Coffee Shop Commerce: 5 Ways To Use Hot Beverages To Grow Your Biz

It’s not uncommon to meet colleagues, customers or prospects in public venues such as coffee shops.  My observation is most people are using them strictly for scheduled short meetings with specific people – you talk, have a cup then leave.  There’s more to it if you look deeper.

HOLD COURT

Schedule at least 2 mornings or afternoons (not lunch hours) per week – when you have “computer work” to do –  and set yourself at a table.  Announce to your SOI in advance when and where you’ll be.  “I’ll be hanging out at Janie and Jackies’s Jumpin Java Joint Tuesday morning.  If you’re out and about, stop by and say Hi.”

QR – Not a Drive-By Technology

There have been many new technologies come up over the last decade and a half. People tend to jump on the bandwagon often without knowing why and what they hope to gain. After allowing the new technology to fester on its own for a while, it is declared a failure. This is usually followed by a smug “I knew this stuff wouldn’t work.”

There are also those folks who don’t even try to use the new technology because they are afraid they’ll be in over their heads, or they don’t have the long-term vision to realize the potential

Sometime later (often years) eyes begin to open wide. People are dancing. Poets are writing sonnets. Hosts of angels begin to sing. The masses begin to realize what the early adopters grasped at the outset:

FourSquare + Twitter: Might Be A Double Edged Sword

Social Media lovers who use both Twitter and Foursquare really need to look at the impact of cross-pollination between the two. You may be hurting your online image if you’re not doing it right.

There are basically two kinds of Foursquare users – casual and passionate.

If you are a passionate user, you most likely have your FS posts automatically posting to your Twitter and/or Facebook profiles. You need to think it through to make sure you’re accomplishing what you intend.  If you are involved in Social Media to be a part of the global online community you have to consider it what you are doing is furthering that goal or hurting it.

While your FS friends may be interested to know where you are every minute

STEEEEERRIKE! Is a Blinding Fastball Enough?

NOTE:   Here in the thick of World Series season, it reminded me of this post from last spring.

So I was listening to a Grapefruit League game on the radio yesterday and I feel the first stages of  full blown BaseballFever.  I guess it’s time for a baseball/business analogy.

Two pitchers: One consistently throws 97-98 MPH 4-seamers. He has other pitches but nothing spectacular.  The other has a fast ball that doesn’t go much above 86-87. His specialty is alternating the fast ball with a 65MPH change-up.  He also throws a great curve that drops straight down at just the right moment.

They are both about the same age and their ERAs are similar.  Which one is the more valuable pitcher.  The answer according to Schwartz’ Guide To Baseball is the second pitcher.   His variety and control can make him unbeatable.

He has BALANCE

Balance is important in your sales an marketing efforts as well.  You may be bringing in 5 new accounts per month.  That’s all fine and good, but what are you doing to retain and grow your existing clients?

Keep a close eye, not only on revenue but also on how long clients actually stay with you.  A successful business will do it all.

OK – enough of this,  back to the game!  Here’s one of my favorite Yankees combining two of his talents – baseball and music.

Who’s Afraid Of The QR Code? Tra La La La La!

Although the  2D Quick Response code technology has been around for about 15 years,  it seems that with advent of smart phones, QR is starting to hit its stride.

One of the coolest things about QR codes is that they really provide businesses of all sizes equal opportunity.  This very powerful marketing tool has virtually no cost.  I know – the same thing can be said about Facebook, Twitter and a host of other Social Media applications.  The difference is