More Fantastic Vegas Freebies

August 22nd, 2010 - 

If you’re looking for some great free things to do in Vegas, there are some amazing treats for you and the family awaiting. Many casinos in an effort to bring in more and more business are offering elaborate shows free for the family in an effort to bring more warm bodies into their casinos and out of their competitors. This is a win win situation for tourists and locals alike who are seeking entertainment that will leave a little money in their pockets to spend at the casinos (which is exactly what the casinos were hoping for).

One of the great shows that is available free to families is the Fall of Atlantis Show at Caesar’s Palace. This particular show is a laser, water, and light show that features wonderful animatronics action. Also notice that the show’s platform is actually a salt-water aquarium. You can see divers feed the fish each day at 1:15 and 5:15 while another staff member is on hand to answer any questions you may have and explain a little about the facility. You can actually take a tour of the facility at 3:15 each day. Enjoy watching the gods as they entertain you rather than us entertaining them.

The Cambridge Community Center offers a free movie and popcorn each Saturday at 1:00. Each week a different movie will be shown and children under 12 must bring an adult to keep them company. You can check out which movie will be playing by checking out the posting on Friday.

Another great Vegas freebie is daily performances of the Hawaiian Marketplace Island Performers. These performances take place throughout the day from 11:00 am until 10:30 pm and feature wonderful dances that will remind you of the island. See hula dancers, fire and knife dancers, musicians, lei makers, and animatronic birds. The performances are free and take place at the Hawaiian Marketplace.

For the Elvis fan in all of us you can see Pete Vallee perform as Big Elvis from Monday to Thursday with shows that take place at 3:00 and 5:00 pm at the Barbary Coast Casino. The admission for this show is free and he brings in quite a crowd with his vocal talent and heartfelt renditions of Elvis’ ballads.

M & M World should need no introduction. It is a wonderful and yummy place to visit. More importantly it is a free place to visit. This museum is open Sunday through Thursday from 9 am until 11 pm and Friday and Saturday from 9 am until midnight. This really is a neat attraction to visit and is much more than initially meets the eye. Take a stroll, look around and make sure you see all there is to see or you just might miss something fantastic.

For another sweet freebie, you really must make plans to visit Ethel M’s Chocolate Factory. The admission for this self-guided tour is free as is the first sample, but who can eat just one chocolate? Be sure not to leave this tour empty handed, as you’ll be kicking yourself once you get back to the room and have a craving for something sinfully sweet. In addition to the chocolate factor is the Botanical Cactus Garden that is open from 8:30 until 7:00 daily. Another great thing to see on this particular tour is the Living Machine, which as waste-consuming ecologies that turns 32,000 gallons wastewater each day into water that is clean enough to use for irrigation purposes.

The Marjorie Barrick Museum of History, which is located on the University of Nevada Las Vegas Campus, is another place to go and learn while being entertained. Admission is Monday through Friday from 8:00 until 4:45 and on Saturday from 10:00 until 2:00. Admission is free and the museum is closed on all state and federal holidays. This museum offers a great display of Western culture and the history of ancient Mexico.

No matter what your specific interests are there are plenty of wonderful things to see and do in Las Vegas that do not put a strain on the pocketbook at all.

All Natural Freebies abound in Seattle

January 11th, 2010 - 

If you’re an outdoors kind of person and really enjoy the sights and sounds of nature, or simply enjoy not being trapped inside a building all day, then Seattle Washington has plenty to offer you should you decide to visit. When planning your visit to Seattle, you will probably find that there are many things that appeal to you and it is quite difficult to narrow them down by interest alone.

This is the point when I divide activities into categories such as: things I really want to do, things that seem interesting, and things that will really just pass the time. Then, I take those things and do a reality (which translates to price) check. I try to justify the expenses of the things I really want to do that are more than I’d like to pay by sneaking in things I’d like to do equally as much for free. It’s a great concept and works really well when giving children a choice of activities. Let them choose between two free activities. They still get a voice and feel as though they are an important part of the decision making process and you aren’t spending $50 an hour for them to jump on a fancy trampoline.

