A question I hear quite often is, “What can I do to get people to take my tours?”

I used to answer with some balderdash about “knowing your client” or “finding your niche.” From now on, my answer will be: Offer a discount for mullets.

“Based on what?” you ask. This new brief from the Los Angeles Times:

Mullet conservation efforts are under way in Pittsburgh — the hairstyle, not the fish.

The Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium gave reduced admission Monday to those sporting the business-in-front, party-in-back look.

The tongue-in-cheek promotion kicked off a week of discount gimmicks at the zoo.

Stuck in the ’60s? A tie-dye shirt will get you in the gates for $5 on Thursday. On Friday, the zoo’s Facebook friends can get the lower price.

On Monday, the person with the best mullet won a behind-the-scenes zoo tour.

And the prize for the runners-up? A chance for a free haircut.

Makes me want to go back to the ’80s and tell my younger self to hold onto the dream and keep the mullet for a chance at a behind-the-scenes zoo tour.

And then I’d kick my own butt for insisting I had long rocker hair. Oh, my younger self would fight back, but I’d just sit on myself and crush my young punk butt under the weight of the reality of aging. And then kick myself off my lawn.

(And no, dear lord, I’m not providing you with a picture!)

What creative promotions are you using? E-mail me at matt@spmags.com, or you can share a thought or two by using the “Post Your Comment” option below.