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Big Brand Strategies for Small Business
By Paul Weber
Published in the Kansas City Small Business Monthly
December 2004
Who would pay $3.75 for a cup of coffee? Turn the clock back several
years and the answer would be nobody. Yet Starbucks has convinced
millions of people to significantly increase their coffee
expenditures on a regular basis. More than the cost of coffee,
Starbucks has changed how we think about our purchases on many
levels.
Lessons from Starbucks
How does Starbucks’ success help small business grow and prosper? By
giving us insight into how consumers think and what customers
require.
If you want to successfully grow a small business, study Starbucks.
And while you’re at it study Southwest Airlines, Target and Disney.
In fact, study any successful company that has provided you with a
positive experience. Use that experience as your greatest insight
for growing your own business.
You’re probably thinking, “Yes, but these companies spend millions
of dollars on advertising and marketing. How can I follow their
lead?”
Here’s how. First, realize that our preferences as consumers have
changed in the last decade. We expect more from our purchases and
demand more from the companies we do business with. Fortunately, the
kinds of expectations we have translate easily to small business.
Understanding the Consumer Experience
Any fan of Starbucks will tell you that the company’s success is not
based on the taste of the coffee but on the consumer experience.
When you pay $3.75 for a cup of coffee, you are also buying service,
warmth, friendship—even prestige. These are the emotional components
of the purchase. Success comes to a small business when it connects
with customers on a level much deeper than the transaction.
There is no mystery to learning how to connect with your customers.
Experience firsthand what the successful brands do and mimic the
attitude and actions that create a positive experience. If that
means sitting in a Starbucks studying every aspect of the
experience, then do it.
For Southwest Airlines, a positive customer experience is almost
entirely dependent on employees. Southwest’s success is largely due
to their employees’ understanding how actions impact customers.
Southwest is the perfect model for small businesses that rely on
employees to deliver the customer experience.
Deep in the customer service section of iflyswa.com, you will find
an extensive list of policies and procedures that impact every
aspect of a passenger’s flying experience. The care and thought that
went into developing these policies can be seen in the actions of
Southwest employees. These messages are as much for the employees of
Southwest as they are for the passengers.
To emulate Southwest’s success for your small business, establish
your own rules for creating a positive customer experience and
communicate those rules to your employees as often as possible.
Companies with the most successful big-brands understand the
emotional impact of the consumer experience and focus on enhancing
it. Fortunately for small business, these proven marketing
approaches translate to any size business and fit within many
marketing budgets.
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