Larry’s Produce: How One Local Business Nails it!
June 18, 2011
Note: I first published this about a year ago, but thought I’d make a few edits (given Larry’s new-found Marketing tactics) and republish in honor of Grand Opening Weekend at Larry’s Produce. Me? I’m wating until Monday or Tuesday to get my produce-fix, when the crowds are a little easier to deal with!
So, here it is – how one of my favorite local businesses nails the whole successful business thing even while breaking a few rules of Marketing!
Walking through the dusty gravel parking lot lugging my 2 heavy canvas bags chock full of fresh cucumbers, green leaf lettuce, Napa cabbage, string beans, nectarines, apricots and lots of other summer garden delights I pondered how Larry’s Produce, my favorite local summer institution, has built a business breaking one of the biggest rules of Marketing: making it easy to do business with you. 
About a year ago I wrote a blog about choosing Starbucks over Peet’s- not because of the coffee (I prefer Peet’s coffee) but because of internet access and the ease getting what I want from the experience. The point of the blog was making it really easy to do business with you so as not to give would-be customers a reason not to do business with you. During this visit to Larry’s I realized, not every business has to eliminate every single obstacle. And then I wondered why.
Larry’s is a small, somewhat out-of-the-way shack-like open structure produce stand that draws what seems like every single person within a 30 mile radius 6 months a year. They have an almost cult-like following, of which I’m one, and we are an army of promoters and evangelists. Those of us who shop at Larry’s love the place and neither crowds, nor scorching heat, nor extra ATM visits will keep us from getting our summer fix!
Easy Parking…. ? Not!
Larry’s doesn’t have easy parking – in fact on weekends you have to park quite a ways down the road because the small gravel parking lot is too small to handle the magnitude of cars. Larry’s doesn’t furnish fancy shopping carts – just old wheelbarrows or maybe a dirty white pail; you’re better off bringing your own canvas bags to tote your stuff around in. No they don’t take credit or debit cards – it’s cash or check only. (I love that actually, they will still take a local check!). And the summer-job high school students who ring you up aren’t trained to be overly-peppy and ask (and pretend to care) what you’re making for dinner (ala Raley’s), they just politely ring you up and wish you a nice day… most of the time.
Lots of Advertising and Promotions… ? Not!
I’ve never seen Larry’s advertise. I’ve never seen their name on the local little league park fence or on an “adopt a highway” sign. And yet, year after year, I’ve watched the crowds get larger and larger, the parking lot overflow, cars spilling out onto the sides of the country road and neighboring homes’ driveways (some have even had to barricade the driveways to keep Larry’s customers out). This year, I was thrilled to find a website, on which I signed up for their newsletter. I was thrilled to get their debut newsletter the other day announcing their grand opening. I noticed they’re even on Facebook now – way to go Larry’s! (I have mixed feelings about this – it’ll only make it more crowded…. )
Breaking the Rules…? Maybe, Maybe Not.
So what is it about Larry’s that allows them to break the rules of Marketing and still be such a huge success? It’s simple really. Larry’s does one thing and they do it perfectly: they provide a huge variety of the freshest, most delicious, mostly local, summer and fall produce at amazing prices – consistently. There are other produce shops around that try to compete, but there is just no comparison. Larry’s has never – in 10 years – failed to deliver exactly what I go there for; fresh and delicious local produce, great prices, great variety and a very local and off-the-beaten-path experience . Larry’s is ours – and we love it!
Worth the Extra Steps… ? Always!
So is Larry’s totally easy to do business with? Not really. I have to remember to grab some cash or my checkbook before heading out there; it’s usually requires an extra trip to the ATM. I have to remember to grab my canvas bags so I have something to carry my goodies in as I shop. And I have to fight crowds and long lines in 90+ degree heat; and yet for more than 10 years, I’ve shopped there religiously, at least once per week every month they’re open. I’m sad to see them close in the fall and anxious for them to open again in spring. Every year, around late May I start making the extra trip out there to see if they’ve put out their sign telling us – their anxious and eager public – when they’re opening for the season. (Yay! for the newsletter and Facebook this year to save me that trip!!!)
So, this little farm produce stand on a 2 lane country road has built a booming business by very simply understanding their niche and by being the very best at what they do. They have created an institution, and an insanely loyal following based on a product and an exprience that is true and 100% Larry’s. They are a testimonial to the core of marketing and business success: offering a superior product or service at a great value can be a differentiator – if you do it perfectly.
What is the one thing you do absolutely flawlessly that keeps customers coming back? Will your customers go out of their way to do business with you? How can we all get the kind of loyalty and following that Larry’s has gotten? I’d love to read your thoughts….
4 Ways to Avoid Marketing Like a Weiner
June 13, 2011
(Note: Did you really think I’d let this opportunity to pass me by? I mean I’ll never get another opportunity to write a title like that…)
If you live in the US, you’ve heard of the big Congressman Anthony Weiner Twitter scandal. It’s everywhere. Another politician caught with his pants down – or to be more accurate, caught tweeting pics with his pants down…
Some say there is no such thing as bad publicity. As a marketer, I have to disagree, especially if you’re Representative Weiner and living up to your last name by acting like one. O
vernight, Rep. Weiner has become a joke – and not just to snot-nosed 11 year old boys who still giggle when they hear ‘peacock’ but to those of us who are older and mature enough to understand that sometimes a peacock is just a peacock. So, yes, there is such a thing as bad publicity – and these days publicity, especially bad publicity is all too easy to come by. Just one little slip of the keyboard or a too-fast flick of the “send” button, and you could be ruined.
