Retailers and Restaurants: How to Create Word of Mouth Advertising

We all know how important it is to get those first time customers into your store or restaurant. Once they are there, however, you have the even more important task of dazzling them into becoming a repeat customer. Businesses take off when your happy customers become your repeat customers. They talk about you to their friends and families and undoubtedly bring more business your way! The perpetual value of a happy customer is huge!

Notice I said a happy customer, not a satisfied customer. A customer EXPECTS satisfaction. They expect good food, good service, and a good experience. The process cannot end here. Word of Mouth advertising (the most powerful form of advertising) is only truly activated in full force when a customer becomes dazzled, delighted, and happy.

A great business man I know is in a retail business where delivery is offered to his customers at no charge. He once told me a strategy of his was to tell his customers (especially new customers) their product would be delivered one or two days after the date he knew for sure he would have it delivered by. This seems simple, however, the level of customer happiness greatly increased!

It is surprising how small gestures and offers greatly impact a customer’s mindset and take their level from satisfied to dazzled.

These simple suggestions will help your business take your customer’s satisfaction to the next level:

1) Start Practicing an “Open Hand Policy”

In the book, “9 Lies that are Holding Your Business Back: And the Truth that Will Set It Free” by Steve Chandler and Sam Beckford (which I greatly recommend), lie number 6 states that, “You have to be tightfisted.” The exact opposite is true! They use a wonderful example about holding sand. While holding sand, if you squeeze your hand most of the sand is lost. Likewise, when your hand is open you can hold the most.

The same goes for business. Tightfisted businesses that have stingy refund policies, do not show appreciation to their patrons, and are not willing to spend a couple extra dollars to really dazzle their customers will end up losing the most customers in the long run. They have no emotional connection to you! They are not impressed. When a competitors’ coupon shows up in the mail, they will be more likely to leave you.

2) Do Not Have a Short-Sighted Mentality

Businesses that see customers as a one-time hit will not be concerned with dazzling their customers. Do not become short-sighted. Although it may seem like a pain to offer that unsatisfied customer a complimentary meal, do not forget about the people that person communicates with in a day and the people he/she will tell about you. Every customer is more valuable than their one-time purchase.

3) Think “Dazzle”

Next time a customer walks through your door do not think “satisfy this person” think “dazzle them.” Write down a list of things you and your employees can start doing that will get your customers excited and talking. Perhaps offer a complimentary gift card to some of the faces you see on a regular basis or offer a special gift with a purchase. Make customer “dazzling” a company culture and stick to it. You will not be disappointed.

Top 5 ways to build customer base for your restaurant

With so many restaurant choices available, how do restaurant owners gain, build and maintain their broad base of clientele? Competition is fierce and the decision as to where hungry patrons go lies completely in experience. You’ve seen it a hundred times! One restaurant has a 2 hour wait while the one across the street has empty tables. Restaurant owners will say time and time again, our food is better, our prices are cheaper, we spend more in advertising, but my competitor still has more patrons.

How do you build up such a loyal following, even if your food isn’t as good as the guy across the street? I challenge you to think about the experience you offer your customers. Does that experience match your advertising? What is your customer’s first impression? More importantly, what is the last?

1) Offer the experience you advertise. I had a client who, two years ago, promoted an event that turned into complete failure. Why? What was advertised and what he was actually offering were two very different things. When you build up people’s expectations, you better be able to deliver. His was offering a great product, it just didn’t align with what people were expecting. We made a few tweaks in his advertising, and a number of changes at his business. Patrons quickly turned around their opinion and became beacons, actually advertising his business for him.

2) Your staff is your marketing team. I feel like we say this all of the time. You may have the hottest place in town, but if your staff doesn’t love it and know it like you do, it doesn’t matter how great it is. You servers, bartenders, greeters and even bussers need to add to the atmosphere and experience. Every detail matters. They are the first point of contact and the last memory. Lackluster or even, so/so performance simply will not do. There are a number of ways to get your staff on board and cheering louder than you do, but that’s another blog!

3) What feeling does your restaurant create when someone first walks in? Are you helping people escape their lives for an hour or two? Do they feel rushed or panicked because the waiting area is packed? Do they feel on edge, or afraid to talk because it is too quite? Does the music match the lighting? Does color of the table cloths match the style of dining you’re offering? Does you restaurant make people hungry, happy or relaxed?

4) Do your patrons feel like they matter? We’ve all been to that restaurant where you feel like no one cares you’re there, or even worse, they act like they don’t want you there. Growing up I went to the same place every Friday night with my parents and grandmother. This casual dining Greek restaurant made decent food and the prices were good. But you could never get a table after 4:30. Why? Every patron knew they mattered. The owners, a husband and wife team, would walk around to every table and make sure to thank everyone for coming in and check on the meal. They took the time to learn everyone’s name. I mean everyone! How many names of your regular customers do you know? It makes a difference. Each person will either tell 2 people they love you, or 10 people they hate you. If they feel like they mean something, which do you think they’ll choose?

5) When you screw up, admit it. Nothing makes a stronger statement about someone’s integrity than when they can admit they’ve made a mistake. Turn off your ego for a second and think about the consequences of your actions. Is it worth the small investment of a comp’d meal, drinks or desert to get that person back? Yes! Of course, every place knows the repeat offenders and you can handle them differently. But always being willing to admit you’ve made a mistake and move on. Trust me when I tell you, it’s not worth the hassle.