You may have heard the quote, “Big doors swing on little hinges,” from successful business owner and author, W. Clement Stone, in the book, The Success System That Never Fails.

It’s a great quote because it really paints the picture of what any business can do for its customers, clients, and patients. One little tweak (from your business) to someone’s life can make a world of a difference.

I love this quote so much I built a marketing campaign around it several years ago, and still use it today. I call it my “little hinge” marketing template.

As you can see above, the original marketing piece I created had an actual brass hinge attached to it, which I ordered online. The hinge helped the piece get the reader’s attention and it also made the letter a lumpy mailing piece so when people received it in the mail, they would open it immediately.

The letter went out to people who were attending a workshop I was running. I used the letter to remind them to be diligent in looking for all the tips and tricks and strategies I was going to share with them because I knew it could have a huge impact on their business.

Next is a Thank You Card that went out to people who were attending a workshop I ran. It also has the little hinge which you can see on the bottom right hand side of the card.

Again, I was reminding them to be on the lookout for key ideas attendees could pick up while at the workshop.

Recently, I attended an event where there were going to be a number of publishing agents in attendance and I wanted to make an impact so I created a business card and on the back used a little Elmer’s Rubber Cement to attach an actual brass hinge.

All of the above examples are using real brass hinges and they are very simple to attach and send or use.

If you are an online marketer, you obviously can’t use a real brass hinge, but you can do the next best thing by adding the brass hinge image and CopyComic to emails, websites, videos, and more.

This CopyTemplate is perfect for marketing where you want to point out the specific benefits of your product or service that might not be instantly obvious or for having attendees on the look-out for the big benefits of your event.

If you’d like to get access to this month’s “little hinge” CopyDoodles CopyTemplate, simply log into the CopyDoodles Access Club and you will be able to access:

• My letter template with my hinge image (if you would like to send without an actual hinge attached) and copy ready for you to edit and tweak for your business
• My envelope template with a personalized CopyComic
• My envelope template with a personalized CopyStamp
• 11 Unique CopyDoodles you can use on any “little hinge” marketing piece you create
• The resource I use for purchasing brass hinges

If you’re not yet a CopyDoodles Access Club member and would like access to this template, simply head over to our brand new for 2012 www.copydoodles.com site for more details on becoming a member.

Love the template? Have any comments? I’d love to hear them below!

Just this week, CopyDoodles Access Club Member Alan Steacy sent us this note…

Thanks Alan for the kind words.

Alan’s note prompted me to write this article on how others are using CopyDoodles to spice-up their marketing mix and add some “eye dazzle.” I think you’ll enjoy seeing some of these recent additions to our CopyDoodles Hall of Fame!

This first example is one I just highlighted in the current episode of 3 in 3 at www.mikecapuzzi.tv. It’s the world’s largest CopyDoodle (as far as I know) from Darin Spindler's marketing mix. He added a CopyDoodle to the tour bus he’s currently using to tour around the country and promote his Kids Bowl Free program.

I no sooner sent out the email about Darin’s bus, when I received an email from super-marketer Michael McLean who told me he added to his marketing mix, CopyDoodles that were as big as a house on his office building. Check out his newest banner (and green CopyDoodle arrows) on his office up in Perth, Canada…

At the other end of the CopyDoodles size spectrum, I met Dr. Jacquelyn Stanfield at the Glazer-Kennedy SuperConference and she showed me, from her marketing mix, her brand new business card that was inspired by a recent episode of CopyDoodles TV.

It’s a die-cut, multi-panel business card featuring CopyDoodles and more. Talk about eye-catching! Great job Dr. Stanfield for adding CopyDoodles to her marketing mix!

Keeping with the dental theme, Dr. Brian Berg shared his most recent newsletter from his marketing mix where he used our special “punch-out” CopyComics to add a bit of humor and personality to his marketing mix. Check out his million-dollar bill comic and his web site comic…

Switching to an online example, here’s a great looking squeeze page from Michael Carroll's marketing mix where he’s using CopyDoodles very effectively to help build his list.

Finally, Linda Steele Thom used CopyDoodles in their marketing mix on a recent coffee mug promotional piece for a trade show she attended. Another fun and eye-grabbing example how folks are using CopyDoodles in their entire marketing mix!

So not only are CopyDoodles perfect for traditional marketing projects like direct mail and online marketing, they can be used on the sides of buses, office building and even coffee mugs!

I would love to see how you’re using CopyDoodles in your marketing mix - drop us a note and let us know what you’ve done and we may add you to our CopyDoodles Hall of Fame!

