Marketing the small things…

No, that doesn’t mean that we must settle for less, or to stop dreaming big. It means that a great deal of brands are based on “service” itself; and by such, focusing on the little details is where the key to successful business and brands relies.

Consider the next list: (not limited to…)

-Banks
-Restaurants
-Salon’s
-SPA’s
-GYM’s
-Supermarkets

What do they have in common? The need to offer superb service in order to create and maintain loyal consumers.

If you were to visit the first business (in that categories) in your immediate area there is a big chance that the service wouldn’t be great, perhaps you would rate it with a big OK, but not on the positive pole on the scale. Why is this? Because they are too focused and cycled in thinking on the big “essential” things.

The menu must be done. The interest rates must be low. The price must be cheap. The equipment must be grand. The discounts must be huge. etc, etc, etc.

There is no doubt in my mind that those things are important and matter, but they are just the center of your business core. We must learn to add extra value to the things we offer. By paying attention to the details we can manage to get some love from users. The reasoning behind it? My guess is that details are human in essence, and we relate to that humanity, even in non-human things.

- A bank without a long queue every pay day. Where you manage to do transactions easily without having to go back & forth between tellers.
- A GYM that offers professional instruction, nutritionist, and continuous support and progress reports. Where you feel comfortable with who you are and motivated to achieve more.
- Restaurants where hosts and waiters really do care if you are doing OK.. and they’re not only asking because the manager is watching. Where there is no reason to ask for a “re-heat”, “re-fill”, “re-cook” or (worst of all) remove the food without eating it.
- SPA’s where privacy is respected and you get exactly what you are asking for.

Now that’s what I want to see more often. People who care for other people…and not only because they’re getting paid for it. Be real, be human, be authentic. In the end it pays off.

Technorati : brands, details, marketing, services