Today’s customer base is different than they were 20-30 years ago. But business owners know this right? They’ve talked about this right? Then why do we still see so many small businesses owners running their shops the same way they did when they opened their doors years ago with no thought on how to evolve, improve and/or include social media?
Simple answer: business owners (like most people), hate change.
Not so simple answer: the business owner has become complacent and taken the attitude that the customers are there for them, and that they don’t need to be there for the customer experience. (I’ve personally experienced this phenomenon dozens upon dozens of times as a customer myself.)
Today, there is new generation of small business owners that are focused on providing a memorable, post-able and hash-tag-able experience that makes the customers want to tell other people about it on social media. Their customers will upload selfies, quirky photo-ops and check-in online at these establishments.
Do your customers do that? Are you being hash-tagged and followed on social media?
In Colorado for instance, during the last seven years or so, there have been a significant amount of micro-breweries that serve more than just cool flavors of beer and have been winning over their customer base by creating a place to come and have an experience that they want to share about online. These small business owners didn’t want to open the typical neighborhood bar where ‘Norm and Cliff’ sit around getting drunk, they want more for their customers- and for their bottom line.
Here are a few simple ideas and tips on how to make your business more ready for today’s ever-changing customer environment:
Create an Experience
When you enter these new microbreweries yes, you’ll find some great beer, but also some amazing food, excellent wait staff and fun things to do. Many of these places have outside volleyball, beer gardens, tours of how they make the brew, etc. They will have a small shop where customers can purchase the product and take it home, but they also have “gear” as well; T-shirts, hats, bumper stickers, clothing and items for kids. I proudly wear a baseball t-shirt that says “Clumpys” on it, an ice cream shop in Chattanooga. Why? Because it was fun experience with a quirky name that I wanted to share with my friends on social media.
These savvy business owners aren’t just looking for the broke college kids, they are marketing to younger families who can create lasting memories, although the college folks are most certainly there of course. They have made their business a destination for all types of people to go to, as well as a super fun experience for their customers to post about online. So, what can your company do to create an experience that your customers will post online about?
Create Fun/Cool Hashtags
Create a hashtag for your business and make sure that you get that hashtag in front of your clients every single time. Maybe it could be a hashtag that will make your customers laugh, because if they laugh, they’re having fun. And if they’re having fun, they’ll want to post it on social media. Own a brick and mortar location? Place your fun hashtag on the door coming in, on the mirrors in the restroom, on a cool looking table stand. Maybe give away a free meal, dessert or t-shirt when someone has checked-in online 3, 4 or 5 times at your business or used your hashtag a certain number of times. That’s a darn cheap way to create some good social media buzz.
Create a Photo-Op
If your customers aren’t taking selfies of themselves when they are at your establishment so they can post to Instagram or Facebook, you’re losing out on free marketing. A simple idea is to create a location at your establishment, or several if possible, where they’ll want to take their selfies and post. Can you create some type of quirky totem pole? Maybe a funky mural on the wall?
Not long ago my wife and I went to a shop that had a seven-foot statue of big foot!! Hell yes we were taking pictures and posting online with hashtags! We had so much fun and spent a bunch of money because it was fun. And I can’t tell you how many people were asking where that place was. So, what can you do to create a location worth taking selfies inside or outside your establishment?
Pro Tip #1: Ask your employees what fun options your business might have in these areas mentioned above. If they get excited and think their idea is a good one, let them run with it and see what happens. If it doesn’t work out, who cares? Drop it and go to the next idea. By allowing your employees to have fun and get creative, as well as take ownership of the process, you free yourself of the time and effort of getting the project up and running. You’ll also be creating a fun workplace environment for the next wave of employees and well as increasing retention for the employees who are involved.
Pro Tip #2– Ask your customers what they think would be a fun addition that they would like as an experience. They will also come up with great ideas on hashtags for your company. So have fun and get as many customers involved as you can. You can even send out a survey in your next weekly newsletter. You do have a newsletter that goes out to your customers each week, don’t you?
Pro Tip #3: Steal some ideas. Seriously, take a look at the new trends and changes in your local business landscape and see what’s happening. For instance, in Colorado Springs there is magazine called Colo Springs and it has all of the new, interesting and funs things that businesses are doing. The magazine and its web site cater to the people of the area. In Bethesda Maryland you’ll find the Bethesda Magazine. Check out these web sites as well as look to see what’s in your local area, and you’ll get a ton of ideas on how business is changing and what new things you can do to keep up with that change. Having this info will only serve to allow your bottom line to benefit from those ideas.
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