Learn Great Marketing From Craigslist

I had an experience this past weekend using Craigslist, and I had to share it.

I’m in the market for a new lawnmower. I checked out Lowe’s and Home Depot, nothing in my price range. So, Craigslist.

I found an ad from a guy who buys, repairs, and sells old lawnmowers. I gave him a call.

He surprised me with his marketing and customer service in 3 major ways.

1. He answered his phone the first time.
This may not seem like a lot buy I buy and sell a lot on Craigslist. It’s hard sometimes to get someone on the phone. This gentlemen, Steve, was polite and setup a meeting that day.

2. He wanted to know what I wanted.
When I got to his shop he greeted me and asked me what sort of lawn mower I was looking for. He could of taken me straight to his inventory, but he stopped to understand his customer, me.

3. He cared … even after the sale.
You can see from the picture above what Steve gave me after the sale. A quick tips for caring for my lawnmower. He even spent time showing me how to change the oil, the spark plug, etc. He also added a 30 day guarantee (is ANYONE else on Craigslist doing that?). Sure he probably wants my future business, but after my experience he earned it.

As someone who works in marketing we are always trying to create Raving Fans. This little transaction through Craigslist taught me a lot about what it takes to create a raving fans. Doing the little things, right.