If you are in business, my number one peice of marketing advice is to be nice, as it is at no cost.
Today’s installment is going point out the good of a few retailers. Over the years, I have been in the business of talking to several retailers on a daily basis. In the past few years it has been for bicycles. As of recent, I have moved back to my true love of running. I am now dialing the numbers to the likes of Luke’s Locker, Boulder Running Company etc as inam introducing a new Swiss running shoe, On Running (founded by the great Swiss tri/duathlete Olivier Bernhard www.on-running.com)
Calling doctor offices can be painful, with the abrupt person answering then phone. I can go on and on with different examples of the “put up your dukes” salutations when you call a business number. This can also be found in our industry.
Every now and then, I get excited when I call a phone number (of any person or business) to hear a voice decorated with energy and welcomeness. I have always said that the most important person in a business is the one answering the phone or the one greeting the customer as he/she walks in the door.
The call of the month was to Runner’s High and Tri in Arlington Heights, Il. The greeting as she answered the phone really made my day. While her greeting may have been written the same as any other specialty run reatailer, the genuine happiness in her voice made me feel great. While I was calling to follow up on the recent trip I made to Chicago- courting them to sell our shoe, I felt like buying one of everything in their store.
The power of good energy is free and can get a retailer more business than they ever could imagine.
Hopefully the next call to your bike shop, run store, doctors office etc, you get greeted with a hug and not 2 clinched fists!