Who are the number one decision makers?

KIDS! I was reminded earlier in the week how much our children influence the places we patron. If you have small children (or even big ones) you know what I’m talking about. I have three little girls, ages 2, 4, and 6, and one 13 year-old boy (yikes)! The kids ask to go to Festival Foods so they can hang out in the Tot Spot (thankfully they’re a client, whew). Restaurants that are frequented revolve around activities, child-friendly menus, and fun atmospheres: McDonalds, Applebee’s, Nicolet Restaurant, and Perkins. They drive us into making all sorts of buying decisions.

 

A colleague of mine recently shared an experience involving his little boy. His wife is a fan of saltwater fish and has two saltwater tanks at home. I’ve learned that it’s not cheap to set up a saltwater tank from the filtration systems to product… the fish!

 

He explained that there are only two locations in Green Bay to purchase these fish and their specialized products. The first has Mc Donald’s pricing and the second is priced more like Applebee’s. His wife always goes to the higher-priced store. It’s not because saving money isn’t important, it’s because her little boy likes Steve. Steve works at the store and makes Alex feel special and gives him attention. When mom says, “C’mon Alex, we’re going to the fish store!” His response is: “Are we going to see Steve?”

 

You may think your customer is a man or a woman or some certain demographic but I’m here to remind you that children drive a lot of decisions. In the words of Crosby, Stills and Nash: Treat Your Children Well.

 

No matter what the retail business you’re in, make it a point to focus on how you treat the children. Their experience will directly affect your bottom line. Besides, they’re your future customer.

 

Joe Kiedinger

 

ACTION PLAN: Talk to your associates about what you can do to serve your little guests. It will pay dividends!