I was at Vaughan Mills yesterday, a monster sized shopping mall just outside of Toronto.
As I was walking through the mall I noticed a group of people standing in front of the full glass window at of one of the stores. I was curious so I walked over to see what was so interesting. It was a store called the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory and as I came up to the glass it was clear why everyone was gathered there. On the other side of the glass was and elderly chef dressed all in white with his big chef hat, working by what looked to be a 3 foot by 5 foot skillet, making fudge (YUMMMM). He walked around the table with a massive scraper working a giant chocolate mixture, as he added the various ingredients; the white chocolate, tonnes of almonds and marshmallows, you could see everyones eyes getting wider and their mouths hungering for a taste of what their eyes beheld.
As I looked around the store, I couldn’t believe my eyes, dozens of different kinds of dipped apples, banannas, and Strawberries, creatively enticing fudges, and endless chocolate concoctions. All around the store were the various staff creating these masterpieces while everyone looked on. Here is a link to one of their web pages so you can see what I am talking about www.rmcf.com/cp/shop/apples_fudge/apples.asp?
Chocolate is not new, creative chocolate is not new either, what is Rocky Mountain doing that sold over $28 million in 2006?
They market to your emotions. RM created a system that bypasses your intellect and goes straight for the gut. Seeing these fresh chocolate creations made right before your eyes takes you back to all the times when you felt deep down chocolate good. If you would take the same store and put the kitchen in the back it wouldn’t have the same success. Having it right there in the front window, speaks of quality and honesty. Not to mention having the customers smelling the chocolate cooking right before them.
Marche and Cinnabon also take similar approaches, an the result is lineups of people anxious to by their products.
This approach is not limited to food establishments alone. I have seen it done with picture processors, hair salons, and fittness clubs.
How could you apply this to marketing your business?
How could you apply this to marketing yourself?