The King of first world problems. The one where you hear the joyous melody of the ice cream man’s jingle as you are slaving over a garden bed or doing laps across the yard on the lawnmower. “Cold sweet Salvation!” you think. Then as you reach for your wallet it hits you, Mr. Softee doesn’t take credit cards.
It may not be a million dollar business, but the Ice Cream Man is amazing at one specific thing that we could all do a better job of: He knows his market like the back of his hand. Here’s a few tips you can pick up from Mr. Frosty:
He controls the trigger to buy – Even if you weren’t thinking about ice cream, the second you hear that jingle your mouth starts watering like Pavlov’s dogs. I can’t ring a bell and have new clients come in, but sure as the sun every April 1st clients I can’t get a hold of all year long magically show up. Knowing what the “buy” triggers are in your business gives you a powerful advantage.
He sells the experience, not the product – You don’t get that same magical feeling buying fugicles or rockets at the grocery store, because you could go any time and get them. When the ice cream man comes, it’s a fleeting event. you need to be in the right place at the right time (and have cash!). When he pulls up, you aren’t checking to see if you have a coupon or comparing the prices, you just order what you want.
He knows all of his customers – David Lee Roth sang “I’m usually passing by just ’round eleven o’clock, never stop, but if you let me cool you one time; you’ll be my regular stop.” Once You’ve figured out who your customers are, take great care of them. Learn their orders, keep to your schedule, make recommendations and always stock their favorites.
He knows his core market and he sticks to it – Every ice cream man has a territory, and he sticks to it. He hits the neighborhoods where the kids are, skips the old folks homes and commercial districts. He shows up when the weather is warm and sunny and when it’s cold and raining, he just stays home planning for the next warm day. He is a laser focused beam of niche marketing.
So the next time you hear that jingle, make sure you have a notepad (and cash)
The Better your Business Project 