses.
That is a great idea. It is a grass roots marketing we often forget about. And look at all of the happy future customers they are creating.
Thanks for sharing that!
Jude Caserta
Twitter: JudeCaserta
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