Social media is a wonderful resource for promoting and managing a small business reputation. But as the Rep Weiner debacle has shown us, it can also be a reputation/small business killer.
Here are four ways you can avoid marketing your small business like a Weiner.
- If you make a mistake, own up to it. Man up, admit your mistakes and do everything in your power to improve and prevent it from happening again. Whatever you do, don’t lie! Businesses are made up of human beings and human beings make mistakes. We are never going to be perfect. The key to managing your reputation is to admit your mistakes, deal with them, and find ways to improve. Lying or pretending that everything is perfect when it isn’t alienates everyone. You will never build a successful business this way.
- Nothing you put out on Social Media is private – especially your privates. Marketing is all about managing your image. If there are things about your business, your processes, your finances, your procedures, your management, etc that you don’t want the general public to know about, keep it to yourself. Social media is not the place to complain about employees, customers, or vendors – and you never want to air your dirty laundry.
- Don’t get too comfortable with your Facebook or Twitter “friends”. Rep Weiner wrongly assumed that all of his little Twitter girlfriends were his real friends and the information and pictures he shared with them would be kept private. But as a high-profile government figure, that was just plain stupidity. As business owners, we need to be just as mindful of what we’re putting out there. Many years ago a well-meaning co-worker gave me some much needed advice that I think applies here. He said to me, “going out for drinks with co-workers, and especially bosses, is still work – and you must treat it like work. Don’t drink too much and keep it appropriate.” I think that same rule should apply for social networking.
- Don’t wait until your flaws are embarrassingly exposed to get help. Rep Weiner has issues… whether he’s a sex addict, or just plain stupid is for him to decide. But clearly, he has issues. Who is without flaws? I’d be lying if I said my business (or my life for that matter) is perfect. My point here for small business owners is this: recognize your weaknesses, own your weaknesses and then commit to doing something to address them. Too many small business owners wait until they’re a job away from closing their doors, or a week away from missing payroll to get help with their businesses. Don’t wait until it’s too late – get help now.
What do you think? I’d love to hear your thoughts on this!! Leave your comments here.
By the way, if you liked this post, I’d really appreciate your Retweet!!! Thank you. 
3 Easy Tips to Find Time to Market Your Small Business
June 6, 2011
I wrote a blog a couple of weeks ago called “‘I don’t have a time’ is a lame excuse”… (for not Marketing your small business). I basically wrote that if we think something is important enough we’ll find the time to do it. And I know this because I do it all the time… I constantly say, “I don’t have time….” But what I realize is that really means either “I really don’t want to“ or “It just
isn’t a priority right now“, because trust me, If I REALLY want to do something, I’ll find the time. Am I right???
So with that blog post behind me, I started thinking: What I really need is not more time, but a way to manage the time I have more effectively. And I bet other small business owners could use the same thing! So, I asked my friend and colleague Sandy Stelter of Strategic Organizing Solutions (SOS) to give us some tips on how to manage our time better. Sandy is an expert in time management and small business productivity and a co author of the book “Get Organized Today”.
I hope you will apply these 3 easy steps in your own world so that you can find the time to market your business and become the small business you always dreamed of!
I don’t have time…
How many times do you find yourself saying these words…”I don’t have time to ….” You fill in the blank.
“I don’t have time to read.”
“I don’t have time to take a vacation.”
“I don’t have time to go to that networking event.”
“I don’t have time to write that article.”
Actually we do have the time if we step back and realize that we’re actually talking about managing our lives, not just our time. The lines are blurred between, home, work and leisure. It’s not clear where one ends and another begins.
So doing more important tasks with the time we have has become crucial. Once we set our goals, then planning and scheduling the tasks to meet those goals are the most important.
Here’s one thought that I find extremely helpful when I’m planning and scheduling my day.
Schedule your day around high-payoff activities. Whatever time is left over, schedule the low-priority activities then. I find it interesting that high-value activities do not proliferate as quickly as low-payoff items. I can find 101 little tiny low-payoff tasks to do instead of that one high-value activity.
For instance, rather than writing this article, I found myself reading email, balancing my checkbook (yes, I really do enjoy it), and updating Quickbooks. So here are three tips that help me schedule my day around the more important tasks and stay focused.
1. If the activity requires concentration, get away from the distractions in your office and on your desk. I listen to an instrumentals only radio station that I set up on Pandora.com (free version). No words, so I can’t sing along. No multitasking!
2. Establish deadlines for completing major portions of the big project. Chunk it into small units. I actually divided this task into two chunks – one was thinking and researching and the second was the actual writing.
3. Choose the time of day when you are most alert. There are two times a day that I’m alert and able to concentrate – mornings and then between 8:30pm-10pm. So I schedule many of my important tasks during those times. Notice when you are most alert and schedule your high payoff activities then. You’ll be amazed at the results!
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Sandy Stelter, Author and Owner of SOS – Strategic Organizing Solutions has worked with hundreds of clients to help them create and maintain a productive environment anywhere. SOS provides consultation and hands-on professional, customized, productivity coaching to individuals and businesses. Work toward your goals from an environment that supports you and who you want to be. For more information visit: http://www.sos.com
What do you think? I’d love to hear your thoughts on this!! Leave your comments here.
By the way, if you liked this post, I’d really appreciate your Retweet!!! Thank you.
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+Carolyn Higgins, President of Fortune Marketing Company
- Carolyn Higgins, President of Fortune Marketing Company specializes in helping small to medium sized businesses get the customers they need to sell more, increase profits and achieve all of their business and personal goals. We do this by implementing and managing marketing systems based on data and strategy - there is no guess work. For more information visit us at: FortuneMarketingCompany.com. We'd be glad to help!
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