I’m always on the lookout for a great new local business marketing partnership idea. Local business marketing is tricky, and I’m convinced that the number one tactic has a lot more to do with working together in business partnerships than working against one another in a competitive stance. With this in mind – and a few other things – I return to the Bathroom Blogfest.

In my first post for this year’s Bathroom Blogfest, I explored an idea for using signage in public bathrooms as a customer experience tool.

There are two items in play in my mind today.

1. I spend a lot of time helping LOCAL businesses connect with customers – I do local business marketing. And ultimately, I want to convince the public to be like me: to choose locally owned businesses – no matter where they are.  For example, if I’m traveling through Mobile, Alabama – I’d rather choose a locally owned place to eat, shop, get my car serviced, etc. Of course, when I’m at home in Jackson, MS, I stick to the locally owned places nearly exclusively.
2. In helping local businesses with their marketing, I spend a lot of time connecting local businesses so they can enjoy the benefits of business partnerships – some folks call them business alliances.

Yep, this applies to bathrooms…

Folks who use public bathrooms don’t usually live around the corner. If they did, they’d just use their own bathroom. The folks using public bathrooms are outsiders to the local area. They are either trade area shoppers or they’re passing through for business or pleasure. Regardless, they’re an opportunity waiting to happen for the local economy.

I say it’s time for local businesses to identify those public restrooms – in convenience stores, hotels, service stations, welcome centers, and the like – and the owners of the same. Then, band together a group of businesses and create a simple way to educate and welcome these passersby – and get them to drop some of their change in your business before they leave.

Maybe it means getting permission to post signage in a bathroom with a Twitter account or text message shortcode that will lead to local offers and invitations. Maybe it’s simply a link to a mobile friendly web site that lists several things that are “can’t miss” before they leave town. Ideally, the information would be fresh, relevant to the time of day, month and current local events. But regardless, I’d like to see local businesses seeking to offer their hospitality in that short moment of private pause. It’s local business marketing that I think might just work magic.

Tricks to success:

1. Simple message – SIMPLE.
2. Multiple simple offers compiled in one place.
3. Technology tie-in that makes it easy to engage.

How to Earn Cooperation for this Business Partnership

In case you’re wondering how to gain cooperation from your newly identified partners-to-be? Well, it’s easy – turn them into customers and partners at the same time. Offer a sampling or regular portion of your goods or services to them in exchange for the advertising space in their bathroom…

Closing Comments

So, I guess this is yet another bathroom signage idea, but if I were the customer, I’d definitely count it as an improved customer experience that the bathroom owner though it was valuable to show me hospitality in his/her community in this way. Of course, the sentiment will fall short if the bathroom is dirty.

Moral of this story: Choose your bathroom business alliances as carefully as you should all the other business partnerships you make.

Editor’s Note

Yes, I’m participating in a blogfest with some other bathroom experience junkies around the country. It’s one week only – but hopefully it’ll get you thinking – and doing something – to improve that all-important potty space in your own business. And even thinking about how you can benefit from such spaces in OTHER businesses. As you ponder these things, be sure to check out what some of the others are writing about, too!

Valerie Fritz from The AwarepointBlog writes about Hospitals, Bathrooms and RTLS: Bathroom Blogfest 2010. Did you know that RTLS prevents hospital patient falls and keeps track of critical equipment – all relating to bathrooms?  Very cool stuff.

Bill Buyok from the Avente Tile Talk Blog came up with nostalgic images capturing Stuck in the 60s? Trends & Changes in Bath Design while also putting the times into perspective.

Becky Carroll from Customers Rock! showcases beautiful bathroom examples she has uncovered in Las Vegas. Her contrasting example makes the point of Bathroom Blogfest 2010 – Stuck in the 60s?

Susan Abbott from Customer Experience Crossroads elevates the bathroom discussion in Bathroom Blogfest 2010: Bathrooms are aspirational.

Nora DePalma from Professor Toilet unearths preposterous advertising and promotional materials in American Standard: The Groovy Years. OMG!

Arpi Nalbandian in the TILE Magazine Editor Blog offers An ode to bathrooms blue and pink, or, real ‘Mad Men’ like pink tile too!

