What you're selling, in most cases, is a commodity like chocolate or sugar (even if what you provide is a service). But a box of chocolates is presented as much more than simply the basic ingredients. They come in a specially-designed box, often covered in shiny paper, wrapped with a bow, and lined inside with tissue. And the intricately shaped candies are neatly arranged in their own cubbyholes in fluted wax paper cups, all in a shiny plastic tray. Opening it is an experience; it feels special, and there are delightful surprises once you've gone through the ritual. You should think of your business the same way.
The elements that go into making your business a memorable or special experience one that leaves your customers wanting more include you, your staff, your physical location, your delivery vehicles, your promotional pieces, how you answer your phone, how you greet people who come into your business, how you treat people who are unhappy with you, and the overall mood you create.
Remember that customers form instant opinions about your business based on how you maintain your establishment. You may not notice what's worn out or dirty or smudged, but your customers will, even if it's only on a subliminal level. Everything counts.
Put a fresh coat of paint on your building or on your internal walls, or at least touch up the trim. Repaint the stripes in the parking lot. Work your way through all of the zones of your business. Try to imagine what it's like to see it for the first time. If you're having trouble doing that, ask someone else to do it for you. Are there cigarette butts ground out in the front door? Is there gum stuck on the sidewalk? Is the glass greasy with fingerprints? Is the awning dusty or faded? Are your signs clean and freshly painted? Have any letters been blown off in the last major windstorm? Are the restrooms clean and spotless and well stocked?
Look at your business as a total package from the curb or parking lot, to your interior space, to your restrooms - it all matters! Think of it as a design and traffic flow, right down to the look of your promotional pieces, and the way your people dress and interact with each other and your customers. By working to make your business be "the whole package," you'll start to pay attention to details that are so easy to overlook, but that make an important difference in terms of how your customers see you and what they say about you.
The elements that go into making your business a memorable or special experience one that leaves your customers wanting more include you, your staff, your physical location, your delivery vehicles, your promotional pieces, how you answer your phone, how you greet people who come into your business, how you treat people who are unhappy with you, and the overall mood you create.
Remember that customers form instant opinions about your business based on how you maintain your establishment. You may not notice what's worn out or dirty or smudged, but your customers will, even if it's only on a subliminal level. Everything counts.
Put a fresh coat of paint on your building or on your internal walls, or at least touch up the trim. Repaint the stripes in the parking lot. Work your way through all of the zones of your business. Try to imagine what it's like to see it for the first time. If you're having trouble doing that, ask someone else to do it for you. Are there cigarette butts ground out in the front door? Is there gum stuck on the sidewalk? Is the glass greasy with fingerprints? Is the awning dusty or faded? Are your signs clean and freshly painted? Have any letters been blown off in the last major windstorm? Are the restrooms clean and spotless and well stocked?
Look at your business as a total package from the curb or parking lot, to your interior space, to your restrooms - it all matters! Think of it as a design and traffic flow, right down to the look of your promotional pieces, and the way your people dress and interact with each other and your customers. By working to make your business be "the whole package," you'll start to pay attention to details that are so easy to overlook, but that make an important difference in terms of how your customers see you and what they say about you.
