Monday Morning Match is a quick post – maybe a quote, inspirational story or idea – intended to spark some motivation inside each of you so your week gets off to a fantastic start on Monday morning.
Have you ever been to…
I received a nice note yesterday from a gentleman I met while visiting Canada last month. I met him and his wife while we were getting ready to board a boat tour in Waterton National Park. We were chatting about their visit so far and I found out he was a fellow Midwesterner, from near Fort Wayne, Indiana. Due to all the smoke and safety concerns from the forest fires happening all over the region, some of their travel plans had been impacted and it caused some change in their plans.
“Have you ever been to the National Bison Range?” I asked him.
Neither he nor his wife had ever heard of this place that is one of my favorite “off the beaten path” places to visit in Northwest Montana. I told him all about it and how I almost always make plans to visit when I am in the area. I encouraged them to add it to their new itinerary and assured them they would enjoy the peaceful drive down past Flathead Lake, the tranquility of the expansive property and the opportunity to see many types of wildlife including bison, elk, deer, antelope, coyotes, and possibly bears.
In the aforementioned note, he told me “how much we enjoyed going to the Bison Reserve. It was one of the better spots that we were able to see while we were on our vacation, (the) weather was great, no crowd at all. We were able to pull over and enjoy not only the scenery but all of the animals.”
What’s the Scoop?
What’s your “inside information” you like to share with your customers and clients you work with? If you had out-of-town buyers looking to move into the area, what are the local restaurants, shops and places they need to check out?
Who’s your “guy” for handy work around the house or the mechanic more people in your town need to know about? Do you have any insights on barber shops, hair salons, gyms, doctors or other service providers that would be a more personal referral than the Yellow Pages or Yelp! could ever provide?
When we used to vacation on Hilton Head Island in South Carolina each summer, we never wanted to eat at the chain restaurants or “tourist traps” you can find in any American vacation destination. We always asked the locals where they liked to go (especially when we were sitting among them at Jump & Phil’s – one of our favorites). Sometimes they wouldn’t want to divulge their “secret spots” because of fear that once it got discovered by others that it wouldn’t be special anymore. More often than not, they’d be thrilled to share something valuable to their “island visitors” and also knew that the local shop owners or entrepreneurs would appreciate the business and positive word of mouth that leads to new business as well as repeat and referral business.
Think about it this week. Who is your (insert service occupation here) in town? Where is the best (insert food item here) in your city? When is the best place to (insert activity here)? What is the best place for (insert activity)? It’s rarely a national brand you think of but instead someplace with a certain smell, style, salesperson or story. It’s places like The Goodie Shop or Liberty Burger people like my mechanic, Donn.
Start making a list of all the “inside information” you could share about your local area and then start sharing it. Share it on your website or Facebook page, via social media or blog posts, or start shooting some videos. Drop a positive Yelp! or Google review if you have time. Simply start sharing something that will help you not only become the local expert, you’ll also feel good sending someone in the right direction.
Photo courtesy of Javier Allegue Barros