Joe, Don’t Flush this Opportunity

I watched the debates on Wednesday evening. Amidst all of the back-and-forth, one thing hit me right between the eyes…the marketing opportunity for Joe, the plumber from Ohio.

Everyone in America now knows Joe. And let’s face it…how often can a small business owner get that kind of publicity? National advertising in prime time? It’s priceless!

Okay, Joe – let’s talk for a moment about your options. JoeThePlumber.com is taken, but that doesn’t mean you can’t capitalize on this unique opportunity.

• Slap on a suit, and create a YouTube video, and tell the local public how your business can help when they find themselves with clogged pipes. End your message with, “I’m Joe the plumber, and I approved this message.” Frankly, any YouTube video that comes from the REAL Joe in Ohio right now is most likely to go viral.

• Promotional materials that take aim at the load of crap (on both sides of the aisle) in Washington provide endless fodder for you, Joe. Of course, there’s always the old standbys of plumber humor…insert a toilet graphic, or a caricature of a plumber (or a candidate, for that matter) with their crack showing.

• Joe could come out in support of his favorite candidate, “I’m Joe the plumber, and I know a thing or two about crap. I want to tell you why I support (insert your favorite candidate here)…”

Such material (almost) makes me wish there were a few more weeks of campaigning left, if only for the fun we could have stretching out Joe’s fifteen minutes of fame. Almost.

I don’t want to get into politics here, so don’t misunderstand the intention of today’s post. My point is this: you need to seize your opportunities when they come along.

Being able to spot and leverage an opportunity is one of the things that will separate a successful small business from one that goes down the tubes (or the pipes, if you prefer).