9-12-13 Word-of-mouth: It costs nothing, but can be a very effective marketing tool

I was talking with someone who opened a new retail business on Whidbey a couple of months ago.  The owner told me that the business was doing pretty well.  He tried newspaper ads and flyers, but he learned that word-of-mouth was generating the most new business.

Different types of paid advertising can be very effective, but there’s nothing easier, and with no cost involved,  than simply inviting people who have said they like your product and service to please share this with others.

Of course, you do have to provide a quality product or service and superior customer service to feel confident that customers will promote your business to others. 

 Usually, if someone is happy with what they have received from a business, they want to let others know.  If someone compliments your business, invite them to use social media, as well as personal interactions, to spread the word. 

Also remember to keep track of how people learned about your business when they visit.

9-5-13 A customer’s first impression of your business is always the most important one

Recently, my husband and I stopped off at a takeout restaurant on our way back home.  We had been to the place before.  The restaurant was busy, and we stood in line behind two people waiting for service.

We waited for our turn....and none of the staff looked up from what they were doing; no one made eye contact or said “Hello” or “We’ll be with you in just a minute.”  We waited.  Finally, my husband said, “Let’s go somewhere else.”  And, we did.

I can imagine the young staff had had a long day, or some cranky customers, or were just anxious to be done with their work day and head home.  

But, as the customer, my only concern was being waited on, or at least having someone greet me and say they would be helping me soon.

Anyone who is meeting the public in a business must always be aware of the power of that first moment when a potential customer walks through the door.  More than anything else, a customer must be made to feel welcomed.

8-29-13 Cook on Clay: Another example of great collaboration

I recently did a story on Whidbey Local about the flameware cookware created by Cook on Clay (http://www.whidbeylocal.com/carolyn/#cook). The cooking pots and platters created by Robbie Lobell and Maryon Attwood at their Coupeville Studio are remarkable for the beauty and functionality.

Robbie and Maryon are promoting their cookware in several ways, but they especially enjoy collaborating with others on Whidbey to promote their businesses while building awareness of Cook on Clay flameware.

Several businesses use Cook on Clay pots at their events.  Bayleaf, Roaming Radish, and Comfort Vineyards participate in events where Cook on Clay Pots are displayed.  Ciao Restaurant in Coupeville is working with Robbie and Maryon to design pots that will be used in the restaurant.  Frazier’s Restaurant displays Cook on Clay pots and has cooked in the pots for special occasions.  Midnight Kitchen and Roaming Radish use the pots in their catering business.  Slow Foods Whidbey partners on events and provides discounts on the cookware to their members. 

Many well-known local chefs tell others about how they use Cook on Clay pots in their home kitchens, including Stewart Gordon (Gordon’s on Blueberry Hill), Scott Frazier (Frazier’s Restaurant) and Deborah Madison (who has written several cookbooks).

On their website, there is an excellent example of this collaboration as Beth Kuchynka of Bayleaf in Coupeville presents her recipe while using Cook on Clay pots and describing the value of the flameware pots for preparing the recipe.

Like I’ve said, collaboration is a great marketing tool.

8-22-13 The value of a professional facilitator

A well-run meeting is an efficient use of everyone’s time who participates.  Each person can be heard, yet no one dominates.  There is a purpose to the gathering and a concept of working toward that goal.  The meeting produces tangible results: usually good suggestions and often consensus.

As a professional facilitator, I have a belief that it makes a great deal of difference to have someone lead a meeting whose sole purpose is to see that the meeting is productive.  An objective person, who may have no knowledge about what is being discussed, but who knows how to provide leadership, in my opinion, is most likely to do the best job at getting the desired results.

In contrast, someone who has a stake in the group, or who doesn’t have the skills to objectively facilitate the discussion, is far less likely to have an outcome that is satisfactory.

It’s sometimes difficult for me to be a participant in a meeting and have no role in leading the discussion.  Letting one person dominate the discussion, letting people ramble and digress, getting off-track and wandering away from the purpose of the meeting…..is frustrating to witness.

Please consider using someone who is a professional to lead your meeting if you want to make the most of the talents and ideas of your discussion participants.

8-15-13 A unique bistro and wine bar fills a niche in Grants Pass, Oregon

One of the themes I have repeated in this blog is the marketing value of having a business that fills a unique niche.

Recently, my husband and I were driving home from California to Washington, and we stopped at Grants Pass, Oregon to spend a night.  We asked for a dinner recommendation from the desk person at our motel and she strongly urged us to go to The Twisted Cork for dinner.

The Twisted Cork is located in Downtown Grants Pass.  When we entered, we found ourselves in a very different restaurant world, a place that seemed like something we would find hidden away on Capitol Hill in Seattle.  The inside was intimate, warm, tasteful and comfortable, with no TV screens on the walls.  There were tall chairs and tables, regular-size chairs and tables, and couches with small tables.  Our hostess said, “Choose the seating style that is most comfortable for you.”

I chatted with one of the owners, Beth Forshay, who with her partner, Leanne Eaton, opened this wine bar and restaurant in November 2011.  Although they had retail experience neither had owned a restaurant before, but they shared a desire to create something special in this small city.  They had several fortunate strokes of luck (including husbands who were totally supportive of this venture), and were especially grateful to find a chef who could create wonderful Northwest cuisine, with an Italian twist, using local products. They serve wines from the local Oregon wineries.

Beth and Leanne strongly believe in providing superior customer service.  They, and the rest of the staff, engage with the customers and make sure the food and service measure up to the expectations of those visiting The Twisted Cork.  They are understandably proud that The Twisted Cork is currently the number 1 rated restaurant (out of 89) for Grants Pass on TripAdvisor.

I usually promote Whidbey Island businesses, but if you’re ever in Grants Pass, Oregon, and you visit The Twisted Cork, you will see a great example of a business that has developed its own niche.   Their website: http://www.thetwistedcorkgrantspass.com/