Buy Tom a Shot!!!

What can I do to stand out in this crowd?

That’s a question that I ask more and more these days. As a professional photographer and marketer, it’s essential to get the attention of prospects and then sell them on the differences between yourself and the competition.

Sometimes the answer comes in the most unexpected of places.

Friday night after dinner, my wife, her friends and I headed to the Karaoke Lounge on our cruise ship to relax and be entertained. After a rousing rendition of “My Way” by an intoxcated wheelchair bound veteran, I noticed wash of color in my right eye.

I turned to find seven people headed toward me, all with bright yellow shirts that read “BUY TOM A SHOT!!!”, followed by an eighth person with a slightly different shirt reading, you guessed it, “I’M TOM!!!”

On the back of each shirt was a tequila graphic and another message, “TOM’S 30th Birthday Cruise”

Here are the three things I learned from this little group who made themselves known on a cruise ship filled with 2000 guests.

1. You don’t have to spend a fortune. The shirts probably cost less than $10 a pop, but definitely got attention.
2. You don’t have to be original. I’m sure this has been done before. I’ve probably even seen it, but in the small eco-system of a cruise ship, this group made themselves know.
3. You don’t have to be creative. There was no brand consultant, expensive logo, or focus group. Someone just thought of something and did it.

Tom - Thanks for the eye-opening moment. I hope you enjoyed the shot as much as I did.