NO TOAST FOR YOU: Strange Small Business Marketing Stories?

A Very Very Strange Morning. No Toast for Us! A very interesting form of Small Business Customer Service and Marketing?

“Sorry we don’t have Toast” was a line uttered to myself and Lucy Milekovic this morning.  It is our regular cafe that we meet up to do work usually every fortnight where we consume Lattes, Cherry Ripe Slices or Long Blacks to give us the “Caffeine / Sugar Hit” we need to come up with some creative and quality work.

So anyway, 9AM Monday Morning – Lucy and I wonder into a Cafe that sells plenty of Cakes and Coffee.  We ordered our food and Lucy said “Can I have Toast?”.  The staff member said “Sorry we don’t have Toast”.

No Toast? Really? You go into a Cafe that sells Cakes, Coffee and all and you don’t have toast?

I usually have something to say – and I went blank and then even Lucy who is sharp faltered for a brief second.  I was still thinking “Really?” and then Lucy said “Well, there is a bread shop 3 stores down”.  The girl then agreed and said “Sure we will do it”.

It was a strange thing for several reasons.  One, a Cafe run out of Toast 9AM Monday Morning? Two, the girl didn’t think of what Lucy suggested and Three – Lucy had to suggest it! This was such a quirky strange experience that Lucy and I on the spot took a Selfie and I just had to blog about it.

When I go across town and visit lots of businesses, I see all sorts of crazy stuff.  Be it no Toast for Edward & Lucy Monday, strange pricing that makes no sense, overweight Fitness Trainers, Marketing People with Home Made business cards etc etc – the examples never end with Small Business owners not acting in their own better interests.

What this funny /crazy experience from this morning got me pondering was the importance of how people talk about you when you aren’t around.  As much as we love this cafe, Lucy & I shall be back – but I bet today (as they messed up by coffee order too) there will be other people thinking that was a strange experience and would question whether they would go back.

Also, Lucy made great a point in that “That is an employee vs a business owner mentality”.  The employee really didn’t have their heart in the customers interest.  As I write this blog, I am sitting next to John Gregory and Edward Wright who are laughing at what I am telling them.  John just said with complete sarcasm “Sorry Lucy I can’t be bothered going down 3 stores to get a loaf of break, so NO TOAST FOR YOU!”.  Edward Wright said “They are just waiting for 5PM”.

Small Business Marketing is one thing, but it has to be backed by Awesome Customer Service.  The Cafe is great, but a few silly staff can make it look bad for everyone.  My advice? If you have staff make sure they are doing the job properly and if  it’s yourself as a solo entpreneur – think carefully about how you move and make sure the market loves you.

Do you do what you say? Do people like you? Is your customer service consistent with the brand message you are putting out there? To me these are all key questions to answer and consider.

And of course if you like considering Sales & Marketing Success, check out my Awesome Marketing Vault! My online course totally packed through of my natural success driven goodness! x x

Thank you for the kind read and have a great awesome night / everyone!

Edward Zia – Marketing Mentor who loves Toast with his Coffee!