Pew Poll ~ Iron Buffalo reaches a new landmark...

True story.
Normally we do not toot our own horn, however this story is about a turning point in the history of Iron Buffalo.

Since Iron Buffalo began we have done our own market research. Personally asking each of our students where they had heard of Iron Buffalo. 
We are required by the state to complete a roster for each class. 
So we simply added boxes, pictured below in gray, to be circled (or make notes in) as our instructors checked the students in. 


"Where did you hear about Iron Buffalo?" 
Simple enough and very informative. 
Our instructors have done an excellent job of gathering information for us to use in the marketing of our company. 
In the beginning responses were 90% Google, then slowly friend/relative (word of mouth) became tops, meaning the Ferengi latinum of advertising.

News flash ~ Iron Buffalo reaches milestone!

On December 11, 2014 Iron Buffalo reached the stars! 

This is what our instructor put on the roster...

We made the wall of fame! 

The earth shook, time stood still, the stream flowed smoothly, and all was right in the world...

When our instructor asked how they (our student) had heard about us, this was his response;

"I was in a very nice bar in Denver; in the men's room and there was a competitors flyer on the wall above the urinal."

"Someone had scribbled out the competitors name/phone number and wrote in Iron Buffalo's name and number!"  

When he was finished with his business he Googled Iron Buffalo, then signed up and took a class from us!

We have decided to add a pew poll  to our market information gathering efforts...

Up yours Google and your expensive Adwords! 

Lets see the giant do this kind of advertising for a small business... Free of charge.

So think about this (men you will understand); when you are in there, there's a lot of junk hanging out, you know your mission, eyes straight ahead, get'r done, wash/dry your hands and out you go. 

What you see in front of you as you are doin' your business is all that matters. Low and behold there we were, handwritten (pretty talented dude I might add, a one hander...) was Iron Buffalo's name & number next to a crossed out name/number of one of our competitors. 

Shit, this guy rocks! 

I need to meet him! 

I probably won't shake his hand though; but really, one handed, has a pen with him, writing, and spelling correctly.

I'm in awe. 

WOW!

In the crapper I am one of those stagefright kind of guys... 

Question is; "does he know how to ride as well as he knows how to, well you know, get his business done while writing?" 

No I am not doing anything other than writing at this moment, really...

Initially we were heavy into Google Adwords as our #1, and we paid massively for this blessing from the omnipotent Google to bring us up to the top.
Top of page one is KING! 
How many times do you go to any other page? 
Really? 
Tell the truth now, please...
I dare you; take the time to click on page 5,6, or 7 and see what you find, do you have the guts, or are you into instant gratification via Google?

Truth is that it does work, but it is way too expensive for a small business to maintain. 
Lord help you if you piss off Google (yes you can do this). They will drop your business like Jimmy Hoffa's boots in a heartbeat, right to the bottom of search la la land (can you say "page 10!").

So my question is; "how much validity is there in a pew poll, especially one taken in a crapper?" 

Well, we'll take what we can get... 
Think of your ROI!

Guess we'll just have to start washing those handgrips on the trainers from now on...

W