I used to rely on Starbucks as my second office. It was a great place to grab a hot cup of coffee, free wifi and a cozy seat. I wouldn’t go there often, but whenever my schedule had a weird hole in it, Starbucks was my savior. Chaperoning a school field trip that returns just two hours before school is out? Starbucks! Doctor appointment an hour after taking the kids to school? Starbucks!
But recently I’ve found myself more and more at Panera — and it’s not just my affinity for their Fuji Apple Salad. This got me thinking. What is Panera’s secret that has so many business people eating and meeting there? (Not sure if it’s just my location, but it’s always packed!)
Great Customer Service
The last time I was there, I ordered my salad. (Yes, the Fuji Apple Salad.) I then set up my office at the table and started working. When my salad was delivered, I took a second to move a few things around so that I could eat, but I basically kept on writing. About 3/4 of the way through my salad, I noticed that the apples were missing. It was an apple salad with no apples! As I was leaving, I let the manager know — in a totally nice way — in case they were training someone new. I didn’t expect anything or ask for anything. As far as I was concerned, my salad was still great. I barely even noticed they were missing!
Still, the manager presented me with a voucher for a free salad next time I come in. We chuckled about how sad it is that an apple salad would have no apples, and I left there feeling all warm and fuzzy about Panera. We’ve talked about customer service here before, but it bears repeating. How you treat your customers is a large part of your public relations campaign. A disgruntled customer can do some real damage — especially online. Stuff happens. Sometimes apples are forgotten. But how you handle the mishaps says more about you and your business than almost anything else.
People Like Free Stuff
Have you ever stayed in a pricey hotel only to find that they charge for wifi? Drives me crazy! Panera makes it easy to grab a bite to eat and work because they offer wifi for free. It’s as simple as that. If you want to attract people to your business, offer something for free. This can be a free eBook download, a free report or even a free 30-minute consultation. Once they have gotten their freebie, they are more inclined to stay around and buy something. I know I usually do!
Offering something for free is also a great way to build your list. Have people opt in before they receive their free report. Over time, you’ll build a list of customers who have proven they are interested in what you have to say. You can also use social media as a platform for providing followers with free tips and little nuggets of information. These loyal readers and followers are more likely to purchase future products and services from you.
Healthy Eating Is Trendy
Panera is taking advantage of the current trend to eat healthy. Their menu consists of a wide variety of soups, salads and sandwiches that are all healthy. What’s trendy in your industry right now? Are you taking advantage of it? Sometimes it’s as easy as renaming your offerings or adding a new product to your line up. This is also true with seasonal products. What’s happening right now? Are kids going back to school? Are businesses gearing up for the busy holiday season? How can your product or service answer that need?
Likewise, when writing and publishing press releases, you can take advantage of trending topics. Pay attention to news in your industry. If a new report is published or something big happens, think about how it impacts your business and your customers.
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