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How To Turn Around A Restaurant

Posted in March 29, 2013 by Gerry in Making More Money | No comments

What do you do when your restaurant isn’t profitable? There are a few simple building blocks that are the foundation of every successful restaurant turn around. Wouldn’t it be nice if there was an easy and cheap answer to sustainable restaurant growth? Whether you’re new to this business or have been around the block, you’ve surely realized that there is no silver bullet to increasing your restaurant sales and keeping them high. One mistake many restaurant owners make is believing that marketing...

4 Questions That Can Change Your Business

Posted in March 15, 2013 by Gerry in Uncategorized | No comments

Big companies continue to get bigger and beat out the little guys by doing a few simple things, and doing them better than everyone else. The strategies used by the big guys are easy to understand, and can be used by companies of any size, regardless of your marketing budget.

The foundation of all successful businesses can be simplified into one short statement:

Be different from competition in a way customers value.

Whether you’re a huge brand, a start-up,...

The Most Magical Word I’ve Ever Heard

Posted in February 20, 2013 by Gerry in Standing Out | One comment

As business owners, we’re always looking for one more way to differentiate us from our competition - one thing that can give us a small leg up. How can we get customers to choose US vs. another option? Sometimes the things that make all the difference aren’t big, grandiose things. Your customer’s name is the most magical word they’ve ever heard. I don’t mean when you get your coffee and they insert your name as part of their “customer experience process.” “Latte for...

The Element of Surprise – Standing Out In A Sea of Sameness

Posted in February 6, 2013 by Gerry in Standing Out | No comments

When was the last time you had a happy surprise? It could be something small and seemingly insignificant. Think of your day-to-day life – where you go, what you do, who you interact with. Sometimes our lives can get into a comfortable flow and we settle into sameness. The same thing is true in our businesses and for our customers. Whether you’re a small business owner, or working on a billion dollar brand, you can shake it up with your customers. ...

Have A Year You’ll Remember

Posted in January 30, 2013 by Gerry in Planning | No comments

What do you want to achieve this year? What do you wish for your personal life and for your business life? Here is a quick exercise for you. Create a timeline of your life from birth to today. Put birth on the left, and today on the right. Now plot the milestones or achievements that changed your life along that line. The bigger the moment, the higher above the timeline it is placed. Mark each one with a short title. Now,...

Gratitude – A great marketing tool

Posted in November 21, 2012 by Gerry in Customer Loyalty | One comment

Who is the most important person in your company? Yep, your customer. Running a business can be busy. Very busy. There are lots of things to do, and many things to distract your focus, but there is always one thing that remains true – without your customers your business doesn’t exist. How awesome are your customers? They allow you to do what you do, and have the business you do. We spend a lot of time trying to find more of...

Thriving In The Worst Of Times – Clarity

Posted in November 12, 2012 by Gerry in What Matters in Business | No comments

Have you ever noticed how some companies continue to thrive, even in the worst of times? Some companies struggle in good times, while others grow right through good and bad. Why is that? While lots of things can draw customers to your company, there is one overarching thing that makes a difference for the best companies. Clarity. Clarity of mission, purpose and values. Clarity in message. Clarity in how you interact with and treat your customers. Clarity in what you stand...

More Value, More Money, More Satisfaction

Posted in September 26, 2012 by Gerry in Making More Money | No comments

Increase your profits while increasing your customer satisfaction

When I was 19, I got a job at a department store in the shopping mall near campus. I worked in what they called “men’s furnishings.” This is shirts, ties, belts, socks, etc. I was paid hourly, but the guys who worked in the suit department next door had been there forever and worked on commission. Whenever they sold a suit, they regularly came over to outfit their customer with all the furnishings they’d need for their new suit. This is what we all know and love as “upselling.”

What’s Your Because?

Posted in September 20, 2012 by Gerry in Standing Out | No comments

I just attended the Natural Products Expo East. Thousands of new and unique products screaming for the attention of natural products retailers. I attended the Expo to deliver the keynote address for the Retailer Workshop. The Retailers are all looking for ways to stand out from all the other retailers. Then, the product makers are looking to stand out from the other products so that the retailers will pick them. The importance of having a great “because” really stands out when...

Six Steps to Passionate Customers

Posted in September 7, 2012 by Gerry in Customer Loyalty | No comments

Six Steps to Passionate Customers At the turn of the century John Wannamaker was quoted as saying something that has resonated with advertisers for over a decade - "Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted; the trouble is I don't know which half." All businesses are interested in maximizing their advertising investment, but how? I encourage businesses to think about their customer relationships in terms of a funnel. As they go down the funnel, their relationship with your business gets...