Updated Rules
by Andrew Samtoy
I just got an email from an organizer named Stu Kirsch. Besides having a fantastic attitude and being really optimistic, he noted that he has been telling people about the business to mob ahead of time. Since the beginning, we’ve tried to keep the businesses secret; however, more and more organizers are telling people the business they’re going to, then holding really successful mobs.
So after thinking about it and talking about it, we took that rule off of the list. And now we’re questioning all of them.
So here’s the deal: we’d like your input. If you have any ideas for other rules, or think some rules should be stricken, let us know. Who knows? Your voice could have a massive impact on how Cash Mobs moves forward!
I think it is better to keep the mystery. We have actually heard folks say they would not have come had they known in advance which store we were mobbing. They were glad that they did not know because as it turned out they found something they loved in the store which they would never have entered. otherwise.
It was a rule that kept being broken by many who found it a roadblock to the ultimate success of the particular mob. Out of the 5 that Los Angeles has had, only the last 2 were announced ahead of time. The first was announced because the store was a social enterprise whose proceeds went to charity, and it seemed right to alert people about the additional community benefits beforehand. We thought it might make a difference in attendance. And it did.
I think it depends on the circumstances. The only other mob where we gave away the location was due to the location itself. It was a small grocery store with a parking lot well suited for the amount of people expected to come. People were going to be buying lots of heavy bottles which would be difficult to lug far down the street to their cars. Also, the after-party was literally right next door to the store. Had they had to drop their goods off half a mile down the street, I doubt many would have returned to socialize, which is a huge part of the event. In addition, people were already guessing the location before I had even posted an intersection, so it just made sense to announce. But I did try to make it fun, by doing it on our local news the night before. And we did still have one surprise for the day of the Cash Mob. The Today Show was filming, which was a HUGE surprise!!
For future Cash Mobs, we’re going to try to keep the location under wraps for as long as possible, as I do think people are attracted to the mystery. It adds an element of adventure and fun that is hard to deny. But if it makes sense to tell, at least we won’t be breaking the law…
I actually run the Secret Tampa Cash Mob… My 1200 mobsters nominate and vote for their next hit. The mobsters know the location, but the business is unaware that they will be mobbed until I share with them at opening of their business day.
Our mob does not go all at one time, but throughout the day to accommodate their schedules and not to overwhelm the business.
Our last two hits, we increased sales 300% and 100% respectively and the mob is still continuing to return to the scene of the “crime”.
It’s in all around win for everyone!
I live in a small town so it is a little hard to hide where the mob will be, but I try to find some way to make it interesting.
For a restaurant, I find it’s a good idea to tell people ahead of time. People have issues about food! Also, when I did the cash mob at Empress Taytu, I gave away the location ahead of time in part because it was a big draw for people—many had been wanting to try the restaurant and this gave them an opportunity to do that. Also, at the time (January 2012), most of the people I invited had not heard of a cash mob, so I’m not sure they would have come out on a Cleveland-cold Tuesday night out of curiosity alone.