4-18-13 Store Dogs of Whidbey

I have been given a writing assignment by a local magazine to tell about three businesses on Whidbey that have funny dogs greeting customers as they come through the door.

I don’t know that any of these merchants originally thought to have a business that featured a pet, but each has taken full advantage of the soft spot many of us have for cute animals.

The most obvious one is Spoiled Dog Winery in Langley that literally took its name from two Australian Shepherds, Blue and Sami (Samantha) that seem to be managers there.  People come to taste wine and tour the vineyards because of the reputation for the quality wines that are produced there, but I learned that many of the regulars go there to see the dogs that belong to winery owners, Karen and Jack Krug.

Then, there’s Koa, a very large, beautiful golden retriever at Vino Amore. He loves jumping up and putting his paws on the counter to say “Hello” when a customer walks up to Gail Liston or Brian Plebanek to get help.

Midway Florist owner Rob McGowen has actually trained his two dogs (or maybe they learned on their own) to sit up to greet visitors to his flower shop.  He has a dish of dog treats by the register and encourages people to have Bruno and Brutus do tricks for a treat.

I’m not suggesting that everyone run out and buy a dog to greet customers, but this is a good example of how marketing ideas can sometimes come from unexpected places.  The job is to recognize these opportunities and create your own special ways to bring people into your business.

I’ll let you know when the story is published…complete with photos.

Addendum: Right after I wrote this Blog I visited Frontier Building Supply in Freeland and was greeted at the counter by their store kitty, a black Manx cat named TJ.  Like the canines described above, TJ comes right up to the customers to be petted.  He spends most of the day on the counter, often in a left-over cardboard container next to the cash register. 

4-11-13 I'd like to hear from you

I’ve been writing these Blogs for about a year.  I’ve talked about marketing research tools and marketing concepts.  I’ve shared stories about businesses on Whidbey that I believe are doing some excellent marketing.

Several people have told me they enjoy the information, and many have said they have learned some new ideas.

I want this Blog to continue to serve and to respond to questions and concerns.

If there is a subject you’d like me to address, please let me know what that is.

If you have done something to market your business or to improve your products and/or services and you would like to share it, I’d like to share it also.

Please send me an email sharing your ideas for future Blogs to: carolyntamler@whidbey.net.

4-4-13 Do people know what you’re selling?

This last week I was asked to do some analysis of survey data for a study that was conducted for a major community organization offering a range of services.  One of the questions gave people a list of 15 services and asked if they knew which of the services were provided.

Some of the services were known to most of the people (78 – 92% for five of the items); two-thirds (65%) to just over half (51%) knew about another six items; but less than half knew about four of the services.

In other words, a significant proportion of those surveyed did not have a full understanding of the range of services this organization provides.

A major theme in my marketing advice is that people need to know what products or services you sell, and it may be a surprise that this is often a significant problem for a business.

Remember, a key element of marketing is educating people about what you sell and what is special or unique about the products and services you provide (hmmmm, have you heard me mention this before?).  And, don’t think that just because you mention it once in an ad or an email that the information is general knowledge.  In our current world of information overload and stress, people may need to hear things several times before the information sinks in.

3-21-13 What is special or unique about a manicure business?

If you are familiar with some of my marketing themes you’ve probably heard me ask, “What’s special or unique about your business?”  I consider this the primary question that drives how you market what you do.

In The Business Buzz for April 1, you will read about Island Girl Nails.  This is a locally-owned nail salon that has been a successful business for eight years.  For most of us who have walked into a nail salon, the experience is pretty basic: a table, the manicurist and often a simple, small shop.

Vicki Thompson, the owner of Island Girl Nails has been building her business by creating an environment and offering services that make her business special and unique.

Vicki’s salon is almost like an art gallery.  The colors are vibrant; large round mirrors decorate the walls; there are oversized, relaxing chairs for the pedicures.  Most impressive, though, has been Vicki’s focus on her clients.  She learns about each new client’s health issues (if there are any), what they want with their service and what will make them feel most comfortable.

All of her employees share Vicki’s ethic about making a visit to a nail salon comfortable and pleasurable.  There are other nail salons on the south end of the island, but the number of repeat customers and referrals have built her business and attest to the ways she has made a visit to her salon special and unique.

No matter how many businesses compete with you in any way, it's up to you to create a product and/or a service that is special and unique.

Check out Vicki's story at www.whidbeylocal.com/carolyn.

3-21-13 What if the need to make money takes the joy out of your passion?

I got a very interesting response from someone who read my Blog a couple of weeks ago about following your passion to create your business.  Here was the comment:

 “I once had a business that was also my passion but I found that when you absolutely must earn a living from that thing, it can take the joy and pleasure right out of the thing that once fed your soul. For me, it's been much easier to NOT earn money from "what makes me passionate," but to do something else that can enable me to do my passion outside of work, without it having to be reduced to the grind of needing to make me money. “

I’ve read this over several times.  I certainly understand the point that was made. 

And yet, on Whidbey especially, I see so many examples of people who really love what they do while they are making a living from their business.

I think what I have observed is that many people who move to Whidbey need to find a different way to earn a living since there are relatively few jobs on the island.  Many decide to follow a dream they have had but never acted upon.  Running any kind of a business isn’t easy, but I have crossed paths with many who moved to the island, decided to do something as a business that they had never done before, and find themselves feeling very contented with their business choice….even if it isn’t earning the money they might have gotten from their city job off the island.

There really is no pat answer to the dilemma of job/business satisfaction vs. making enough money to live comfortably.  Obviously, if you can follow a passion and earn as much as you need to get by, it’s a formula for a happier lifestyle.