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Saturday Musings - Attracting Flocks of Customers
About a week ago, my wife and I decided to purchase a bird bath to attract the local birds outside my study window. The bath sits beautifully atop a pedestal and is replete with a turquoise glaze to make the water that much more enticing. I know if I was a bird I would be falling over myself to have a bit of a splash.
I had visions of a Disney cartoon where birds would be so grateful for my benevolence that they would sit on a branch outside the window and sing me songs all day. After setting the bath up I waited and waited and waited for the birds to come flocking in to enjoy what I’d provided for them. …..boy was I wrong.
Scratching my head, I thought to myself, “Maybe I need to entice them just a little bit more.” So off I went to the kitchen and grabbed a slice of bread to spread crumbs all over the lawn to attract the birds to my yard. They loved the bread but none did anything with the bird bath. Hmmmm….not good.
You would think the stupid birds would realise that I’d setup the bath for their enjoyment! What more do I have to do to get them to use it? To this day, I’ve been trying to think up new ideas to attract my avian customers to the bird bath and not one has used it……sigh……
Isn’t all of this exactly like building an online business? We spend hours with designers and programmers to get the “look and feel” just right and when we eventually launch we wonder why no one uses it.
We finally succumb to enticing customers with special offers, free giveaways and short-term discounts (eg. bread). Not surprisingly, the customers love the freebies but ignore the main offering. Eventually we convince ourselves that customers are stupid and just don’t have any idea of the value you are providing them. Can you see the similarities with my bird bath?
The fact is, the market is actually really smart. The reason why many businesses close is because they don’t have enough cash to carry them through the start-up phase of wooing customers repeatedly to their website. Modern customers rarely buy from an unknown business but will more likely buy if they continually see it….it gives them confidence that the business isn’t about to vanish.
So what do I need to do about the birds? Keep on attracting them with bread and let them get used to the bird bath. I’m just looking forward to the day when the first bird enjoys a dip.
Have a great weekend!
Comments
I see your point in that you have to entice the new ones with something. Just like people if you offer the latest flashy thing, they will flock, ( ha ha ), to your site. But then comes the chore of getting repeat business and retaining the customer base. If it catches you can be overwhelmed, if it doesn't, your back to square one. Then again, you might just have some "Dirty Birds". I know too many puns, lol.
Love your feedback Rawgi!
Thanks. I still do a bit of work on the side, but only let go by word of mouth. I don't want to get full time again, maybe try thermal imagining for home inspections, because I stay current on Building Codes and that is popular here for home investors and buyers. Nothing like the Domain world, too fast paced for me. you seem to be on top of your game though and do a good job of keeping networked. I find it very interesting to follow your work.
The biggest problem for me over the last year has been business swallowing all of my writing time. I wish that there were more hours in the day so I could finish book 2 in the Mindwars.
Your writing is really good in my opinion. If it takes a bit more time to finish it will be well worth the wait. With all the flying around the world and speaking engagements, I'm surprised you have any free time at all. Busy man you are. I used to wish there were more hours in the day or for a clone of me that I could trust to do things as I would. Ha ha, no such luck on either.