Here are some of the excellent free activities that can be enjoyed in the great outdoors of Seattle Washington. The really great news is that many of these are actually both entertaining and educational. This is good for you and the kids who will leave Seattle with some degree of knowledge about something other than the ice cream flavors that are offered there.

The first freebie that I recommend is the Volunteer Park Conservatory. This is of special interest to those who love flowers. The conservatory is divided into five houses which each provides a suitable habitat for growing very specific plants. The five houses are: Bromeliad House, which is members of the pineapple family; Palm House, which consists of about 1200 species; Fern House, which features an assortment of tropical ferns and other exotic plants; Seasonal Display House, which changes with the season and consists of many common and recognizable house plants; and Cactus House, which is rather self explanatory. The conservatory is free to the public and a great way to pass time for any flower lover in your group.

Next there is the Washington Arboretum Park. This park is actually a 200-acre arboretum that was designed by the same firm responsible for the design of Central Park in New York. The park hosts 40,000 trees, shrubs, and vines. You can pay for a tour or simply wander around and enjoy the landscape. The purpose of this park is to preserve certain species of plants while offering education to the public and anyone who wishes to learn and benefit from the knowledge that can be gained there.

Next there is the Woodland Park Rose Garden. This garden is located next to the zoo but is open to the public free of charge. There is a $4 parking fee during zoo hours, but parking is free after hours. The climate of Seattle is mild enough that roses seem to flourish and grow beautifully here. The rose gardens receive over 200,000 visitors each year and are a great sight to see while you are visiting Seattle.

Finally, there is Discovery Park. This park offers stunning views and a place to contemplate the beauty of nature and the surroundings of Seattle. The park itself is 534-acres making it the largest city park in Seattle. The purpose of this park was to provide sanctuary for wildlife and a place to learn about nature for those who were interested. The park has a play area for children, picnic equipment, and trails and paths for exploration.

Nature is a wonderful thing to behold and Seattle is blessed with some of the most beautiful natural surroundings on earth. It only makes sense that while on vacation you should be able to enjoy the beautiful plants, animals, and scenery that abound in the area. I sincerely hope you take the opportunity to enjoy some of these great places.

Why Aren’t You Using Freebies to Get More Customers?

November 29th, 2009 - 

Don’t you just love a freebie? I know I do.

I’ve been in two situations recently as a customer, when I received an unexpected freebie. After ordering my usual bagel and coffee at the Bagel Bar,
the girl behind counter offered me a free bottle of mineral water. I was about to ask for a glass of water anyway, so this came as a welcome surprise.

A few days later found me buying a steak at the meat counter in my local supermarket. I was having a chat with the guy behind the counter about the fact that there didn’t seem to be too much meat for so much money.

He obviously took pity on my miserable face when he said – “Tell you what sir, why don’t you have this other steak for the same price” and he slapped another one on top!

So what’s the customer service lesson here? The lesson is that most customers, love a freebie and if they receive one from a supplier it builds a positive
relationship.

As customers, we’re more likely to return and do business with people who give us freebies and we’re more likely to tell other people about our positive experience.

I once read a story article about a restaurant owner who would occasionally give people a free meal. When a group of diners or a family asked for the bill he would spontaneously announce that on this occasion they were his guests and they didn’t have to pay for their meal.

Can you imagine how these people felt – what they said to friends and work colleagues the next day? That free meal probably cost the restaurant owner a lot less that advertising in the local newspaper and it also brought in a lot more new customers.

The Law of Reciprocity states that – “If you give someone something or do something for them – they will want to repay you – to give you something.”

Why don’t you think of some little unexpected freebie you can offer your customers that’ll encourage them to return and also tell others about their positive experience. And while we’re at it – why not try the same thing with
members of your staff. Even your personal relationships – a small unexpected gift or an act of kindness can do wonders for any relationship.

Believe me, once you start to do this, you’ll have many more satisfied customers, happy staff and appreciative friends.