Shannon Bilby for Dolphin Carpet and Tile writes about Creating an Attractive Universal Design Bath.

C.B. Whittemore addresses Toilet Paper, Advertising & Bathroom Blogfest 2010 on Flooring The Consumer and Real-Time Marketing & Bathroom Blogfest 2010 on the Simple Marketing Blog.

In lieu of reminiscing on the best and worst bathroom experiences, bathroom marketing experiences, that is, of my past year (as I have in the past), I thought I would contemplate some recommendations for small enterprises and local businesses who truly want to cover all their bases, so to speak, when it comes to customer experiences.

When it comes to bathrooms… it stands repeating: we don’t give them enough attention. You would think after a few years of this Bathroom Blogfest-ing business, we’d have raised some awareness, but nonetheless, there’s still a LOT of improvement to be done in this area. My only fear is that, in this new age of Twitter, that folks will start tweeting from the potty that they need more TP. But I digress….

One this is certain: customers now have a very loud voice, and they can use it to talk about anything they want.

Here’s my “what-if” of the day:

BAD IDEA: Instead of having a gross bathroom and running the risk of an unfortunate social network outcry…

GOOD IDEA: Create a bathroom experience that is outstanding. Then hang signs in the bathroom that say “If our bathroom is in need of service, please text a request to xxx.xxx.xxxx or speak to any one of our staff. If our bathroom is sparkling, please feel free to compliment us by tweeting @acmebiztweets.” Then, take the opportunity to do something nice for those who connect. This technique may sound outlandish, but it would seem the sort of tactic that could lead to a lasting relationship with the super-connectors among your customer base.

What do you think of all this potty talk?

I’m participating in the Bathroom Blogfest 2010, and here are links to a few of my fellow bloggers this week. Check them out!

David Reich wrote on My 2 Cents Bathroom Blogfest: Some Pay for Captive Audience.

Renee LeCroy from Your Fifth Wall asked Are You Overdue for a Bathroom Redo?

Steve Tokar in Please Be Seated discussed Bathroom Blogfest 2010: back to the 60s.

Valerie Fritz in the AwarepointBlog highlighted Customer Experience in Hospitals: Why Bathrooms Matter!

Paul Anater in Kitchen and Residential Design Blog wrote Still stuck in the 60s? That may not be a bad thing…

Jeanne Byington in The Importance of Earnest Service offered bathroom perspective and advice in Service of Nostalgia.

Joseph Michelli wrote about Quality Toilet Paper on Dr. Joseph Michelli’s Blog.

Christine Whittemore contributed New Jersey’s Best Bathrooms: Bathroom Blogfest 2010 on the Smoke Rise & Kinnelon Blog, reminded us in Flooring The Consumer that Water Matters. Bathroom Blogfest 2010 and put forth a content plan for the week on Simple Marketing Blog in Bathroom Blogfest 2010 Begins.

I’ve always said that we can learn a lot from the big boys. But then, we can do even better because, as locally owned small businesses, we can adapt and change rather quickly when we need to. Our recent travel to Oklahoma City, OK reminded me of the importance of signage in the small business marketing mix.

Bob's Lounge, Clare, Michigan

How many times have you given directions in a town, and said “Turn by the huge painted chicken” (a la Clare, Michigan)? Or “Look for the old time-y car, and hang a right.” We’ve all done it, and it’s cheaper than you may think to get a really memorable sign for your business – that will do more than spark conversation – but increase sales!

I’m often reminded of a business near my hometown that has great food, on a popular road. Yet, I’m constantly hearing from people that they didn’t know it was there. Why not?

I believe it’s because their little sign is just in the window, and it doesn’t really let you know that they serve amazing steaks and seafood. What could get them noticed by the 5000 cars a day that come through their town? Maybe a huge mounted cow, maybe subtle frosting on their upstairs windows, possibly painting their tin awning or a historic rendition of their sign. They often say (along with many other small businesses), “We can’t afford signage.”

Really? Well, I’d like to present a set of numbers.

