Finding A Mentor Will Help Shape Your Future

There’s a guy in a manhole and he yells up to a doctor walking by. “Hey, can you help down here?” And the doctor writes a prescription and throws it down the hole.”

A few minutes later, a priest walks by and the guy in the hole yells out, “Hey, can you help me down here?” So the priest writes a prayer and throws it down the hole.

The guy sees his friend walk by and he yells up, “Hey Joe! Can you help me?”

So Joe jumps down the hole.

The guy says, “What are you, stupid? Now we’re both down here?”
And Joe says, “That’s OK, I’ve been down here before and I know the way out.”

Morale of the story: Many have walked the path before you. Find a successful mentor and meet with them weekly, monthly or quarterly. A mentor can provide incredible insights and help you through the rocky times, and the abundant times, in business.
If you are already successful – give back by sharing your wisdom and advice with a young entrepreneur.

Under Your Nose

Let's face it - as marketers we've all done it. We've spent a large part of our marketing dollars on trying to capture the potential customer.

How many months or years have marketing budgets focused on the masses with mediums that target large numbers? The more people you get your message in front, of the more people that will come through your doors, right? Not necessarily so. Focusing on new customers is only part of the equation. The other part is building business through current customers. Your greatest earning potential could be right in front of you.

Here's a story to illustrate the point.

Last Friday night, a small group met at Anthem Country Club in Anthem, Arizona. Since it's May, the nights are still warm but not unbearable (it's a dry heat). The country club was not serving dinner or drinks on the patio since its (quote - unquote) summer. So we opted to sit outside anyway and enjoy the sunset -- with each of us taking turns to go inside for refills. The bartender and waitstaff never checked on us, never offered us dinner, and never mentioned that the kitchen was closing. Again, we knew they were not serving outside so our expectations were tempered -- but the country club restaurant and bar did not appear busy as the evening progressed. And we could see four or five servers standing in a group visiting with one another. Doesn't anyone want to make money here?

Little did the management the country club know, but friends in our group are considering a membership. The club is currently open to the public, but as soon as membership quotas are met, it will turn private. At $20,000 + dollars a year (for the membership fee only) how many people are going to consider this a good investment when they've been ignored by the waitstaff? A $100 night of bad service could cost this country club approximately $100,000 in membership fees over the next 5 years.

Restaurant operations, golf management, and club management should be working from the same page so every employee is aware of the club's sales goals.

Bottom line...Remember to take care of the people who are currently spending money with you. You don't have to spend money marketing to them -- they are already on their way to being loyal customers.

Oftentimes your best customers are right under your nose.

A Smart, Smart Company

Recently a friend of mine shared this story. I can't think of a better way to illustrate the philosophy of four-wall marketing. And it's a real testament to empowering your staff.

My husband and I stopped off at In and Out for a burger last week. As we sat in our clean little booth gobbling up our fries and "Animal style" cheeseburgers, I noticed a group of guys (all in their late 40's) walk in. Not only were they all dressed the same (tailored shorts, expensive golf shirts - your typical golf attire), but they also looked somewhat lost. So I assumed that they were from out of town. Anyway, my curiosity waned and I went back to eating.

Then the most amazing thing happened - at least I think so.

As we sat there, the group of men sat down and waited for their number to be called. And I overheard one of the guys saying to the others (to the effect), "Wow. It's been a long time since I've seen a menu like that. Talk about simple." At that, I gave a little internal chuckle thinking "yeah, I was right."

But, apparently, I wasn't the only one to overhear the statement. An In and Out employee (a girl about 17 years old) who was standing a few feet away, and in the middle of throwing out trash, also heard it. Immediately, she stopped what she was doing, smiled and went over to the table with the group of men. Then she said (again, to the effect), "It looks simple, but actually there's a lot of ways you can have your burger...there's "animal-style", which is grilled onions with extra pickles, the "3x3" - three patties, "protein" without the bun, and....." She went on to mention 6 or 7 different ways to have a burger." Which isn't what I think is the amazing thing - In and Out regulars already know this. What had me so impressed was the fact that here was a 17 year old girl who cared enough to go over to the table of a group of men and share some information about In and Out.

After I witnessed this event, I thought, "Wow, I'd never ever see that happen at any other fast food restaurant - ever." Caring, helpful employees who go the extra mile. Think about it, she didn't have to go over there. She would've still been a good employee if she kept to her business of cleaning up. Instead she went from employee to "saleswomen/evangelist" in a matter of seconds - and it was never scripted - it was real. So many fast food restaurants try to help their cashiers sell by giving them a script - which they painfully recite and customers instantly reject.

Anyway, it made me sit up and take notice. It speaks volumes for In and Out as a company -- a smart, smart company.

