Comments on: The Butterfly Effect: Producing Big Results From Small Changes

By: Tom Wanek

Tom Wanek — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 21:30:11 +0000

Phil, you’re the man! Kudos to you for taking action.

Julie, I love Jim’s blog. And you’re absolutely right, far too often we make it hard for customers to do business with us. Thanks for your insights Julie.

By: Julie Walraven

Julie Walraven — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:50:38 +0000

Thanks, Tom! Really great thoughts and you can thank Jim Connolly for my visit. Some days I feel like I just awoke from a 25 year slumber. (My business is older than 25 years) The marketing tips I have learned from social media have made a huge difference. I am still working on implementation but your point of the little things is so important.

I was talking to a friend recently and told him that I see so much opportunity for businesses but if they can’t be found, like restaurants that have great service and food but no website and no Facebook page.

By: Phil Wrzesinski

Phil Wrzesinski — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 02:36:26 +0000

I need to post my website on my hours sign for when we’re closed.

I need to unclutter all the window clings that few people read anyway and at least put them back on in an orderly fashion.

I need to replace the worn out flower pots by the door.

I need to repaint the boards that makethe background of our window display.

I need to get off this computer and get to work – only 36 days til Christmas:-)

By: Tom Wanek

Tom Wanek — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 23:20:04 +0000

Dennis, you’re right. Now more than ever, business owners need to go back to basics and see chuck the “I know best” attitude.

Phil, you’re welcome. Let me know what you find.

By: Phil Wrzesinski

Phil Wrzesinski — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 17:21:00 +0000

Dennis,
You’ve hit on an important topic. I work with a lot of independent retailers and the one barrier we always have to cross is, “I’ve been in business x years. I know what I’m doing. I don’t need anyone’s help.” Yet we all need help to see our business from a different perspective. As Roy Williams is fond of saying… You can’t read the label from inside the bottle.

Thanks, Tom, for the reminder. I’m going outside the bottle today to take another look at my signage from a customer’s point of view.

By: Dennis Collins

Dennis Collins — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 09:58:54 +0000

Tom, I guess you and I are on the same page these days. There may be a new business here: can we brew up some type of secret sauce that will help us see our businesses through our customer’s eyes?

Our egos and our “I know best” attitudes often cloud our thinking. From what I’m seeing these days…if you thought knowing and understanding your customer was important in the “old” economy, your not going to believe how important it is now. Good luck to us all.

By: Tom Wanek

Tom Wanek — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 23:42:48 +0000

Michele, you actually touched on a point I forgot to mention in my blog post. It’s important to set up a system to ensure one regularly looks at the basics. Without a system, life and responsibilities will surely get in the way.

Thanks Michele!

By: Michele Miller

Michele Miller — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 18:09:52 +0000

Great perspective on an important topic, Tom. If a business owner can’t think of the small things that would vastly improve marketing BEFORE opening a business, they’re going to have a heck of a time focusing on the small things once they launch.

Your post is a good reminder to all – even to us bloggers, who need to take a look at our own blogs once in awhile to see how we could improve the experience for readers.