Page 176 - 101 Ways to Market Your Business

GO OUT AND CHASE BUSINESS

77 Talk to your neighbours

I was recently visiting a client in a major shopping centre
when two tourists walked into the shop and asked the
owner for a recommendation for a restaurant for lunch.
The owner asked a few questions and determined that the
tourists were looking for a seafood meal in a restaurant
with a nice view.

I was somewhat surprised when my client started to
explain how to get to a restaurant about 15 minutes’ walk
away, outside the centre. After the people left I asked why
she hadn’t recommended the seafood restaurant overlooking
a magnificent marina inside the actual centre. Her answer
was simply that she didn’t even know there was a restaurant
there.

I have noticed this phenomenon a lot. Businesses are
not aware of what their neighbours actually do. Very rarely
do people take the time to pop next door and ask the
neighbour exactly what services they offer.

I did this at my office recently and picked up two small
projects worth about $3000 simply because I took two
minutes to introduce myself to my neighbours. One com-
pany needed a brochure made up and the other needed a
marketing strategy for a new product they had developed.

How aware are you of the services your neighbours
offer? More importantly, do you recommend them if people
ask you and, even more importantly again, do they recom-
mend you? The potential for that extra business we all need
could be a few doors away. Take a moment and introduce
yourself to the neighbours.

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