Get Moving On This Neighborhood Marketing Program

Every year, one fifth of all households in the United States move to a new residence. And as consumers move into their new home, they immediately begin to try to connect with their new surroundings like finding a new bank, seeking restaurants to frequent, where the local grocery store is located, and what utility company to call. During this move-in phase, movers are also establishing new loyalties and new purchasing patterns.

Increase your sales by targeting this group. And as you plan your neighborhood marketing efforts, look for inventive ways to reach out to this group of customers. Here are a few ideas to consider:

1) Develop relationships with successful REALTORS in your area. Encourage them to purchase a gift certificate from your place of business to give to the new homeowner as a gift.

2) Work on a program with a well-respected moving company. Provide the moving company with a gift certificate from your store so they can, in turn, give it to the new homeowner to welcome them to their new home.

3) Obtain a list of new homeowners from a list broker or list company. Mail a letter, gift certificate or special offer to homeowners who have just moved into the neighborhood.

4) Many parts of the country have Home Owners Associations. Try to find a HOA near you and find out if they publish a newsletter or some form of communication that goes to homeowners. If so, place an ad or insert a flyer into the newsletter. Another option is to inquire about new homeowner packets or folders. This may be an opportunity for you to include a gift certificate or offer.

Marketing From the Inside Out

On April 3, 2006, MSNBC ran an article entitled Biggest Customer Service Blunders Of All Time . The story serves as a reminder that marketing starts from the inside of a company. And that the employees on the frontline are critical to the success of an establishment.

Think about your own purchasing habits. Is there a restaurant that you frequent because the staff recognizes you each time you dine? Are you a loyal customer of a particular dry cleaner because you like the way the manager asks how you are and thanks you for being a loyal patron? Do you take your car to a certain service station because you trust them and always vacuum your car out before you pick it up?

When developing a marketing plan, don’t forget to include an employee marketing plan. Key components could include things like morale-building programs, reward-based initiatives, employee point-based programs and team recognition. Whatever programs you choose, be sure to execute year round.

"Hallmark" Holidays Can Make Your Registers Sing

Calendar Marketing is a strategy that every restaurant and retail owner should consider. This type of marketing is the art of turning annual observances into sales-building promotional events using calendar dates, holidays, events and special days, weeks and months. These ideas will bring an unexpected excitement to your current customer base and in many cases, it will allow you to build a relationship with a neighboring retailer or group giving you access to their customer base which could be potential new customers for you. The biggest benefit to Calendar Marketing is that it allows you to connect with customers and potential customers on an emotion level and in some cases, your restaurant can be a part of family’s annual traditions.

Last week, a colleague went to Jack in the Box for lunch. On his tray, the liner read: Jack’s Cash Card Great For Gift Giving. Below the headline, the liner was sprinkled with at least 50 occasions for giving a Jack Cash card as a gift. As local store marketing idea generators, we love to see this type of promotion inside the store. Especially because they are giving loyal customers usage ideas for the Jack Cash Card, thus generating sales from gift cards all year long – not just at holiday time. But there was one small mistake – the observance date was not listed with the holiday. For example, the liner listed holidays like Best Friend’s Day, Receptionists Day and National Nurses Day. What if you wanted to actually buy your friend a Jack Card and give it to her on Best Friend Day? Unless you take the time to do a little research or google the holiday, you’ll never know when it occurs. And it’s on a tray liner, so after lunch it will go in the trash and the customer won’t think any more about it.
The bottom line is that as marketers we need to make it easy for customers to spend money. And keep messages and information simple. In the words of psychologist Arnold H. Glasgow, “Success is simple. Do what’s right, the right way, at the right time.”

Coffee Giant Takes It To The Streets

On March 15, Starbucks stores around the country treated Americans to a free cup of coffee – deeming it the first-ever National Coffee Break. The company estimated that they would give some 500,000 cups of free coffee during a two-hour window. Since the actual results of this promotion have not been reported, we don’t know if it was a positive experience for existing customers, grabbed the attention on non-users or was a total flop.

But what I do know is that it was a success in terms of local store marketing. For the first time ever, the coffee giant participated in a grass-roots program intended to tug at the heart strings of loyal users – making those people that more loyal. The company also used the Coffee Break to cross sell in-home/in-office brewing merchandise. The sales strategy encompassed an Annual Brewing Sale to showcase grinders, coffee makers, coffee accessories and more. Again, a brilliant way to cross sell/upsell customers and ultimately increasing the overall ticket average that day.

Whether Starbucks is a part of your weekly ritual or not, you’ve got to hand it to them for stepping up and embracing neighborhood marketing. From the job postings on their website, it looks like they are gearing up to not only be the leader in coffee sales, but in grass roots programs as well. Only the future will tell.