Message In A Bottle

In my continuing theme of “little ways to set yourself apart” let me show you the best gift voucher I’ve ever purchased.


It’s from the Drunken Admiral restaurant in Hobart, Tasmania. These guys really know how to do little things that make people talk.Their gift vouchers come “message in a bottle style”. Their seafood chowder which is truly world class comes displayed on a printed version of the recipe, but in pirate style the secret ingredients are “burned” off it. There’s a romantic booth for two that you can book which his actually inside the hull of a ship.

They’re little things, but they get me excited, they make me want to tell friends and they make me want to come back!

What’s the “little special” about you or your organisation?

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By Kirsty Dunphey with No comments

What’s On The Inside Isn’t All That Counts – 4 simple steps to put the magic into online shopping

I ordered a book online earlier this year and eagerly checked my post box daily waiting for it. Two weeks later, nothing. No contact to say it had been delayed. No email to say my order had been dispatched or even received. No reply to my email politely asking them where my book was. Fast forward over four weeks before my book finally arrived (it must have been an arduous trek from Sydney to Tasmania.) The anticipation of the read was definitely diminished because of the wait and the lack of service.

It got me thinking, with so much trade happening online these days what are retailers doing to contribute to the excitement of the experience? I’ve surveyed a few friendof mine in retail and I’ve come up with a few ideas.

1. Email your client when they make their order (either have this automated or shock horror do it manually) and let them know:
a. When they can expect their order
b. When it will be shipped
c. How it will be shipped
d. And if you can, make it sound like a human wrote the email

2. Inject a bit of personality into your order. We often send out our orders from www.unleashedknowledge.com addressed to “Fabulous Jody Smith” or “Rock Star Robin”.

This comment left on a blog shows (think free publicity for your company) the impact this tiny gesture can have:

Saturday, June 28, 2008
I got wowed!
Today I received a package that I had ordered from Kirsty Dunphey.

It cost nothing to address it to me with the title as "The Awesome..." but it made me feel like a million dollars (is that how she got her first million by the time she was 23?).

They also included a mobile phone sock & a CD, but it was the title that made this package memorable.

It made me think how I can make my clients feel extra special ...
Posted by Tony
Friday, June 20, 2008 from http://tonysideaspage.blogspot.com/2008/06/i-got-wowed.html

3. As Tony mentioned in the point 2 – we like to include some extras when people purchase directly from us. Sometimes they’re cards, a mobile phone sock (a Mock!) or a DVD of me speaking –a nice little surprise (as opposed to a boring invoice) when people open their package.

Bex Gold, founder of the divine range of glamour cleaning products at www.cinderella.com.au told me: “I often add microfibre cloths or stain removal sachets - the feedback from consumers is really positive.”

Lara Solomon founder of www.mocks.com.au also includes a whole swag of kit for her online purchasers including pins and loot directly targeted to her major demographics.

4. This is something we’re not doing yet, but I really noticed the importance of it when I received my new Borne Naked Handbag liner.

Amanda George, founder of www.borne.com.au is the queen of style and branding. She sent me through these images showing her packaging. Gorgeous personalised label, pretty pink ness and fabulous branding all round.



Sammie Appleyard founder of www.funkyhomes.com.au and Lara Dall’Alba founder of www.destionationstyle.com.au pay the same attention to their packaging – and if their customers are anything like me, they appreciate the extra care.


So there you have it, 4 simple steps to make online shopping with YOU an experience.
1. Get in contact quickly with all the info
2. Have a personality (and show it)
3. Consider a bonus extra
4. Pack it like you care

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By Kirsty Dunphey with 1 comment

I Found A Mini-Sales Superstar In Vietnam

While holidaying in South East Asia earlier this year I was besieged by young boys selling postcards. “10 postcards for a dollar” to be exact and I heard the phrase more times than I care to remember.

After buying my postcards in Cambodia, Thailand and again in Vietnam I really had no further need for postcards. But that of course didn’t stop the onslaught of sales inquiries. The persistence of these young boys (some I’m sure as young as 4) was to be applauded, but I wasn’t keen to come home with additional luggage completely comprised only of postcards. It got to a stage where my automatic response was “no” when we saw anyone approaching with postcards.

Until that is one sunny afternoon in the seaside locale of Nha Trang Vietnam where I sat sipping cocktails with friends. A young boy, maybe 11 approached postcards in hand. I gave the standard response and was about to turn back to my cocktail when he pulled out a Connect Four board. His “sales pitch” to me was that we’d play Connect Four – if he won, I’d buy the cards, if I won, the cards were mine free.

My husband ordered another beer at this stage, knowing that all hope was lost as soon as this boy pulled out the game. You see, not only do I love games, but I’m also a sucker for an innovative sales pitch.

So we played, I got beaten (badly). We played again and I got beaten again. I cut my losses then and paid slightly higher than the normal postcard price for my 20 gleaming new postcards.

This eleven year old boy knew more about selling than many I encounter who’ve had a formal education.

1. He was different! Imitating everyone else would have gotten him nowhere in this case.
2. He made me an offer I found hard to refuse. The lure of a battle of the brains for the cards was a bit of excitement for my afternoon.
3. He had a win / win situation. He was a connect four rock star, but c’mon what tourist is really not going to pay anything if they were to win?
4. He never stopped selling. He asked me to play again after the first game.
5. He left me with a smile on my face. True value for money if you ask me.

I think any of us in sales (and isn’t that all of us really?) could learn something from this mini-sales dynamo.

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By Kirsty Dunphey with No comments

Why Send A Handwritten Card?

1. People keep them - I’ve seen plenty of handwritten cards lovingly saved on the fridge, desk or a mantle. I’m yet to see too many emails, faxes or text messages souvenired like this.

2. Hand written envelopes are more likely to be opened – because people then know it’s not going to be a bill, some lame business letter or a speeding ticket.

3. It’s different - in this day of email, texting, IMing, facebooking and myspacing – a handwritten card harks back to an gentler era where people cared more – ok, I agree that’s a bit lame, but it shows that you were prepared to spend 2 minutes of your time and a stamp rather than just firing off some ill thought out misspelled email.

4. Why send a handwritten card? Cos the ones written with your feet just aren’t as neat.

How to send a handwritten card:

1. Find a groovy card that says what you want and stands out. I’ve had my own line done up www.unleashedknowledge.com/cards.html with quotes that reflected the type of message I want to get across like: “It’s kind of fun to do the impossible – Walt Disney”

2. Make it stand out. Use a marker instead of a pen, again – it’s different to what people usually get. Different makes people look. Your message will keep them looking.

3. It’s a personal form of contact so take the time to write a personal message! This goes for your Christmas and birthday cards as well – there’s all that blank space inside the card so that you can actually write something. Dear Kirsty, from Kirsty aint gonna cut it.

4. Attach a business card. It’s personal sure, but a business card means the person can easily get in touch with you afterwards – to thank you, to do business with you, to get a coffee – whatever.

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By Kirsty Dunphey with No comments