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...cle, John Graham uses Krispy Kreme Donuts as an example of how a company finds...sn’t cut its prices to promote 'cheap donuts.' And they haven’t done everythin...

... serious about having fun. Dunkin' Donuts does a lot of things right. Having f...there are traffic jams around Dunkin' Donut shops between 7:30 and 8:30 a.m. every d...

...f we go into McDonald's or Dunkin' Donuts, we're upset to find someone in line...

... To Grab Customers!4/30/2013 12:00:00 AM by CompleteMarkets Editor , John Graham This content has not been rated yet. Selling isn't about making sales — it's about engaging customers, entering into a conversation with them, and letting them respond when they're ready to buy. That's called marketing, and marketing makes sales. In this article, John Graham uses Krispy Kreme Donuts as an example of how a company finds ways to create excitement and build customer loyalty. Plenty of companies still can't seem to get the message that customers have changed. They cling to the notion that the goal is to get through someone's door and come away with an order. Outmoded? To be sure. Even with prices cut to the bone and beyond sales of computer equipment are dismal ... , and sales drop. But life's different elsewhere. Take Krispy Kreme donuts. As the company invades Yankee territory from its Deep South base, first-hand reports are amazingly consistent. I waited for two hours to get those donuts, ' customers say with pride, suggesting that standing in long lines for donuts is something of a badge of honor. And no one ever comes away from a Krispy Kreme shop with less than a dozen. Who'd think that donuts could make prized gifts? I remember the day a co-worker returned from a vacation in the South. Before coming back, she called to say that she was bringing a box of Krispy Kremes with her. Since there were no Krispy Kreme stores in the state, this was truly a special event. She beamed when she presented her precious ...

... move. Learn to speak customer' fluently. Difficult times-perhaps more than other periods-require that we speak a single language, one we call customer. Get rid of what we want to do and force the mind into a new pattern by asking, What do they need? ' The answer to this question will put a company on a productive track . 4. Be serious about having fun. Dunkin' Donuts does a lot of things right. Having fun with the products must be near the top of the list. Dunkin' Donuts products are popular because the company has made them enjoyable. Without question, the donut, a product that historically borne the label of sinker' because it was heavy, ' has been made light, airy, and even healthier by having fun with it. People ... to fun! This may be one reason why there are traffic jams around Dunkin' Donut shops between 7:30 and 8:30 a.m. every day. Fun is serious business. With annual sales pushing toward the $100 million mark, Gerald Elovitz, a.k.a. Jerry Ellis, has created a highly profitable business out of insurance salvage by selling good stuff cheap. For more than a decade, New Englanders searching for a bargain have flocked to his Building #19 stores (the first location was actually Building #19 in a World War II shipyard) . This adroit, tightfisted, shrewd, and extremely funny businessman has capitalized on the fact that customers get excited and buy if they're having a good time within a store that is serious about having fun. 5. Get realistic about ...

... serve the customer's interest. Redefining service. The concept of service has changed. Just saying "we're here to serve you" doesn't connect with customers. The issue is now serving customers when, where, and how they want. There was a time when we would wait somewhat patiently in a line at the bank or McDonald's. Not any more. If we go into McDonald's or Dunkin' Donuts, we're upset to find someone in line ahead of us. If we buy something on the Internet, we expect instant confirmation of the transaction. Anything less is viewed as second rate or unacceptable. Next-day delivery has become the standard. Altering communication. Several years ago, it might have taken several hours for someone to get an E-mail; faxing was quicker. Now, at most times ... CompUSA store tells the story. "Where are the computers?" someone asks. They're hidden away in the back, and software takes center stage, along with such electronic devices as PDAs. Computer consulting firms were the first to drop hardware because of paper-thin margins. Next it will be the stores. Whether it's for computers or airline tickets, the ability for customers to use the Web to shop is unequalled. Inflationary pressures are weak, even with full employment and high consumer demand, thus challenging a near-sacred economic dictum. Is the Internet playing a role in keeping prices down? Reducing costs. Whether because of the ability to handle more business with fewer people or the ability to do it faster, the costs associated with doing business are coming down. For example, graphic design firms ...

... serve the customer's interest. Redefining service. The concept of service has changed. Just saying "we're here to serve you" doesn't connect with customers. The issue is now serving customers when, where, and how they want. There was a time when we would wait somewhat patiently in a line at the bank or McDonald's. Not any more. If we go into McDonald's or Dunkin' Donuts, we're upset to find someone in line ahead of us. If we buy something on the Internet, we expect instant confirmation of the transaction. Anything less is viewed as second rate or unacceptable. Next-day delivery has become the standard. Altering communication. Several years ago, it might have taken several hours for someone to get an E-mail; faxing was quicker. Now, at most times ... CompUSA store tells the story. "Where are the computers?" someone asks. They're hidden away in the back, and software takes center stage, along with such electronic devices as PDAs. Computer consulting firms were the first to drop hardware because of paper-thin margins. Next it will be the stores. Whether it's for computers or airline tickets, the ability for customers to use the Web to shop is unequalled. Inflationary pressures are weak, even with full employment and high consumer demand, thus challenging a near-sacred economic dictum. Is the Internet playing a role in keeping prices down? Reducing costs. Whether because of the ability to handle more business with fewer people or the ability to do it faster, the costs associated with doing business are coming down. For example, graphic design firms ...