16 Comments
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Manuel's avatar

I simply love this idea so much. Not because of the chance of going viral but because of real lasting connections that might make a difference for a person. I'm doing this already but I love the idea of the surprise budget. So good, thank you dear Tom!

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Kacper Wojaczek's avatar

I don't know if you've read "Unreasonable Hospitality", but something similar to this was a part of the unique experience that they were giving the restaurant customers. Basically there were dedicated people working on preparing a personalized gift for the guest, based on the information that the rest of the staff was able to gather throughout the dining experience.

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Tom Orbach's avatar

Just bought it for my Kindle! Thanks for the recommendation

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Michael Crist's avatar

Have you read The Power of Moments?

It’s a great book about this

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Tom Orbach's avatar

Just bought it for my Kindle! Thanks for the recommendation

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Jordan Schram's avatar

Such an impactful way for brands to build RELATIONSHIPS with their customers! The brand becomes more than just a transactional exchange. The individual customer you help is just a fraction of the impact!

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Sarah Allen's avatar

Ooooh this is the kind of positivity/uplifting marketing I love seeing and doing. Coming at this from a novelist's angle, there's got to be ways of using those times a reader sends you a lovely, personal response or review of your book, beyond simply posting "look at this nice thing a reader said."

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Philip Ilani's avatar

I call this the genius marketing idea. Simple moments turned into marketing opportunities without removing the elements of the true story. Saving this for the future.

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Martin's avatar

The trick is to find out which companies have a secret "Surprise Budget" and milk it for all it’s worth. Drop a casual “Hey, it’s my birthday today” and see if they cough up a freebie 😂

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Tom Orbach's avatar

Hahaha, never thought about it the other way around!

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Martin's avatar

🤓🤣

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Kristina God's avatar

haha great idea :) We need to try this

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Martin's avatar

Let me know what companies you find 🤣

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Kristina God's avatar

I remember during my studies, someone received a box of their favorite chocolate just because they mentioned it was their birthday. 😊 Back then, we didn’t have much money and were often hungry. I tried it too—with those instant soups you make in a mug. They didn’t send me a box of 20+, but I got three, which was a win! It meant I had something to eat for three days, Okay... dunno why I'm sharing this Martin.. but yeah it works.

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Kristina God's avatar

Love this, Tom! The LEGO story really hit home—my toddler would absolutely love it. We're actually planning a trip to LEGO Land this year, either in Denmark or Germany! 😊 It’s amazing how small gestures can make such a big impact

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Viacheslav Nikitenko's avatar

Thank You mister mag

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