Aug 2, 2025
Southern
Ontario
“Watch out, you’re in the wrong lane. That one is blocked.”
(Can’t read the full email – click here for the online version.)
It’s that insane time for those living in the northern climes of Canada, to pack up and get out of the city. Summer is precious and short. You never know exactly when it will end but you know it will soon.
We became part of the fray, when we decided it would be a great idea to head to Montreal and then Toronto, to watch some world-class tennis. Little did we anticipate the how crazy both the traffic would be nor
how much construction was happening throughout that city.
I thought it an amusing phrase when the man sitting next to me told me he would be coming to the tournament every day during this week of “Construction Vacation”. But even he admitted that he should have left his house sooner – that a 30-minute drive had taken an hour and half.
“Maybe next year I will
simply rent an Airbnb within walking distance,” he opined.
Regardless – we hazarded the roads and even the highway between Canada’s two largest cities and somehow avoided collision in the stop and speed traffic as city dwellers hurried to find some tranquility from their hectic urban lives.
We too have been on “vacation” and as a result I’ve a host of good stories but not the time to tell them. We’ll be back
up to speed next week. Meanwhile, here’s one from last year at this time that I think you will enjoy.
Cheers – Hugh
************************************
Aug 5, 2024
Berlin, Germany
“Long distances, high season and outrageous prices be damned”
We are in the capital of Germany, relaxing in the quiet flat of a cousin. During the past 4 days, we have had the pleasure of exploring this city in the company of 150 of my “nearest” cousins.
That’s right – cousins.
I belong to a unique and rare group. A family association that has been able to trace its roots to
1612.
I am connected to this first Tafel via a 7th generation ancestor who was basically sent from Germany to America back in 1848. His father worked as a senior “finance minister” to the King of Wuertemberg. Presumably, the young Tafel got himself involved with pro-democracy advocates in his first months as a student at the University of Tübingen. This wasn’t going to
assist his father’s career with the King so, off he was sent.
Today, I am told, we have some 4000 names in our genealogical chart, which means hundreds of living descendants. Pretty cool.
50 years ago, a family from Stuttgart, Germany, (where my ancestor had fled) held the first Tafel Family reunion. I was fortunate to have been a participant.
The remarkable thing is that this event has continued (this past one was the 24th!) and the number of active and engaged members has grown. This despite all the obstacles and there are many.
One must travel huge distances. (70 or close to 50% came from Canada and the USA this time)
High
cost: Think of transportation, accommodations, tours, meeting space and materials.
Language: Start with 2 main ones, German and English, add Italian and Spanish.
Time of year: traditionally these have been held in August, so families could attend with their children. But this is also the busiest time of year
for the entire Northern Hemisphere, which adds another challenge with reservations, and crowds etc.
Lastly, many participants barely know each other, sometimes meeting for the very first time, not to mention that the direct connection as a relative may go back 5, 6, 7 generations.
The question you must ask yourself then is, why would so many people
“sacrifice” some of their treasured summer holiday time to attend such an event?
From a marketing perspective, Dan Kennedy would ask: “what would it take to get your customers to walk barefoot over broken glass, for miles, in a driving snowstorm, to come to your store and buy what you are selling?”
As marketers we always speak
about crafting great offers that are designed to meet the exact needs and wants of our best customers.
Best customers – that is a good place to start.
To get buyers to take action, you must forget about trying to appease everyone. Narrow your focus. Determine or forge a unique group, with similar wants, desires, values and history. This is why memberships
work so well, once you have narrowed the key characteristics of your market.
But that will not be enough to get this narrow group to act.
You will need to craft a good offer.
This offer, however, is not about price. Yes, price is a component. But it is never the number 1 item. There is convenience,
speed, beauty and value, to name a few.
One factor that is too often overlooked is the experience a customer gets when a purchase is made. The most obvious example of a company that excels in this department is Disney. The overall experience at any one of their parks, from cleanliness to entertainment, to employee involvement ensures that their customers have a fantastic experience.
Can you say the same thing about your product and/or service offerings? Do your customers and clients feel they are receiving an experience that is memorable and one they want to repeat and share with others?
To learn more about how to create such offerings, click here to take advantage of my free and low-cost DIY training.
Until next week,
Stay healthy and focus on profit!
- Hugh
The “Profit Accelerator” Expert
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