Strategy From Jim Utzinger

Howdy all - business case study for brick and mortar businesses.

I have a local client who has a high-end furniture store in a large shopping center. Last week they decided to close their doors due to the coronavirus challenges. So, I put up a popup image on their website outlining that the store is temporarily closed and if anyone had questions to email the store owners directly.

Additionally, we sent out emails to all the clients updating them of the closure.

Now that the store is closed the store owner and I are totally redoing their website with a new theme, a new point of sale backend software, new domain hosting - the whole “meal deal” site upgrade.

So, earlier this week I told the store owner that we should send out a “non-sales” oriented email to their entire email list - just to say “HI” and with an email subject line of “Checking in with you from (owners names) at (business name)… - with the email ad copy totally supporting that the store owners wanted to make sure their clients are safe and healthy. The email was scheduled for delivery at 6:00 am this morning.

When I checked my email I had many emails forwarded to me from the store owner from many thankful clients saying that they really appreciated the kind thoughts and that they would “remember this and stop by the store” when the furniture store reopens. We hit the ball out of the park!

We will contact the client’s mailing list again in the next 10-12 days will great news that the store has a totally new website and that clients should check it out - plus the new site will coincide with the re-opening of the store hopefully in a few weeks.

The point of this case study - talk to your clients and tell them to be in communication with their client by email or one-on-one calls or a short video stating that we just want to make sure customers are safe and healthy.

NO sales copy or promotions - just a plan a simple “letter to friends”.

Your clients’ customers will remember them when the brick and mortar businesses open up for business.

Anyway, that’s my 2-cents worth today. I hope all of you are enjoying this time with family and friends if only virtually.

Enjoy your day. Cheers!