CASE STUDY: What’s Your Business’s Attraction?

In all my studies of business, I have found that many businesses – especially small businesses – are the same. Business owners and managers all use similar models when it comes to making money, and often sell the exact same products. However, the success or failure of a business can often depend on how the business is managed and what is done to set the business apart. Do what everyone else is doing and the business can fail; do something unique and the business can thrive.

One of the best tools for any business to use toward the desired result of being unique is to have an “attraction”... something other than the usual product or service sold to make money on a day-to-day basis. It could be something that is sold right along with the regular business inventory, but more often than not, it does not earn any money directly (although it does end up bringing in money indirectly). In other words, it is not the normal inventory or service that the business sells, but something just as important. The main goal of any “business attraction” is direct and simple: To get customers in the door.

If a business knows what their attraction is, then the key becomes to promote and/or use the attraction in such a way as to draw traffic into the business, and then focus on converting “looky-lous” to “buyers”.

Here are Some Examples of Business Attractions:

photo credit: Mike Saechang

• Disneyland is a prime example of a business with multiple attractions. Their main business revolves around the sales of merchandise, food and beverage, and park admissions. But, what would the park be without the roller coasters, the Main Street parade, the costumed characters and mascots, the fireworks, and even the big pink castle in the middle of the park? While these items do not make direct sales on a person-to-person basis, they are enough of a draw to increase the overall experience of the park. As an added bonus, they encourage the park patrons to linger all day so that they get hungry enough to spend their money on food and beverage, and also increase the odds that the people will stop to buy a jacket for the change in weather, or a t-shirt to replace wet clothes, etc. The attractions encourage lingering, which encourages impulse spending.

But, since my focus is usually on the small business, let me identify a few attractions at other “smaller” businesses (although the examples are franchises in order to help drive home my point).

• Barnes and Noble: The main sales for Barnes and Noble comes – obviously – from their books, DVDs, and CD sales (i.e, their inventory). The Starbucks cafes within the Barnes and Noble branches are added attractions that bring in customers and encourages them to linger – and possibly make a purchase from the “regular inventory.” This is one attraction, but then Barnes and Noble goes two steps further. At many locations, they offer extra seating and tables so that customers may linger over their books, have meetings or even study. They also offer free internet to draw in customers and encourage them to further the studying experience. They are offering an atmosphere as well as their inventory.
• FAO Schwartz: If you’ve ever seen the movie “Big”, then you know about the gigantic piano at FAO Schwartz in Manhattan. Since visiting this business recently, I’ve often thought the owners of this store are “geniuses”. They sell toys – like so many other toy stores in New York – but they have created a unique environment that takes the policy “try before you buy” to a whole new level. FAO not only encourages children to play and touch in a way that other toy stores do not, they also train their sales associates to do constant mini-shows where they actually exhibit all of the benefits and usefulness of each toy. These mini-shows include magic shows, concerts on the giant piano, Barbie fashion shows, remote control helicopters, build a puppet station, arts and crafts stations, and even playing ball games in the store. There is no “purchase requirement” to play, but you can’t help but want to buy after seeing what the toys can do. On top of that, they have a café with high-end coffees and cupcakes that absolutely make you tingle just to look at them. These shows and the food and beverage are an attraction that sucks the customer deeper and deeper into the store until suddenly, four hours has passed by...literally.

(This is a picture of a “Barbie Foosball Table” at FAO Schwartz in New York in the Barbie section of the store – How cool is that?)

Other Types of Business Attractions:

Although these are a few specific examples, coupons, discounts and other free services are other ways to give an attraction. Here are a quick rundown of other attractions in a variety of businesses:

Attractions that Result in Sales

• Payless Shoe Source – Regular “BOGO” Sales (Buy One Get One Half Off Sale – repeated on a regular basis – which, when you think about it, is really no more than a 25% discount on two products)
• Mary Kay Cosmetics – Free Facials and Makeovers
• PartyLite – Free Candles for Hosting a Presentation
• Lawyers / Doctors / Accountants – Free Hour Long Consultations
• Other Discount Coupons or Even “Doubling / Tripling Coupons”
• Restaurants – Happy Hour / Free Chips and Salsa or Free Bread Before Dinner
• Credit Cards that offer mileage or points for using those cards instead of others.

Unique and Special Attractions

• Chuck E Cheese – Animatron characters that sing and play music / Softplay Jungle Gyms with no entry fee / the mouse mascot
• Bowling Lanes / Mini Golf / Skating Rinks – Birthday Party Rooms and Video Games
• Rainforest Café – An “Extreme-Themed” Environment where every inch of the restaurant looks like a jungle. They also sell Rainforest branded merchandise like clothing, stuffed animals, key chains, etc.
• Cruise Ships – All of the “freebies” included in the price of the cruise, like restaurants with no surcharge, free day care, free activities for teenagers, free games, the free library, the free movie theater and free theater.
• Airlines – Many airlines are now offering internet for a surcharge, or have TVs in the back of every seat along with a selection of movies.
• “Gimmicky” items in store windows that draw the eye (like the Lego man to the left).

Attractions that Ensure Customers Visits Again and Again

• Coffee Shops – Free Internet / Meeting Rooms / Art for sale from local artists / local bands playing / poetry readings
• Subway and Robeks – Loyalty Programs that Give a Free Sandwich / Smoothie when the customer buys 10 Sandwiches / Smoothies
• Vons / Safeway, and other Grocery Stores – “Free Membership Cards” that offer extra discounts on multiple products throughout the store

These are just a few to give you an idea.

So again I ask – What’s Your Business’s Attraction? If you can identify it, you can offer something that your competitors do not.

(If you do have a business attraction, please share it below. I love to hear what businesses do to stand out.)