Blackboarding Specials
I'm fortunate to live near 5 great specialty food stores, two within walking distance of my house... so I often stroll over to see what's doing. One shop I walk to uses one of those A-frame blackboard signs to promote the specials at the deli counter inside the store. It had the same specials on it for weeks so I suggested to the owner a little update was in order.
"I bet you get the same customers in day in and day out who buy the same sandwich," I opined. "Yes, you are right about that!" she said. "Why not promote something else besides the deli– say your latest arrival of locally grown asparagus, a new shipment of figs or chocolate, maybe a cheese sampling." Brie for free?
The idea is that passersby (and regular customers) do read the sign and will ignore something that isn't interesting or obviously outdated. At the same time the sign educates the strolling public about the variety of merchandise you offer. Changing it daily provides a reason to look and can invite someone in who otherwise might have ignored your shop.
Well my friendly shop owner did indeed change her sign and she said people do ask for the things she puts on the board. In fact the staff also got into the groove and they suggest some really bizarre items just to see if people will inquire… and the upside is that regular customers now are into reading the sign before they enter. With more than 5,000 items, my magical merchant will need ten years to tell everyone about them--- and that’s OK with her!
If you try this, keep the offers simple, change it daily, list up to three items from different categories/departments and seek suggestions from your staff. And don't be tempted to repeat or skip a day. Your public will soon be in on the concept and they'll notice.
Ron Jakubisin
