Its #tbt and today, we’re bringing you one of our favorite posts from August 2012.
——————————————————————————————————————————————————
August is fading fast, but summer isn’t over yet. There are still some hot, sunny days left to rally the kids and set-up a refreshing lemonade stand.
If you never compared your business marketing to a lemonade stand before, don’t worry. I’ve done it for you …
One :: Location Is Everything.
Be flexible and be prepared to change locations if yours is not working. Most retailers get this. But what about those of us in the service business? Your location should feel and look just right.
Lesson :: It is all part of your customer’s experience – if the location and atmosphere aren’t right, the customer will feel that same way about your establishment, too.
Two :: Mix It Up
It’s a good idea to have several ways to market your stand. From storefront graphics to signpost fliers, and from Instagram to Foursquare, using a variety of mediums to get your message out there is smart.
Lesson :: Integrate your marketing plan!
Three :: Don’t extend further than you can reach.
Start small. Only extend your line if it makes sense. This may seem obvious, but how many times have you witnessed a company who excelled at a product or service only to introduce something else that made absolutely no sense whatsoever? So when my daughter wanted to sell pink lemonade and seashells she collected from our beach, we settled on pairing the lemonade offering with cookies instead. Don’t confuse your loyal customers.
Lesson :: It’s better to do one thing really well than to drain your resources and dilute your message.
Four :: Engage Your Customer.
I love the bow tie and smile on this kid. Hire the right people and put them at your front door. Who wouldn’t want to a glass of lemonade from this cute go-getter?
Lesson :: Attitude, personality and presentation go a long way to making the sale.
Five :: Creativity Counts.
Dress up that lemonade stand. Use some colored chalk and a striped awning. Sweep the sidewalk, pick the most visible corner of the block and make it the best lemonade stand ever. We used fruit slices frozen into the ice cubes and stripped straws for added pizazz. It was a huge hit.
Lesson :: Be unique. Stand out. Pay attention to details.
Six :: If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
Once you’ve hit upon what is working, please, don’t change it. Stick to what works. If you are using Country Time lemonade mix and having great success, don’t switch to Crystal Light. Same is true with your marketing. Take the time to find out what is working and review the analytics.
Lesson :: Know what works and take the time gather data and track your results.
Seven :: Always add value.
If someone refers a friend, give them a free cookie. If a neighbor buys three cups of lemonade, give them a fourth one for free. Look for the added value in every transaction. Give the customer more than what they expect and they will certainly be back for more – and they’ll bring along their friends, too.
Lesson :: Find ways to add value to every customer.
