Saul Colt: How to Create Memorable Experiences Around Product

Saul Colt, North America's best Word of Mouth Marketer, dazzled the stage at skucon with his stories on how to get people talking about you (or your customer's brand). Saul's tactics have earned him press in The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, The Globe and Mail (and more), he's a master at crafting news-worthy experiences around product. We highly recommend you listen to Saul's entire presentation but, if you only have a few minutes to spare, we've captured the highest of the highlights:

• 12:35 - When you are brainstorming ideas, your ideas have to fit into two out of three categories (if your idea fits in all three categories, you have something really, really special)
  • Make people laugh
  • Make people think
  • Create a genuine emotion (even if it is tears)
• 20:26 - Quick ways to start a Word of Mouth conversation:
  • Force people to ask questions
  • Make them scratch their heads!
  • Try 100 things!
  • It's OK if no one shows up!
• 22:30 - The power of myth building
• 23:00 - Hiring mimes?
• 34:10 - How to get people to stare at your brand for 8 hours

Your job going forward isn’t just selling a client an item but selling them an experience that surrounds your item, and dreaming up these experiences are easier than you think … your clients don’t always see the vision of how to use them to the maximum potential.All ideas (if they are going to be successful) must make people laugh, think, cry.When you can’t compete - change the rules. I believe the charm in the execution of everything with promotional products is the experience you create around it.Know where the line of good taste is and cross it (shock them, but don't stun them).