Isn’t that the case for all of us—even if it means agreeing with Honey Boo Boo (Real Name: Alana Thompson)?
“Here Comes Honey Boo Boo” (HBB) is a reality television program on TLC. To be specific, it’s a spinoff of another TLC show, “Toddlers & Tiaras,” featuring beauty pageant contestant Honey Boo Boo, and her “eccentric” family. I’ve heard a lot of buzz about this show, yet despite my penchant for bad TV, “HBB” remained just that for me—buzz. This was until last week when I accidentally stumbled upon the show while channel surfing (TLC was airing a marathon of HBB … yay for me).
I cannot write a description that sufficiently describes what I saw—but the A.V. Club can, calling the first episode a “horror story posing as a reality television program.” If you’re unfamiliar with the show, Google “Honey Boo Boo” and it will all make sense.
In addition to the recipe for “Go Go Juice” (i.e., a concoction of Red Bull and Mountain Dew), HBB offers other gems that might even benefit your business. Just hear me out. Here are three tips to market your company as the next big thing:
1. Be “Sassified”
I don’t know about you, but HBB decoded the secret to success at a much younger age than I did: She has mastered the art of self-confidence. She is “sassified” and proud of it. Critics can continue to cry “exploitation” to TLC and shame this family until the Georgia sun rises, but their efforts will prove futile. If you peel back the layers of HBB, at her core, you will find a happy girl with a bold personality. To be a successful salesperson, it helps to have genuine charisma—that “it” factor for establishing meaningful connections with potential and existing clients. The goal is to use it wisely, perhaps in moderation, to ensure your success lasts more than HBB’s inevitable 15 minutes.
2. It Isn’t Merely “What It Is”
I apologize for mentioning this overused expression, but salespeople (in any industry) need to “think outside of the box.” HBB and her family are not rolling in the dough, which means they need to be creative if HBB is going to continue to enter beauty pageants. Think about it. There are elaborate dresses to buy, coaches to hire and entry fees to pay. So, what does HBB do? Everything from selling lemonade to playing Bingo (Sidenote: Are 6-year-olds allowed to play bingo for money?). Meanwhile, June Shannon (HBB’s mother), feeds her entire clan on a budget of $80 per week by furiously clipping coupons and she acquires child support checks from her four children’s respective fathers. Obviously, don’t use these specific tactics to boost sales—just borrow the creativity aspect. Today (or ever), no one can afford to (or should) be mere “product pushers.” Do you have an “awesome” product that I should buy simply because it’s “awesome”? You have to do better than that. Why is it awesome? How can your product benefit me, your customer? I should order 500 pens … just because? How do I know what product is best for my promotion? How do I know how many to order? Consider this an SOS call. I need to be able to count on my contact to collaborate with me on a solution that benefits everyone.
3. If All Else Fails, Capitalize on HBB
According to TMZ, in the fourth episode of HBB, little HBB brought Glitzy the pig to Lucy Lu’s Boutique to get fitted for a “piggy dress” (Piggy dress? Genius! See Point #2.) Unfortunately, Glitzy had a slight meltdown and in response, the store enforced a “No-Pig Policy”. However, that didn’t stop Lucy Lu, owner, from making a profit off of HBB. After that particular episode aired, the boutique began selling bright-pink HBB T-shirts for $15 each. Lucy Lu said, in less than a week, they sold out of all 350 shirts. The bright pink shirt features an image of a pig sporting a crown with the slogan: “No Pigs Allowed Honey Boo Boo Child.” The store’s name and location are imprinted in a prime position, centered directly below the image and slogan. Lucy Lu went on to tell TMZ a percentage of the profits will benefit two charities: an anti-bullying group and the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. This shirt accomplished three things: It made a tidy profit off a hot catch-phrase; it attracted attention to the company (town residents and beyond definitely are now familiar with Lucy Lu’s Boutique); and the choice of color not only was reminiscent of the animal, but it doubled as a popular awareness color for Breast Cancer Awareness month, with the added bonus of donated proceeds. Don’t overthink it too much, but can you come up with a multifaceted goal for your next promotion?
(Editor’s Note: Remember when TLC used to stand for “The Learning Channel”? Neither do I.)
