Funnel Vision Marketing Example: Library in a Restaurant

Here's a marketing innovation worth from a company that may not strike you as forward-thinking, Cracker Barrel Restaurants ...

It's a brilliant example of Funnel Vision, a concept I learned from Jay Abraham.

Funnel Vision (the opposite of tunnel vision) simply means looking outside your industry for new ideas. Because, really, there are no new ideas -- only new combinations of old ideas.

Examples of Funnel Vision: McDonald's borrowed drive-thru windows from banks ... FedEx borrowed hub-and-spoke flight routes from Delta Airlines ...

... so when Cracker Barrel borrowed audiobook lending from libraries, they are working in this fine tradition.

Really, this is a brilliant idea. As you can see from the instructions on the sign above, Cracker Barrel has created two smart things here:

1. a new revenue stream -- audiobook rental fees;
2. another reason to visit their restaurants -- to return the audiobook.

Of course, McDonald's did something similar in 2006 when they introduced DVD rentals in their restaurants.

That just means there's plenty of room to be creative and borrow ideas from other industries to better serve your clients.

Now. What idea will you borrow this week?

(More ideas like these in my Free Report, Guaranteed Marketing for Service Business Owners.)