7 Marketing lessons from a week in France

I'm fortunate to have a family that crosses nations - South Africa, France and England. I find the insight you can gain experiencing the differences and similarities to be invaluable. This past week was spent in the company of my husband's rather large family in France. I was faced with some marketing truths that resonated for small business marketing. Often exceptional marketing is in the simplistic foundations of the day to day. 1. Take pride in what you do, and have manners This may be contrary to many a popular belief about the French, but dig a little deeper and the intensity of the pride in what is produced is something to be marvelled at. I don't come across businesses in the UK everyday that really are behind what they do with their own hearts and minds invested (and it shows). There are exceptions, but on the whole it doesn't matter where you go - whether its a lowly roadside cafe' selling baguettes and coffee, someone's home, or a big enterprise, the French are serious about delivering the best possible product. Poor quality is not tolerated as a customer. Your name attached to what you produce is a matter of pride and quality. My husband pointed out to me that even in a restaurant, the clientele have the same manners towards the waitering staff as if they were invited to someone's home for dinner. Serve your customers with grace and respect. 2. Remember its about human connection Somewhere along the line, whatever you make, do, sell or serve, it is about people. Don't market to things, numbers, segments. Market to people as people. The French connect. Even when 'kissing' cheeks (2-4 times) by way of greeting, you cannot avoid acknowledging the other person. There are many complexities to the politics of French relationships, even in families, but in greeting (and saying good-bye!) you cannot hide. For many businesses where employees barely manage eye contact, a little effort to realise, hey, your customers are actually people (!) who like a little interested human contact could go a long way. 3. Celebrate seasonality I don't mean Valentine's, Halloween and Christmas. Without exception, everywhere we went, the fruit or vegetables of the current harvest were used. Apricot tarts, tomato salads, melon starters, potato gratin. The produce tastes amazing and so it should - it is in its prime. In the main, the UK pays little mind to the benefits of seasonality (although there are efforts to encourage). Don't think for a moment that seasonality is only about harvests. Most businesses understand that there is an effect based on peoples' seasonal movements - summer reduces sales and increases sales depending on what you sell. What I mean, is find the seasonality in your own business. Or in a complementary business that could benefit from a partnership with you by sharing customers. And if you do sell food, for heavens sake, celebrate seasonality. Perhaps there is a lurking competitive advantage in simply being better about working seasonality to your advantage in parts or suppliers you use. 4. Leverage your community French communities make best use of the talents within it. Everyone knows which baker makes the best bread (if you don't the queue out the door may be a clue), everyone knows who can best handle an issue or provide a product or service. Businesses, like families, grow by virtue of the associations and contributions of a wider community. Opportunities to gain new customers or offer new or better value to your customers may be waiting for you in the community network of suppliers or processors you already talk to everyday. Understanding their wider business connections and simply having an interest in hearing what else they do may provide you with some very useful ideas and partners to share cost and effort. 5. Give your guests an experience to remember and commend You cannot accuse a Frenchman or woman of lack of effort in preparing a meal. Guests are given an experience from beginning to end. Everything that you do as a business from the very first point of contact with a potential customer is in fact your opportunity to serve an unforgettable meal. Do you forget about the detail? Does the customer have to fight to get your salesperson's attention or chase you for a quotation (aperitif)? Does the arrival of your product generate delight, or mild relief (main)? Do you forget to say thank you or offer an unexpected extra (cheese), or simply disappear into the ether without checking back on your customer or selling to them again (dessert)? In fact, do you forget the wine (complements each course), the bread (always available) and the digestif (typical of the region)? 6. Customers see value in different ways So many viewpoints in France are different. The stars in TV series that feature on French magazines are not the same as the ones favoured here. Crisp flavours are just emerging - but you will undoubtedly always find cacahuète (peanut flavoured). Supermarkets have large family size in most things (invariably double the family size found in the UK). I believe that there is much to be learned from either side of the channel, but the point is that the very same idea, product or service may be more appealing to slightly different target audiences simply by changing the presentation of the marketing message. Different aspects of the same product should be highlighted to the audience it most appeals to. Know your customers needs and show them how your product meets that need, but weight the message differently when you talk to different parts of your target market. 7. Watch what your competitors are doing Knowing what the neighbours are up to is unavoidable (or a hobby) in small villages. What is done with the information is up to the individual. As a business, your competitors are your neighbours, and you can learn a lot from them without being branded nosy. You should be watching what the competitors that do exactly what you do, do, but you should also watch anyone that provides an alternative to your product or service. Apply it to your business: - Is your own heart and mind invested? Your pride will show. There is very little paid-for-marketing that will do the job of bringing customers back for more as simply providing the best possible product or experience. - Market to people. - Take advantage of seasonality or create seasons that open opportunities for new ways to present your product or talk to your customers. - Grow your business in a community. Support other businesses in your local economy and let them support you. - Learn to see all the ways you are in contact with your potential customers as one marketing experience banquet. - Is what you offer one-dimensional? Or does is comprise of a number of key features and benefits that have different importance for different types of customers? How are you communicating this? - Know your competitors. Learn something, find what you can do to serve a customer need better. Bronwyn Durand writes the Marketing Ideaology blog for JupiterJasper Practical Marketing.