Letter to Dean Kamen - Segway inventor

Dear Mr. Dean Kamen,

The Segway is cool, but just isn't affordable to the common folks.  So instead of it being an affordable mode of transportation being used by everyone, it is a "toy" for well to do people, and something that "mall cops" use to cruise around the local mall.  And by the way, when we see the "mall cops" riding the Segway, "cool" is not a word that comes to mind.

So here's one for you.  I've never seen anyone just ride a Segway to the local WalMart nor have I seen anyone just riding on a Segway down the street.  Maybe in your world you see this?  Let me tell you though, in my world.... it's never happened.

A few years ago I did go into a Segway store to learn how to ride a Segway.  The guy there was nice and taught me how to ride it in a short period of time, and I was able to navigate through the obstacle course with the little red cones.  If I could have afforded to purchase a couple of the Segways, I would have.  Actually, I was getting a $10,000 year end bonus from my company that month, but at $5000+ per unit, spending my year end bonus on a Segway wouldn't have went over very well with my wife. 8-)

Have you ever considered some backwards marketing?  For example, loan me a Segway to use and I will drive it around town, and will always keep a pocket full of business cards on me for the local Segway store.  When people come up to me and ask questions about how I like it, etc., I will hand them a business card for the store and tell them they should go test ride one and try it out for themselves.

The point is, real people will see a real person driving around town on a Segway.  Something we just don't see in real life!

Will this drive traffic to the Segway store and drive sales?  I don't know.  You tell me. 8-)

Do you want real people to use the Segway as an alternative mode of transportation or do you just want a few "mall cops" to use the Segway?

Regards,
Tadd
tadd@superbusy.com

p.s.
I live in the north end of Fort Worth, Texas near Keller, Texas and I'm thinking that if you did your study on the demographics here, you would find out that this is your target demographic.

Just in case you are wondering... I am simply a humble general manager of one of the busiest movie theaters in Fort Worth.

Be well.

Comments

[elisa]

Dear Tadd,

Dean Kamen's a brillian mind :]
kthx

♥