The Background Story
Don't you hate it when you're eating at a local restaurant with your family, but you can't enjoy your meal because some guy at the bar is blowing big poofs of smoke your way? Well, I have discovered the solution!You know how restaurants only exist to make money? Well, the trick to get smokers to not smoke near your food is to make it less profitable for the restaurant. "How can I do that as an individual? If I don't eat at that restaurant, someone else will anyway," you may think to yourself.
Well, I have a solution!
The Plan
Google's reach goes farther than you might think. Recently, they have started a new service, called Goog-411. When you call the number 1-800-GOOG-411 (or 1-800-466-4411 for those of you who can't dial letters), is both toll-free and there is no surcharge for cell-phones. So go ahead, give it a call!
- What does this have to do with stopping smoking? Simple. Call Goog-411. (That number again is 1-800-466-4411.)
- When instructed, state your city and state.
- When instructed to state a business or category, say "Restaurant."
- Press the number 1 to select the first search result. It should connect you instantly, again for free.
- When the restaurant picks up, ask, "Do you guys have a smoking section?" If they reply, "Yes," then say, "Oh, never mind then." Hang up go on with your happy life!
The Results
The greatest part about this plan is the fact that it involves pretty much minimal effort on your end of the deal. If enough people call, it will give the impression that having a smoking section isn't profitable in the long run. As a plus, you can still eat at the restaurant because it was over the phone and they don't know who you are! Its a win-win situation!
The Final Obstacle
Perhaps the greatest obstacle to overcome will be numbers. By that I mean getting people to actually call. How can we overcome this? Spread the word! Tell your friends. Got a stumbleupon account? Give it a thumbs up. Do social bookmarking? Share the word! Lets do it, guys and gals.
~jw
