This is a story from the “You may have missed the real lesson” files:
It’s great that a customer came back when you were open, but does that tell us anything about when you were closed? Photo of window-shoppers by Becky McCray.
A business owner mentioned taking a walk in their own downtown on a Saturday evening after dinner. Apparently, it was a popular time for walking downtown because the business owner saw folks peering into the front window of their own business. Then, a few days later, a person came in and instantly bought a large item. Turns out this customer was one of the weekend window peepers. They had seen this big item through the window, really wanted it, and so they drove 1.5 hours back to make the purchase. The shop owner posted the story online, tagged as #LoveWhatYouDo.
Now, here’s my question: was the real lesson “love what you do” or was it “maybe you should think about being open late weekend hours when many people (including you) have been getting out and about in downtown”?
Think of all the customers who weren’t willing to wait around and come back when it was convenient for you. For the one you noticed, there must be many more who you never knew about. Potential customers lost without a sound.
Inconvenient hours remains the number one complaint I hear about businesses in small towns. If there is only one thing you work on improving in your business over the next six months, make it extending your hours to late evenings and especially late evenings on weekends.
Get my weekly newsletter, A Positive View of Rural, where I share practical steps you can put into action right away to shape the future of your town.
I will not ever sell or rent your email address to anyone else, because I wouldn’t like that either.
- Downtown is your town’s core: How to make your case - February 22, 2021
- Zoom Towns: attracting and supporting remote workers in rural small towns - December 10, 2020
- In an economic crisis, spend your brainpower before your dollars - November 25, 2020
- Video: How to fill empty car dealership buildings for the holidays - November 6, 2020
- How has 2020 changed the challenges rural small towns face? Tell us here - October 20, 2020
- The Idea Friendly Method to surviving a business crisis - October 6, 2020
- Join me for the Rural Renewal Symposium online Oct 13 - September 26, 2020
- Cheap placemaking idea: instant murals - September 11, 2020
- Refilling the rural business pipeline - July 7, 2020
- Huge vacant buildings: grants to renovate? - June 9, 2020
