IN THE TRENCHES: First impressions are good business
IN THE TRENCHES: First impressions are good business
Although much of my produce career was spent in New York, I was born and raised in Cleveland. I can remember the time my father took me to my first Major League Baseball game when I was 8. Not only was it the most exciting and thrilling time of my life, it was also the most impressive.
After standing in line to buy tickets, my dad took me by the hand and we walked up through the stadium entrance to the field. As we entered the old Municipal Stadium, I was in awe at the vision of the playing field and vastness of the stadium. After all, as kids living in a big city, we only had an alley lot with weeds, wild grass and hard gravel on which to play our ballgames. And when anyone hit a ball in Mr. Bevolaqua's yard, it was considered an automatic out, because he never returned the ball. On top of it, whoever hit it in his yard had to jump the fence to fetch it and survive Mr. Bevolaquas junkyard dog with the saber-tooth jaws. I still have several scars to prove the size of those teeth is not exaggerated.
The point of this is the impression I got when first seeing that ballpark. The way the grass was manicured, the infield was raked, the outfield fence so even, the players colorful uniforms, and the fact that it had a huge scoreboard was all so overwhelming to me. You could be sure that the impression the ballpark and the game made on me were certainly revealed to my friends the following day. After doing just that, other kids in the neighborhood convinced their fathers to take them to a game as well.
Most people experience similar events that leave a lasting, positive impression on them. Perhaps it is a restaurant, a new car, a movie, a style of clothing, a particular supermarket or even a produce item. Something impressive and outstanding can make people not only like it and want it, but want it more often.
On the other hand, if that stadium ballpark had a couple of similarities to our alley playing field, I would not be thinking or writing about it today. Furthermore, I probably would have told my friends after the game that the field was like ours except there were no weeds or ferocious dogs.
Is there a lasting impression that stuck with you over the years? Do you ever bring it to the surface? Have you had any good impressions lately?
Are first impressions important? You bet they are. That popular phrase, "You never get a second chance to make a first impression," holds a lot of truth.
People remember both good and bad first impressions. Some subjects are long lasting and pop up in their minds when similar experiences occur.
Wherever you do your normal grocery shopping, what first impression do you get when entering the parking lot, approaching the building and walking inside? Once inside, does anything make you feel great about the store?
Usually, the produce department is first in line for shoppers to see. If it has that magic button called professional merchandising, customers will be immediately impressed. They will be filled with a comfortable feeling that the fruits and vegetables are fresh and of high quality. But if the impression hits them in bad taste, it will be a long-lasting bitter memory.
Thats why first impressions are regarded as a pre-eminent reason for capturing consumers in no way other than positive. Consumers are the best way to advertise a business. A single consumer can pass on an impression, whether good or bad, by word-of-mouth with the chance that it could magnify to other consumers by hundreds, thousands or even millions down the line.
Within the produce industry, we all have certain first impressions that are also passed down the line to others in our field. Besides just a supermarket, it could be a specific buyer, executive, grower, shipper, salesperson, product, packinghouse, warehouse, convention event, trade organization or even a service. That first impression is the most important and one that could make the difference in the future.
My impression of and throughout the produce industry has always been one on the positive side. I continue to be impressed with the many fine organizations and people who make up our industry. I am especially impressed with the many growers who struggle each day trying to earn a tiny profit, only to get up the next day and go at it again, while still maintaining a positive attitude. My positive impression also goes to the produce retail leaders who are ever so challenged to achieve tough sales budgets and pie-in-the-sky gross margins at the same time.
And I could never forget the tremendous good impression each and every hard working person puts forth in the trenches. Their effort to push produce through the retail system in record amounts with limited labor is certainly impressive in itself.
And so, an impression has a big meaning in the produce business. Its like walking into a baseball park for the first time. You are hit with excitement or disappointment. Either way, a good impression or bad impression is always passed along to many others by word- of-mouth advertising.
