WHAT'S THE FLAVOR OF YOUR BUSINESS?

Last week a co-worker and I had the delicious fortune of attending an annual Taste of Main Street local event. Participating cafés and restaurants set up vendors on the sidewalk outside with small (or large) samples of their best food, and hungry attendees glide from table to table with fork in hand, until they simply cannot stretch their stomachs anymore.

Fundamental to this event is the variety of tidbits available for sampling. They are sizzling, they are alluring, they are delicious. But they are abundant. Although the inexperienced attendee might make the mistake of stopping at every storefront (as I did for three years before finally learning my lesson), it is simply not feasible to taste it all. And the smartest vendors offer something unique that might entice people back for a repeat visit — at full price.

As I looked at the stylized restaurant names illuminated above the doors, the colorful vinyl booths through the windows, the different faces behind the counters, I was reminded of the importance of distinguishing your business from every other. Of the 20 Italian places lining the street ... what makes one most appealing? Why should anyone make room in their appetite (and wallets) for yours?

There are simply too many options available to sit back and wait for foot (or web) traffic. You must create an attraction, and you must maintain that engagement. Your name should be visible and appealing, your atmosphere should be engaging and memorable, and your plating (or message) should be consistent and unique. Perhaps easier said than done, but you know the value of your service. Everything that touches your audience should reflect this confidence as well. If you were visiting your website for the first time ... would you come back for more?

A palatable site is the best kind of all.

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