Does this happen to you: it’s Monday, and the veggies you bought on the weekend have already gone bad? Very annoying!
That’s what used to happen when I shopped at the regular supermarket in Jerusalem. The veggies ended up in the trash, and I found myself spontaneously driving down to the nearby village of Abu Ghosh, where the stores never seemed to close.
The Story of Kareem and His Veggie Shop in the Village
When we first moved to this part of the Jerusalem hills, I never shopped in any of the private greengroceries and minimarkets of Abu Ghosh. They all appeared messy and dirty, were just as expensive as the supermarket chains, and couldn’t guarantee fresh merchandise.
It took me a while until I discovered the one exception. The fruit I bought at the smallest, but also the cleanest veggie store, stayed fresh for an entire week. This little place off the main road seemed to have better quality than any other store.
“Good Morning, Ruth!”
After a while, the owner started greeting me whenever I arrived. He would sometimes take the fruit I gathered off my hands and put them on the small counter so I could move freely in the store until I had everything I needed and was ready to pay. This was his way of letting me know I should take my time, and he would remember what was mine. Sometimes he would suggest specific fruit, which was exceptionally tasty at the time. He regularly sent someone to help me carry my stuff to the car.
At some point, I stopped comparing his prices to the supermarket’s prices. It was only a matter of time until I became a regular.
Service Matters More Than Size
Kareem's primary competitor was located on the main road, just on the way out of the village. The store was five times the size and included an extensive organic foods section to accommodate the many health- and environmentally-conscious people living in this area. The prices were high. The variety of fresh veggies, however, was the same. Despite its larger size, the store had only one cashier, and I never received any assistance from anyone.
I preferred the extra drive to my smaller, friendlier quality veggie-place. Soon it became a habit to shop for fresh foodstuffs on Fridays. Kareem, the owner, would greet me, even when the place was jam-packed. He knew most of his other customers as well and found time to chat and recommend specialties.
Kareem’s Attention to People and Detail
Kareem seemed to know what individual customers were looking for. Despite the crowdedness, no one ever waited long. Each shopper stacked his goods in a box on the counter while continuing to collect apples and cucumbers. One guy was operating the cashier, and another guy was packing. Whenever one box was empty, the next customer got to use it.
In time Kareem covered the entry porch with a roof and equipped it with shelves, so he could lay out more goods. He placed a scale and an extra cashier to use on busy days. On Fridays in springtime, he offered flowers for sale at the entrance.
And He Is Growing….
Next door was a little grocery store. The store didn't have much to offer, and no one bothered to remove outdated items from the shelves. That’s why I never paid much attention to it. Until a new owner took over! He rearranged the interior to make better use of the space; he added a range of products, including an entire section of organic foodstuffs; he kept the shelves clean, and he frequently renewed the merchandise.
The new owner was Kareem from the veggies next door. It didn’t take long till all his countless regular customers added the grocery shopping to their weekly round at Kareem’s fruit and vegetable place.
And that's not all. Kareem kept expanding. He also acquired the little bakery located on the other side of the grocery shop. At the time of writing this, the place was still closed and being renovated. I have moved away since, and don’t know what the situation is today.
All I know is that Kareem was turning his corner into a small commercial center.
How did he do it? And why do I think, as a content marketer, I can learn from him?
The Four Main Lessons for Content Marketing
Let's imagine fruits and veggies are content items.
One: Know your customer.
Kareem makes sure he knows what his customers want and need. He is at the store every day and pays attention to what people are looking for and what they buy.
Two: Set yourself a quality standard and be consistent.
Quality - consistent best quality. Nothing mediocre is allowed in Kareem's store. He frequently renews and refreshes what's on the shelves.
Three: Always strive to improve.
Efficient use of space and tools. Kareem does not let the limited size of the store limit the variety of goods. No waste of space.
It's not what you have, but how you use it. Look for ways to better utilize space and tools.
Four: Don't push to sell.
Kareem makes his customers feel welcome by addressing them with a smile, a friendly word, and relevant info. This way, they feel comfortable to approach him with what they need. He never tells you to buy anything.
This is what reinforces my view as a content marketer. Don't sell, just make sure your content has high quality and is laid out clearly visible. Keep it fresh and updated. Make people feel comfortable. Give them a way to engage, show them that you are there to listen. Let them come to you, and they will spread the word.