Virgil Winston:Marketing Guru
Last month my family spent a total of $969.45 on…wait for it…gasoline. We aren’t ostentatious—we don’t drive Hummers or giant SUVs; we don’t commute hundreds of miles a day, we observe the speed limit, have our oil changed on a regular basis and make sure our tire pressure is properly maintained. Yet, unbelievably, my wife, daughter and I collectively spend almost the amount of my mortgage payment (I bought at the right time) on fuel for our three, non gas-guzzling automobiles. I work at home, so my driving is limited to business meetings and trips to the airport. Mrs. Winston pulls car pool duty and my daughter commutes to school and two jobs—one of which she holds down just to pay for gas. All in all, we don’t drive a lot yet we, like all Americans, are feeling the pinch.
I am sick and tired of spending more money on gas than I spend on food, entertainment, and clothing combined. That’s why, after doing the math on the Solar Desk Calculator I received at the Sunny Side Up Convention last fall, I decided enough is enough and purchased bikes for the whole Winston clan. Never one to miss a branding opportunity, I had all of our brand new bicycles, safety helmets and bike locks imprinted with, “Team Winston” and my company logo. Not only will we save a bundle on gas while marketing my expanding business, the whole thing is a tax write off. Sometimes I amaze myself with my business acumen. My daughter isn’t overly thrilled about the logo on her bright pink helmet, but she is happy to save her paycheck for more important things like lip gloss and skinny mocha lattes. Mrs. Winston still drives her weekly carpool shift but she has taken a real shine to two-wheeling, and I’ve lost 7.2 pounds! Not only am I saving money while promoting Winston Enterprises, I’m getting exercise and getting into shaped in the process.
The lesson today is simple—if you put your mind to it, you can turn any situation, good or bad, into a marketing opportunity. Like I always say, “ABP…Always Be Promoting.” It may not be original, but it works. Well, I’m off to train for the Century Ride—sure, it’s a physical challenge but it’s also 100 miles of pure promotion!