Lately, I've noticed that if you're looking for a some good small talk with a stranger, your best bet for getting a conversation started is to mention the price of gasoline. He or she will be more than happy to share their opinion. On the other hand, recently when I told a hairdresser that the price of gas had gone above $4 a gallon, she just stared at me in shock. Fortunately, this was after she had already finished with the scissors.
Both reactions help explain why many businesses are turning to gas giveaways as an incentive to customers. "Watch and win to earn more than $1,000 in gas," announced a TV station in the midst of a ratings battle. "Buy a mattress and sleep easy knowing that you'll go home with a $50 gas card."
These companies are doing a good job of tapping into the shared pain that many are feeling with the high cost of fuel. But it is still a gimmick and gimmicks have a habit of being short lived. Yes, you will get people's attention but it will be because of the desire for free fuel, rather than a need, for your product. Sure you may enjoy a short term bump in sales but does it make you the automatic choice for the customer, the next time they want to buy?
I remember when gasoline went above the three dollar mark and I would watch all of the news stories about how you can save fuel by doing certain things in your car. One dollar a gallon later, I could care less about the information and I tune out these stories. Mainly this is because it's the same tips as before.
From a marketing standpoint, tap into the pain at the pump but find a different way to relate it to your services. If you have a speedy drive thru, then let people know that they won't burn a lot of gas waiting for their order. If you own a bike shop, then offer a free safety class for people who are buying bikes because right now if they're buying a bike, it's likely because they don't want to drive.
It may be easier to buy a bunch of gas cards and throw them at your customers. But if you're competition does the same thing, what advantage do you have over them?