(Ron Pelger is the owner of RONPROCON, a consulting firm for the produce industry. He can be reached by phone at 775/853- 7056, by e-mail at [email protected], or check his web site at www.power-produce.com.)
After standing in line to buy tickets, my dad took me by the hand and we walked up through the stadium entrance to the field. As we entered the old Municipal Stadium, I was in awe at the vision of the playing field and vastness of the stadium. After all, as kids living in a big city, we only had an alley lot with weeds, wild grass and hard gravel on which to play our ballgames. And when anyone hit a ball in Mr. Bevolaqua's yard, it was considered an automatic out, because he never returned the ball. On top of it, whoever hit it in his yard had to jump the fence to fetch it and survive Mr. Bevolaquas junkyard dog with the saber-tooth jaws. I still have several scars to prove the size of those teeth is not exaggerated.
The point of this is the impression I got when first seeing that ballpark. The way the grass was manicured, the infield was raked, the outfield fence so even, the players colorful uniforms, and the fact that it had a huge scoreboard was all so overwhelming to me. You could be sure that the impression the ballpark and the game made on me were certainly revealed to my friends the following day. After doing just that, other kids in the neighborhood convinced their fathers to take them to a game as well.
Most people experience similar events that leave a lasting, positive impression on them. Perhaps it is a restaurant, a new car, a movie, a style of clothing, a particular supermarket or even a produce item. Something impressive and outstanding can make people not only like it and want it, but want it more often.
On the other hand, if that stadium ballpark had a couple of similarities to our alley playing field, I would not be thinking or writing about it today. Furthermore, I probably would have told my friends after the game that the field was like ours except there were no weeds or ferocious dogs.
Is there a lasting impression that stuck with you over the years? Do you ever bring it to the surface? Have you had any good impressions lately?
Are first impressions important? You bet they are. That popular phrase, "You never get a second chance to make a first impression," holds a lot of truth.
People remember both good and bad first impressions. Some subjects are long lasting and pop up in their minds when similar experiences occur.
Wherever you do your normal grocery shopping, what first impression do you get when entering the parking lot, approaching the building and walking inside? Once inside, does anything make you feel great about the store?
Usually, the produce department is first in line for shoppers to see. If it has that magic button called professional merchandising, customers will be immediately impressed. They will be filled with a comfortable feeling that the fruits and vegetables are fresh and of high quality. But if the impression hits them in bad taste, it will be a long-lasting bitter memory.
Thats why first impressions are regarded as a pre-eminent reason for capturing consumers in no way other than positive. Consumers are the best way to advertise a business. A single consumer can pass on an impression, whether good or bad, by word-of-mouth with the chance that it could magnify to other consumers by hundreds, thousands or even millions down the line.
Within the produce industry, we all have certain first impressions that are also passed down the line to others in our field. Besides just a supermarket, it could be a specific buyer, executive, grower, shipper, salesperson, product, packinghouse, warehouse, convention event, trade organization or even a service. That first impression is the most important and one that could make the difference in the future.
My impression of and throughout the produce industry has always been one on the positive side. I continue to be impressed with the many fine organizations and people who make up our industry. I am especially impressed with the many growers who struggle each day trying to earn a tiny profit, only to get up the next day and go at it again, while still maintaining a positive attitude. My positive impression also goes to the produce retail leaders who are ever so challenged to achieve tough sales budgets and pie-in-the-sky gross margins at the same time.
And I could never forget the tremendous good impression each and every hard working person puts forth in the trenches. Their effort to push produce through the retail system in record amounts with limited labor is certainly impressive in itself.
And so, an impression has a big meaning in the produce business. Its like walking into a baseball park for the first time. You are hit with excitement or disappointment. Either way, a good impression or bad impression is always passed along to many others by word- of-mouth advertising.
(Ron Pelger is the owner of RONPROCON, a consulting firm for the produce industry. He can be reached by phone at 775/853- 7056, by e-mail at [email protected], or check his web site at www.power-produce.com.)
