Sometimes in life, you only have one shot -- and you need to make that shot count.
Many people, when presented with fortunate circumstances, are unable to differentiate between their "one shot" and all the other things that cross their desk. Seldom is your "one shot" really your "one shot" -- which is why I'm using quotes -- but that doesn't mean these opportunities should be taken lightly.
Ludacris has an opportunity to present his new line of head phones to President Obama. Did he send an ordinary box along to the White House, hoping it would land in the Oval Office? No way.
His team at AV Concepts reached out to Contempo, and we created a box just for the President. We included the Presidential Seal, and even did our best to match the wood used on the President's Desk. On top of that, Ludacris delivered the box in person at the President's fundraiser.
Was the president thrilled and WOWed? To be honest, I don't know, though I wish I could say for sure. Do you have the connections and clout of a hip hop star whose sold over 17 million albums? Probably not.
But that's not the point. Take this lesson to heart:
When your "one shot" comes, put forward your very best. Because there is no promise that another shot will come.
You don't need to be Ludacris and you certainly don't need to be presenting to the President. Give it your best. The results: closing deals, inspiring bloggers and generating buzz.
Consider the perceived value of this box versus an ordinary box. How do you think the President felt when he received this box? Would his reaction have been different if he received ordinary packaging? If your packaging really WOWs your customers, I promise you people will start talking about your company -- and if they are the right people, you've found the recipe for revenue growth.
