Using your business to make connections

It’s a great day to try something new!

If you’re a fan of social media, I’m sure you see people try new and unique things all the time. Sometimes they work beautifully.  Sometimes, you’re just left scratching your head.

I noticed a trend on Tik Tok that’s exciting and interesting. It’s revolves around people trying to make connections.  It seems that, whether due to remote work, relocation to a new city or a post-Covid hangover, people are tired of going solo and seeking real connections.  

Two interesting social media-based attempts to bring people together have proven to be very successful and can easily be replicated in any restaurant or retail business.

The first example, a young woman who was new to NYC, started walking in Central Park every Sunday. She posted on Tik Tok that she was looking to make female friends and invited them to join her every Sunday at noon.  The response was overwhelming, with hundreds of women now meeting and connecting on their weekly walks.

Another woman did something truly bold and wonderful.  She reserved a table for 6  at a neighborhood restaurant and invited strangers to join her. She created a Tik Tok video explaining she was interested in making friends and to join her for drinks and dinner.  It was a bold and vulnerable thing to do. She admitted in the video that she was nervous no one would show.  Later that night, she posted a video of a full table of new friends enjoying their meetup.

The commonality in these examples is purity of purpose. No selling. No agenda. The hosts simply wanted to bring people together recognizing the need is great.

How can you replicate this type of connection event for your business?  Simple.

If you have a restaurant, create a meet up table available on a certain day/time each week.  Offer a special menu as well for that table if you are inclined. 

Other retail businesses might create a weekly walking group,  a craft group, a “new to town “ group or some sort of event that relates back to your target demo.

To make this type of event successful and buzzworthy:

Provide a why

Be vulnerable and sincere with your intention of bringing people together for the purpose of connecting. For example, you might say, “I remember how lonely it felt when I moved here.” Maintain that sincerity throughout the promotion. The minute you turn it into a sales pitch, you’ve lost the battle.

Promote

Promote via a personal video. Show the table or venue you’ve reserved for the event. Give the potential guest as much information as possible so they know what it’s going to look and feel like. It takes courage to venture out on one’s own and you can do a lot to make it more comfortable with sincerity and a lot of information.

Small is good

This is key.  This type of promotion isn’t about drawing large crowds necessarily. It is about creating a very comfortable environment for whomever shows up. If the people you bring together make a connection, the event will create its own dynamic.  

When people arrive, do everything possible to make them feel welcome. Make introductions.  Hospitality is your primary goal.

You may have to host a few of these events to gain traction but if you get a win, it’s a no-cost way to establish extraordinary goodwill for your business.

Creating a manageable charitable donation program

You’ve probably been approached hundreds of times to participate with local charities and asked to do everything from donate merchandise for silent auctions to springing for sponsorship dollars, organizing walking teams and buying tables at banquets.

Before you spend another dollar, take a minute to think about how you give your money, merchandise and time.

There are two ways to approach charitable giving. The first is altruistic. If you have a cause or passion in which you want to participate because it’s meaningful to you, by all means, do so. This is not a business decision, it’s one that comes from the heart.

The second is using charitable involvement as a business builder. For the purposes of this discussion, we’ll talk about the latter.

Let’s start with merchandise and gift card donations.

I highly recommend creating an annual budget and formal process for giving donations. This allows you to handle your giving gracefully and without creating bad feelings. You certainly don’t want to offend representatives of local organizations by having them think you are snubbing them or don’t take your community participation seriously. After all, they may be potential customers.

To avoid an uncomfortable situation, create a charitable donation request form for the organization to complete including their charity name, contact person, reason for the donation (i.e. silent auction, raffle, etc.), purpose of the charity, how long in business and their 501(c)3 number which a legitimate nonprofit must have and finally, what type of recognition you will receive for your donation, i.e. logo on all event marketing, signage at event, etc.

Explain to them:

•      As a small business, you have an annual budget for charitable giving

•      All requests must be submitted in writing

•      You evaluate all requests monthly, make your choices and will notify them of your decision at that time.

Be sure to review these forms on a regular, predetermined timetable and notify all applicants of your decision.

The formal process will help mitigate bad feelings from the rejected parties and help you make the most of your charitable contributions.

Get Creative
There’s no law that says you need to give money or merchandise to support your local non-profits.  Think about:

Volunteering

Can your staff help at an event or fundraiser?

Create an experience
How about a free wardrobe styling or haircut?  A cupcake baking or pizza making lesson? These experiences have great perceived value and help to build a one-on-one relationship with potential customers.

After the giving

Keep the momentum going by continuing to promote yourself and your selected charities. Post signage in your store about upcoming events that you’re involved in. Promote them on your website and social media as well. At the end of the year, compile a list of your selected charities and encourage customers to include them in their charitable giving.

Bottom line

Take a few minutes to create a process and through in a couple of creative ideas. It will save time, make your store or restaurant stand out from the fray of ordinary gift cards givers and establish your business as a valuable member of your community

Until next time remember,
You can do this!

Angel

Market to the Level of Fear

Depending on where you are in the country, people are still experiencing high levels of fear and trepidation about going to stores, gyms, restaurants and salons. While you may feel comfortable about your safety standards and ability to keep customers safe, that message and the options you offer to customers based on their fear levels are critical for improving business.  This has nothing to do with discounting and often, offers the opportunity to charge premium pricing which customers will be willing to pay in order to feel safe. Here are some examples.

GYMS

Even with limited capacity, gyms are finding it difficult to fill their classes. One successful initiative is to create “pod classes” in which people can bring their own pod of friends and family to work out. You can charge a premium price for these classes and book them during off peak times.  Premium priced private sessions are also resonating with customers who desire a workout without the risk of strangers in the class.  Offer these options to non-members for the time being to add revenue and introduce new potential members into your pipeline.

SALONS

The same principle applies to salons. Create a certain amount of solo appointment slots, in which only the stylists and the customer are in the salon. This is a great way to fill in slower times and again, charge premium pricing.  Alternatively, if you have the ability to set up a private room for appointments, you can book these at a higher price as well.

RESTAURANTS

Even if you are permitted to open for indoor dining, there are many patrons who simply will not eat indoors for the time being. No specials, no discounts and no marketing will entice them to do so. Restaurants have the ability to offer multiple options that cater to all levels of fear; curbside, delivery and outdoor dining. Outdoor dining, even in cold weather, is the only option for many people.  However, the experience you provide needs to be enjoyable as well as safe. Add speakers with music, candles and pillows to optimize the experience.   There are also multiple options for outdoor dining, including open air and igloos for those who are comfortable with that environment.  I have seen restaurants that offer all these options, but charge a premium for the private and warm igloo.  Offering a unique outdoor experience will give you a huge advantage over competitors.

STORES

If you own a retail store, your ability to sell virtually or online is not an option now.  The only way to introduce certain customers to your merchandise will be through private virtual shopping appointments and selling through social media platforms and emailsif you don’t have an ecommerce site.  Private in-store shopping appointments are another option.

From the virtual perspective, you can host watch parties and Zoom coffee shops that build a sense of community as well as a shopping opportunity.

Remember, we are only entering the recovery stage which is very different than a return to normal. This is a time to be creative while being empathetic to consumer fears.  People are actively looking to support local business. It’s your job to create the environment in which they feel comfortable doing so.

Until next time remember,
you can do this!
Angel