I’m Not Coming For The Cheese
A Lesson In Marketing
An Excerpt From My Forthcoming Marketing Course
“The Affirmation Of Humanity”
The owner of Savory Orchards, a local grocery store / farmers’ type market, was looking over his past quarter's figures for his Deli Department. The gross Deli sales were up by 10% quarter over quarter and he was very proud of himself as he felt he was responsible.
He had observed that many older local customers would come in just to buy a quart of milk or a quarter pound of cheese or a small amount of cold cuts.
Many of them bought the same thing almost every day.
With the Deli so far from the main entrance, he wanted to do them a favor and bring the items that they regularly brought much closer to the cash registers.
Some of them used walkers.
He believed this would increase sales as his marketing courses taught him, increasing customer convenience always increases sales. Right?
It made logical sense. Sales had to increase by making their favorite items more convenient to find.
So last quarter he set up a special refrigerator unit at the front of the store with their favorites.
The store greeters were mentioning it to everyone, especially the regulars.
So he wasn’t surprised that Delicatessen sales were up.
But then he saw that most of the items in that new section went unsold, and had to be discarded.
He went onto the floor and headed to the Deli counter.
Timmy, the Deli manager, was greeting a regular customer.
“Tina! Looking good today! How’s that leg? ¼ pound of Swiss?”
Tina: “Yes Timmy. And 1 pound of liverwurst please.”
Timmy: “That can only mean one thing, that son of yours is visiting from the west coast.”
Tina: “Yes, and he’s eating me out of house and home!”
Timmy handed her her order and a loaf of Italian bread and said:
“Bread's on me Tina. See you tomorrow!
Number 41. Does anyone have 41?”
The manager approached Tina and asked:
“Did you know that I made a super convenient refrigerated section with all your favorites?”
Tina: “Yes, of course.”
The manager: “Why would you walk all this way when your favorite cheese is up front?”
Tina: “If I came in everyday and didn’t buy something, that would look odd now, wouldn’t it?
I’m not coming for the cheese.”