For the first time ever, we’ve decided to host a booth and get a chance to meet all the great folks at the Super Conference!

We also have some exciting information to share at the event about the future of CopyDoodles and our never-been-seen before CopyDoodles Access Club.

We also have two special gifts for attendees. For the first 250 who stop by and drop off their business card, you can have the official CopyDoodles luggage tag identifier. I don’t know about you, but I can never tell my luggage from the next person’s and these neat little things make my luggage quite visible.

And if you’re not yet a CopyDoodles customer (or you’re want the latest and greatest I have to offer)…just stop by booth #2 – the CopyDoodles booth – for a very, very special opportunity! I’ll be stopping by and my wife Becky (a.k.a “BeckyDoodles”) will be there too!

So I was pleasantly surprised while having dinner the other day with my business partner at a local restaurant. This restaurant is owned by an entrepreneur who “get’s it.”

I know for the fact the owner is a consummate marketer and his success is evident at the large number of restaurants he owns.  As a matter of fact, he just published his first book, which was available for purchase as we entered the restaurant.

But this is not the smart strategy I am referring to.  The smart strategy, and one you can steal for your business, is what happened at the conclusion of our dinner.

When the waitress appeared with our check, she also handed both of us, two pieces of paper (notice she didn’t give us just one set, but two – one for each of us).

The first was a “business card” giving us a 20% discount at a future visit.  This is an extremely smart strategy to study for several reasons.

•    First, it was presented as a “thank you gift” for visiting that evening.  Who doesn’t want to be thanked and acknowledged for their patronage?

•    Second, the discount was substantial enough to get my attention.  Had it been a 5% discount – the card wouldn’t have mattered.  But a 20% discount is worth holding onto.

•    Third, the owner understands that consumers are funny and while they may enjoy dinner at his restaurant, it doesn’t mean they’re coming back.  By offering a substantial future discount, he tapped into human nature knowing that few of us can pass up saving money while enjoying a nice meal.

The only improvement I would suggest to him is putting a deadline on the card so that it forces me to use it by a certain date.  It could be a generic “Must Use Within 30 Days” or he could leave room for the waitress to stamp a date based on my visit date.

The other piece of paper was an invitation to join his VIP Club.  Again this example is worthy of study for several reasons.

•    First and foremost, he’s making a serious effort to get my attention and contact information.  I am sure he has an impressive marketing follow-up strategy by both email and direct mail.  I wonder what I will receive on my birthday and anniversary?

•    Second, he’s giving me several reasons to give him my contact information, including lunch at a 50% discount, giveaways, event specials, etc.

•    Finally, he’s reassuring me that my information is safe.

If you’re a bricks and mortar business owner – how can you use these two strategies in your business?

If you’re allowing people to visit your location and not giving them a BIG reason to want to return and be contacted by you in the future, you’re leaving large amounts of money on the table.  Study the Doc Magrogan example and use it in your business to improve your marketing!

To recap:

1) Ask for feedback (and capture contact info)
2) Create and share your story
3) Foster an environment of idea sharing
4) Create a “behind-the-scenes” experience for your customers

5) Disney speaks “Disney-ese”
Leave it to Disney to make the guest experience even more magical by coming up with its own language.   For example:

•    “Guest” instead of customer
•    “Cast member” instead of employee
•    “On-stage” and “backstage” to describe the “front office” and “back office”
•    And words like imagineering, edutainment, and merchantising are all further proof of Disney’s uniqueness and the effort they go to stand out.

Developing your own language and unique names for processes and services in your business is smart and helps prevent competitors from making an “apples to apples” comparison to you.

When I consult with business owners, we often spend time on this process trying to create a unique positioning (complete with a name) in the mind of their prospect and customers.

CopyDoodles® is an example where I created a word that has now taken on its own life.  When marketers mark-up their copy they refer to it as “copydoodling” or their letter was “copydoodled.”

Spend some time and think about how you can come up with your own language for your business!

Which brings me to our final lesson learned at Disney…

6) Disney has a profound belief and presence of its corporate culture
As we were touring the behind-the-scenes corridors and spaces of Disney, signs and posters for the cast members constantly reminded them of why their jobs were so important.

Even our hostess had a small business card that had certain values printed on them that she carried with her.

What does your business stand for?

If you have employees – do they understand why your business exists to serve its customers and clients?

Disney is a stellar example of a company that understands why it exists and it does everything in its power to make sure all the guest members do the same.

So that’s the six big lessons we learned this week at Disney.  I hope you can benefit from them.  For more information about my Elite Experience Mastermind Group, please email me at info@mikecapuzzi.com.