There is a fruit and vegetable stand in North Georgia that found a way to celebrate customers in a unique way every single day. The owner discovered the www.nationalday.com website. It turns out every day of the year is celebrated for something. When we drove by the large stand on April 3rd, she had put up a sign announcing National Find-A-Rainbow Day. “Anyone who brings me a picture of a rainbow I can post on our bulletin board gets a free fruit of your choice.” The parking lot was full.
When we drove back by on April 4th, the sign announced it was International Carrot Day. “Bring me a carrot, and I will trade it for a vegetable or fruit of your choice.” Naturally, customers did more than make a trade; they made lots of purchases. The whole episode signaled how easy it could be to create a buzz over a unique experience. It just takes a bit of creativity and initiative.
World-famous Stew Leonard’s Dairy Store invites customers to take their Stew Leonard’s shopping bags with them on vacation and take photos. Their “Here I am on the Great Wall of China” photo with their shopping bag is posted on a giant board on the store wall. At one point, their Norwalk, CT, store had over 40,000 photos. The store is in the Guinness Book of World Records as having the highest sales per square foot of any grocery store in the world.
Customers love whimsical ways that make their experiences memorable. And the more the memory-making features are changed and updated, the more customers recognize you value them and their experiences. When you have a staff meeting, add a few minutes to brainstorm how to elevate the grin-meter on your customers’ experiences. Pretend every day is Halloween. Make every day your customers’ birthdays. And don’t forget to ask your customers for their suggestions!