Friday, October 1, 2010

You've got personality!

Customers often choose one business over another based on the personality of the business. And that, of course, begins with you and the people who work for you. For example, I’ve become a regular at a very good Italian restaurant in my hometown for the simple reason that the personality of the place (and of the people who work there) suits me to a T. It has just the right combination of location, ambience, menu choices, and friendly, caring management and staff to have won my undying loyalty. 

A half-dozen outstanding Italian restaurants are all within a six-block walk of the one I frequent, and my wife and I have tried them all. But we visit the same one quite often because, from the moment we walk through the door until we waddle out a few hours later, each employee treats us like visiting royalty, whose continued satisfaction and patronage is a very high priority. Everyone, from the bartender to the waiter to the busboy, makes us feel not only welcome, but at home. 

So if you own a restaurant and want to advertise your establishment’s unique personality, you can use a headline such as, “Like having dinner at Mama’s, but without all the kids.” If you’re a car dealer and want to tell your customers that they can find something unusual during their service appointment, you can say, “Put your feet up, have a cup of gourmet coffee, catch up on the soaps, and relax in our customer lounge.” In other words, if you truly believe that your business has a sparkling personality and offers certain benefits that customers can’t find elsewhere, then find a creative way to use these strengths in your advertising. Then be sure you deliver on the promise after the customers arrive. Don’t call attention to something that isn’t really there, something that you don’t — or can’t — really offer.

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