Duke of URLCarl V. Natale is a former MaineToday content producer who now inspires commerce as a freelance writer and content consultant. You can follow his new life as an entrepreneur at @CarlNatale on Twitter .
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Why Trader Joe's matters to your business
Mar 11, 2010 07:05 AM
Categories: Marketing
I feel sorry for Gov. John Baldacci. On Wednesday, he announced a plan to stimulate jobs in Maine. You can debate how much it's worth. Actually you should.
This could be what the state needs to pull itself out of recession. Even if it doesn't, it could define Baldacci's legacy. This could have been the day everything changed.
Did anyone notice or remember the announcement?
Unfortunately Baldacci was overshadowed by bigger news. Wednesday was the day we found out that Trader Joe's was planning a Portland store.
Let me clarify. I'm not a fan. That's because of ignorance rather than preference. I never shopped in one. So I can observe objectively the glee that overtakes people's faces as they find out Portland may finally get a Trader Joe's.
No matter where you stand, you can't deny the grocery store has a passionate fan base. Let me repeat that. A grocery store has a passionate fan base.
Next thing you know people will wait overnight in lines to buy new computers. Oh wait....
So back to Trader Joe's. Normal, rational food-buying consumers love it, miss it and are waiting for it to come to town. Scratch that rational part. People have strong feelings about grocery stores not named Trader Joe's too. You can generate a strong debate among Hannaford and Shaw's shoppers.
Can you say the same about your business?
You can't say your industry or product line is too boring. All our purchases come from emotional triggers. You can trigger the kind of passion that the name Trader Joe's evokes.
Start by creating an experience. Everything you do to make it a pleasant or different experience evokes an emotion. Give shoppers something to do.
The easiest thing to do is to encourage shoppers to handle the inventory. We like to get our hands on something - find out how it feels. We want to try it out before we purchase it. Even if it's a can of soup, we are reassured by the act of taking it off the shelf.
Visuals matter too. If I tell you about a grocery store with clean linoleum floors, well-lit aisles and neatly stocked shelves can you name the store? If can look different enough - but not too different - you will disrupt a schema. That will help create a unique experience for your customers.
None of this is as important as customer service. If your employees are friendly, helpful and knowledgeable, you're going to create incredible loyalty. Easier said than done I know. But the interactions between customers and employees can define your business.
Remember you're not going to please everyone. That's why you define a niche or target market. Your goal is to please a customer profile. If you can create an experience for that person, you can create the loyalty and buzz found in a Trader Joe's.
This could be what the state needs to pull itself out of recession. Even if it doesn't, it could define Baldacci's legacy. This could have been the day everything changed.
Did anyone notice or remember the announcement?
Unfortunately Baldacci was overshadowed by bigger news. Wednesday was the day we found out that Trader Joe's was planning a Portland store.
Let me clarify. I'm not a fan. That's because of ignorance rather than preference. I never shopped in one. So I can observe objectively the glee that overtakes people's faces as they find out Portland may finally get a Trader Joe's.
No matter where you stand, you can't deny the grocery store has a passionate fan base. Let me repeat that. A grocery store has a passionate fan base.
Next thing you know people will wait overnight in lines to buy new computers. Oh wait....
So back to Trader Joe's. Normal, rational food-buying consumers love it, miss it and are waiting for it to come to town. Scratch that rational part. People have strong feelings about grocery stores not named Trader Joe's too. You can generate a strong debate among Hannaford and Shaw's shoppers.
Can you say the same about your business?
You can't say your industry or product line is too boring. All our purchases come from emotional triggers. You can trigger the kind of passion that the name Trader Joe's evokes.
Start by creating an experience. Everything you do to make it a pleasant or different experience evokes an emotion. Give shoppers something to do.
The easiest thing to do is to encourage shoppers to handle the inventory. We like to get our hands on something - find out how it feels. We want to try it out before we purchase it. Even if it's a can of soup, we are reassured by the act of taking it off the shelf.
Visuals matter too. If I tell you about a grocery store with clean linoleum floors, well-lit aisles and neatly stocked shelves can you name the store? If can look different enough - but not too different - you will disrupt a schema. That will help create a unique experience for your customers.
None of this is as important as customer service. If your employees are friendly, helpful and knowledgeable, you're going to create incredible loyalty. Easier said than done I know. But the interactions between customers and employees can define your business.
Remember you're not going to please everyone. That's why you define a niche or target market. Your goal is to please a customer profile. If you can create an experience for that person, you can create the loyalty and buzz found in a Trader Joe's.
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