6-24-14 A smile is contagious and can help build your business

Shawn Achor has become one of the world’s leading experts on the connection between happiness and success. He is the CEO of Good Think Inc., where he researches and teaches about positive psychology.

I saw a TED talk by him a year or so ago, and it really impressed me.  One of the concepts he presented is how a smile is contagious (I think I remember being told this when I was a child).  It turns out that when you smile, it actually creates changes in your brain (all positive).  When you smile at someone else, whether they smile back at your or not, their brain replicates the same responses your brain is having, mediated by so-called “mirror neurons”.

If your business involves face-to-face meetings with your customers, make sure that a smile automatically greets everyone with whom you cross paths.  Actually, this is a great practice for everyone that you see, whether they’re customers or not.

Just ask yourself: Wouldn’t you rather do business with someone whose presence makes you feel good?

6-19-14 Why do a survey?

It seems like I get a Survey Monkey, or some similar kind of email survey, at least a couple of times a month.  As someone who has written hundreds of marketing research surveys in my professional life, I am often bemused at the lack of focus and the inhibiting types of possible responses I see.  The maverick in me often wants to provide an answer that’s different than what I’m offered.

The major question I always ask myself is “What is the purpose of this survey?”  In other words, what will be done with the information that is gathered, and how accurate will the material be that is collected?

The most common purpose for doing a survey is a need to gather information about a group of people – often customers or potential customers – that will impact how you market your product.  If the responses to a question do not fit this purpose, they should not be included. 

And, if you do not have a clear purpose for doing a survey in the first place, why waste the time and energy?

6-12-14 The Langley Merchants Survey – The biggest take-away from this survey

Doing a business survey has value if there are some key findings that can be used for planning future marketing.

Looking at the major finding that people learned about Langley businesses from just walking by a store gives a strong message that the value of promoting Langley as a whole, rather than individual businesses, will benefit everyone in the business community.

As more people are encouraged to “Visit Langley,” the economy of the community will reflect the increase in visitors.  It’s also likely that there is funding already available that can be used for promoting the community.

It’s also more fun and rewarding to participate in a collaborative effort.

Note: For a copy of the survey report, contact Marc Esterly at the Langley Chamber of Commerce.

6-5-14 The Langley Merchants Survey – What are some of the other major reasons given for choosing to shop at a particular business?

As I mentioned in the previous Blog, “Just saw it walking by” was the reason marked by the largest number of respondents (47%).

The next two most repeated responses to the question were: returning customer (37%) and learned from a friend or relative (18% word-of-mouth).

These second and third most common choices are basically responses to good customer service.  If you like a business, you’ll come back again, and you’ll tell others about your positive experience.

Excellent customer service begins very simply with eye contact, a smile and a friendly “Hello.”  Once someone feels welcome, they want to stay and look around.  Most people appreciate this basic process of feeling welcomed.

Note: You may obtain a copy of this report by contacting Marc Esterly at the Langley Chamber of Commerce.

5-29-14 The Langley Merchants Survey – What is the biggest reason someone chooses to shop at a particular business?

The most amazing finding to me that came out of the Langley Merchants Survey was the response to the question, “How did you learn about this particular business?”

The answer that was marked by half of the respondents was: “Just saw it walking by.”

What this tells me is that what is most important for the businesses in Langley is to promote “Visit Langley” above all else.  People come into town as visitors (and many are local visitors), walk around and are drawn into certain businesses.

Having an appealing window display or interesting  materials at the entrance to the store, or something else that attracts the senses (some noted the smells from Sweet Mona’s Chocolate or Whidbey Island Soap Company* that lured them in) is a key factor in a village community like Langley.

 *Now Whidbey Island Natural.