Yesterday I was downtown speaking with a couple of retailers on Meridian Street when one of them said, “Nobody wants to come into our business.” That struck me as not only totally false, but misguided enough that it is worth discussing. I told the retailer that I did not believe his perception to be the case.
I wake up each morning at 6:15 am to my alarm clock. I grab a cup of coffee on my way from my warm bed to my desk and computer where I write an email to a friend in another city who is an alcoholic. I know the he too is at his computer because he is getting ready to attend his daily AA meeting in 45 minutes. By mutual agreement we share an email list each weekday morning of ten things in our lives for which we are genuinely grateful.
After sending my email, I refill my coffee and sit in “my” chair to listen to the morning news as I gently allow my brain to gently reboot for the coming day. My wife showers and gets dressed for work while I am doing this giving me some solitude and time to reflect on the important things in life before I am hit with the rush of urgent daily activities. Most mornings I pass my wife exiting our bedroom, freshly dressed and on her way to her work. It is my turn to shower dress and get on with my day.
This is my morning each weekday. Depending upon the minute, I can pretty much describe what I would be doing between 6:15 AM and 8:07 AM when I sit down to my desk at work. And if you thought about it, most of you could outline your ritual much the same way. All of us are creatures of habit. Routines not only let us to feel comfortable, they make us predictable and allow us to move in our world for long periods without thinking about what is next.
My friend the retailer did not realize that everyone is driven by their habits and routines. It is up to him (and you) to use marketing, advertising or whatever to jolt us out of those routines to visit his business. It is arrogant to believe we even think about wanting to visit or not visit a certain business. We just don’t think about it. Left our own devices, most of us would live our very routine lives, only experiencing new things when our friends cajole us into trying something different. Like a good friend, good advertising suggests that we try someplace new, invites us to stop being on automatic pilot and do something intentional. Often we do and are delighted with the outcome.
So the next time you begin to think, “They don’t want to do business with me.” Stop and remember that “they” are creatures of habit. It is up to you to give them a reason to break their habit of not visiting you. It is not realistic to believe they will search you out. Life doesn’t work that way. Once you understand the true dynamics, you have the power to change it. Or accept the fact that they are not visiting your business because you didn’t invite them.
As usual, very thoughtful column, JB! You always pique my interest. Carry on!