If you spend $5000 on a sign and the sign has a life span of five years, your monthly “marketing cost” over the life of the sign is approximately $84 a month. For some GREAT marketing! If the sign lasts longer – your marketing per month just got MUCH cheaper!

Sure, you could spend a lot MORE than $5000, but you could also spend much less. Signage gets noticed. McDonald’s spends a fortune on real estate for location, but then they also spend buckets of cash on those famous Golden Arches we see so well from the interstate. Some of you have equally as valuable real estate with poor or no signage, and people don’t notice you.

I’ve priced billboards for clients along some of our Mississippi travel corridors, and billboards don’t come cheap. At best, you’ll pay a few hundred dollars a month for a billboard – much more than your own signage costs you!

Do you have the opportunity to put up a sign that is more cost effective and produces the same amount of visual traffic each day. Why haven’t you leveraged every bit of your real estate? Inside and out, vertical and horizontal…and roadway right-of-ways…you own it or your leasing it. Why not make your investment make you more money?

Signs Really Make a Difference

Is it hard to come up with the cash to get your sign looking great? Sure it is, but you know there’s a cost and reward on all of that. Get busy, and go make a great looking business sign that’s memorable and classy for your business.

Some clients have said “We don’t have people come through our downtown; they don’t know we are here.” Signage problem. Plain and simple. If you want people to know you are here, put a sign up. Get some of those travelers who come through your town every day or month and let them know your business is there – or that your entire downtown district is there. Partner with other businesses and get the traffic to your area.

Tell Us Your Sign Story

Mr. T's Pizza & Ice Cream, Chattanooga, TN

I’ve seen huge chickens, ice cream cones, trucks lifted up on top of poles and hundreds of others. Who has the coolest business sign you’ve ever seen? Leave a comment below or post a photo to our Facebook wall.

Domain Names & Signage

Finally, I’m going to tie in a couple of things Marianna talked about at the National Main Streets Conference this week in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

The three primary elements of your small business or community brand are your logo, color scheme and domain name. Think about how your business can incorporate your domain name in to the signage. You’d be amazed how many people will check out your business from a smart phone when they see your domain name. Use it often.

Disclaimer: Certain cities have sign ordinances and laws regulating these signs. Check with your local laws before taking implementing any sign endeavor.

This week, I had a great experience, but I’d be willing to have it again, refer folks to do the same, purchase from a distance and more… if only the store’s branding had included their domain name or web site address. Here’s what I mean…

I love to sell, I love to network, and I love the relationship side of business. But today, I saw the sales cycle for a small business in Texas work like a charm – without the pre-sale relationship building part of the equation.

Driving I-20 East, just outside of Dallas, Texas you’ll see a lot of things. Mostly a lot of grass and trees. But in one brief oasis, we saw a billboard for FRIED PIES.

My traveling companions were instantly alert and waiting for the exit to arrive. We stopped at the Fried Pie Shoppe (an outpost of the original in Davis, Oklahoma), and our noses were treated to a couple of delightful smells. Barbecue and fried pies.

I can be a sucker for a fried pie. I was impressed even more by their great menu and their total grasp on their concept. Really good food, well displayed but nothing fancy. Their signage and experience were a home run.

I walked out with a couple of happy companions and a sack full of fried pies.

I’d probably have to say the one thing they missed with me was a domain name in their branding. I’d love to be able to remember their business name a little better than I do, and I’d love to be able to easily link back to their business. I didn’t get to taste that barbecue, but it sure did smell great. If it had been a little closer to dinner, I’d probably have had to try it. But now, it’s going to be difficult for me to stay in touch, to send customers their way or even order their proprietary products (which they had, sitting on top of their buffet line – bottled sauces and such) on-line. The missing domain name or web site address on their signage, bags, branded 20 oz. cups, menus, point of sale, receipts, etc. left money on the table – my money – and certainly that of many other happy customers.

How can you extend your experience after every sale and after the customer has “moved on down the interstate”? Probably using that URL with your logo (as part of your overall branding) on EVERYTHING would be a decent start. ALWAYS get that domain out there, extend your business past your front door and onto the web.