It’s not what you want

Early in the New Year we were holidaying up the country in a small town where business people rely heavily on the influx of holiday makers for a big proportion of their annual business and profits.

On the hot days there was generally a demand from the younger members of my family for an ice cream from the very attractive and only ice cream shop in the village.

The only problem was that you had to be at the shop before it closed at 4 o’clock. That was when the sun was still burning its way down and it was far too hot to venture out into it.

Regardless of how many people were outside the shop pondering whether they would have an ice cream at 4 o’clock, on-the-dot the doors were slammed shut and only those already in the store were able to get ice creams.

So customers were subject to the owner’s time frames. Regardless of the customers’ needs, desires or wants they had to dance to that retailer’s tune.

Yet this was the busiest time of the year for businesses in the area and where they would make the majority of the profits.

Now that retailer may have had some other agenda which was very important but if you’re in business you dance to the customer’s tune and set aside your problems. When customers want to buy, that’s when you should be open.

Have you looked at the times your customers, clients and patients want to do business with you and matched your availability accordingly? (And it’s really important after hours when prospects may be looking at the web and wanting to phone you for an answer or even place an order.)

I’m reminded of the time I said to a cafe owner, “Gee, there’s money to be made doing breakfasts here” to which he responded, “Well, there’s never been any demand for it!”

His problem was that he had never found out what his customers wanted by asking and naturally they never volunteer unless asked. They just go somewhere else.

Remember the essence of marketing is to find out what your customers, clients or patients want and then simply give it to them.