DeepSummary
In this episode, Tim Reid interviews Parker Olson, a serial entrepreneur and founder of the granola brand Forage. Parker shares his unconventional marketing tactics, including handing out product samples to kayakers and taking over the cabin crew's microphone on domestic flights to promote his business. He also talks about his 18-month journey of living out of a van and traveling across the United States to meet with grocery store buyers.
Parker discusses the creative process behind his innovative marketing ideas and how he measures their return on investment. He emphasizes the importance of breaking through the clutter and creating emotion in customers, which he believes is crucial for building a brand. Parker also shares his philosophy of using an alter ego to overcome fears and try bold marketing strategies.
As his business grows, Parker is transitioning from guerrilla marketing tactics to more scalable approaches, such as developing interactive experiences for customers and partnering with other brands. However, he remains committed to maintaining a fun and creative culture within the company.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- Parker Olson, founder of the granola brand Forage, employed highly unconventional marketing tactics, such as handing out product samples to kayakers and taking over airplane PA systems, to promote his brand and break through the clutter.
- Olson emphasizes the importance of creating genuine emotion and connection with customers as a key to building a successful brand and driving word-of-mouth marketing.
- Olson often used an "alter ego" to overcome his fears and execute bold marketing strategies, demonstrating his commitment to his business and willingness to take risks.
- As his business grew, Olson began transitioning from guerrilla marketing tactics to more scalable approaches, such as developing interactive customer experiences and partnering with other brands, while still maintaining a fun and creative culture within the company.
- Olson emphasizes the importance of finding ways to support oneself financially while pursuing entrepreneurial endeavors, as building a successful business and asking people to part with their money is a significant challenge.
- Olson's journey highlights the value of perseverance and unconventional thinking in building a successful brand and business.
- Measuring the return on investment (ROI) of unconventional marketing tactics can be challenging, but Olson believes that creating memorable experiences and emotional connections with customers is essential for driving long-term success.
- Olson's willingness to sacrifice and fully commit himself to his business, such as living out of a van for 18 months and turning his bedroom into a production facility, demonstrates his dedication to his entrepreneurial pursuits.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “And so I thought, what better way to stand out than to drive all the way there? And if they don't at least give you ten minutes of their time, that would sort of be shocking. So this isn't something I just drove across the country to see one grocery store buyer. I scoped out the entire United States and really, like, the grocery stores that I thought we would do well in the chains and where those headquarters were, and I made the entire trip of it.“ by Parker Olson
- “And the other component of, like, what's the ROI? I think I started doing, like, the airplane stuff and like, this kayaking, you know, like when I would, like, swim granola out to kayakers because I was living on a floating home. So if people in kayaks would come by, I would just jump in the water and swim over and people would be very confused. And then my roommates would like grab like, would like record it occasionally, but a lot of it was opportunistic.“ by Parker Olson
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Episode Information
The Small Business Big Marketing Podcast with Tim Reid
Tim Reid
12/25/23
Discover the bold and boundary-pushing marketing tactics in episode 663 of the award-winning Small Business Big Marketing podcast. Our guest, renowned for his creative strategies, has done everything from promoting his business via aeroplane PA systems to swimming products out to kayakers. This episode is a testament to the power and potential of unconventional marketing, offering unique insights and inspiration for businesses looking to make an impactful statement. Dive into the world of innovative marketing with us and learn how thinking outside the box can lead to extraordinary success.
A little more about unconventional marketer and Forij founder Parker Olson...
Welcome to today's episode featuring a truly unique figure in the world of business, Parker Olson. He's not just any entrepreneur; he's a cereal entrepreneur with a deep-seated passion for unconventional marketing tactics. And when I say cereal, I'm talking literally – he's the innovative mind behind Forij, a thriving granola brand.
Parker's journey in mastering unconventional marketing tactics is nothing short of remarkable. From handing out product samples to kayakers mid-swim to commandeering the cabin crew's microphone on flights, his methods are as unconventional as they are effective. He even embarked on a cross-country adventure in a Forij-branded Mazda van, making stops across the United States to engage with buyers directly – all epitomising the essence of cost-effective, high-impact marketing.
In our conversation, we delve deep into the realm of these unconventional marketing tactics. We'll explore the creative process behind Parker's innovative ideas, how he assesses the return on investment of such unique strategies, and why he believes in the power of simple tools like a $10 whiteboard to drive massive marketing success.
And there's more – for an exclusive glimpse into our intriguing discussion, check out a captivating video snippet over at Patreon.com/MarketingPodcast.
So, without further ado, let's dive into the world of unconventional marketing tactics with the master himself, Parker Olson.
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