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Sometimes you don’t have to say a word to get your customers thinking about you. A small trigger could suddenly bring you to mind. It’s brilliant, but it’s not exactly easy to do. Unless, say, you’re a BBQ joint.
Image: morgueFile
Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, my city has a swap meet. Bargain hunters turn out in droves, looking for good deals on everything from music and movies to kid clothing to home furnishings. For a one dollar entry fee, shoppers can peruse aisle after aisle of new and used goods. It’s like a giant yard sale and everyone we know loves it. About a year ago, a new restaurant moved in just down the street. Because of the breezes coming in from the coast, the restaurant seems to always be upwind of the swap meet. And yes, as I mentioned earlier, it’s a BBQ joint.
All they have to do is fire up their smokers, and something starts to happen. It starts out as people stopping at strange intervals, cocking their heads, maybe sniffing the air a bit. As lunch time approaches, we overhear people talking about being hungry or wondering where that smell is coming from. Of course, the locals know. And if you’ve ever eaten at this BBQ place before, you know what that smell means. Really good BBQ. Those people start mentioning the place by name.
I have to wonder each time we’re there if the restaurant’s sales have gone up on those weekend days, compared to sales in their previous location. I do know that every time I smell it, I want to head over there to eat.
So, enticing BBQ smells aside, have you figured out ways to get your customers thinking about you without having to say anything? Or have you found yourself thinking about a product like that? What do you think makes it work? I also wonder if you feel it’s something you can control or whether it’s more of a harder thing to do – getting people to associate your business or product with a trigger that puts you in the front of their minds. Does it only work for well-known perfumes or distinctive food smells? What do you think?
