Marketing 101

A friendly attitude is the best marketing ploy one can have!


I happened to be married to a small business owner.  I see the ins and outs of being a business owner.  Then there is the skills needed to be a busness owner in a small town… such as ours.

Word of mouth is the best advertising!  A happy custumer is a satisfied customer.

Where am I going with this?

Nobody likes to be solisited.  It is tiring and bothersome.  Especially if you are a small business owner in a small town.  And yet… I agreed to being part of this committee becuase it is for the hospital.  It is for my hospital… the one that I take my kids to when they are sick.

So, I felt like I could muster the courage to ASK because we are working together to better our community…  and while we all hope not… maybe it may be someone we love that will need that radiation bunker and how fabulous if it is in Peterborough!

Let me start by saying the businesses in town have been so GENEROUS!  It is part of what makes our community so great.

Today I went in to a small bookstore (rather than the box store in town) to give them first chance at having their store represented at the auction.  I wanted a basket of books by a famous Canadian  author, who happens to live locally…. to be donated… and the author  agreed to sign them.

I walked in and asked for the owner/manager.  I was shown to the person.  Let me tell you, there was no warmth in her at all.  In fact, if I had my kids with me, who love to chew on ice… they may have started gnawing on her!

Brrrr….

I still kept my smile and did my speel.  She showed me no warmth at all.  I would have been perfectly fine with, “I’m really sorry but we just can’t right now,” if it was said with a bit of warmth and kindness.

NOPE!

I told her that what she put together for the hospital auction, I would duplicate and buy as a donation to our school auction.

She offered no indictation  of helpfulness at all!  She said they would have to think about it.  When I asked her when I could follow up with her… she said, “I don’t know.”

I was so disgusted with the sour puss.

Now… before you say… I don’t know what made her that way… you are right.  Yet… you are still your business’s reputation.

I have figured I’d probably go into store tomorrow and tell her not to bother.

The box chain… I am sure will be more than willing to be helpful… and I am sure with a smile!

Sorry, Lady, you are drowning your store with your ugly attitude!

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