This little sign was a welcome sight to me this morning. I was driving past a crowded (and unfamiliar) high school, wondering where my new Cardio Tennis class was meeting. Not only were there many tennis courts, but there was a rowdy football game kicking off, providing many distractions, greatest of which were the gridlocked parking lots.

Like a beacon in the fog, this tiny sign called out to me. What it said was "you're in the right place and here's where we're meeting." Without it, I would have had a voice of doom looping through my brain as I searched for an elusive parking spot.

When I finally walked onto the court, the instructor came over and inquired "Are you Kat?" Thanks to online registration, he knew he had one new student and he remembered my name.

Even before I hit a single tennis ball, I liked this program. They were looking out for me.

Moms are always looking out for others. How refreshing to have the favor returned now and then. Never, ever underestimate the points you gain looking out for a mom.

Take a lesson out of ProFlowers' playbook and over-communicate. They send an email when your flower order is received. Another when your flowers are picked up at the grower. And yet another when your bouquet is delivered. You may think three emails is too much. But they very smartly know that there is always a seed of doubt in your mind when sending a gift, especially flowers which often mark a special occasion. Did they forget about my order? Did my flowers get there on time? With a few simple automated emails, they not only remove all doubt, but they reinforce a central positioning benefit of their brand: that their flowers are the freshest possible. 

Take another lesson out of the playbook of Excel, my local limousine service favorite. They always arrive ten minutes early. They don't ring your doorbell or call your cell phone. They simply park out front and wait for you. The mere sight of the car at the curb calms last-minute travel jitters about missing a flight.  

See how easy it is? 

Yet see how few companies bother to do it? 

What is your brand's "little sign in a crowded parking lot"? Figure it out and prop it up.

Labels: Communication, customer service, Email frequency, marketing to mothers

Please leave your thoughts and opinions in the comments section below, even if -- no, especially if -- you don't agree with what I've written.