Archive - Originally posted on "The Horse's Mouth" - 2009-04-05 09:46:02 - Graham Ellis
I'm writing this for Melksham. And for Melksham's Businesses. Let's make Melksham a town of destination businesses.
Are YOU running a business that trades in Melksham? If you are, then read on - there's something in this for you AND there's something in this for the town. And - together - it's for the mutual profitable benefit of your business and of the town.
What do I mean by a Destination Business? I mean a business to which people will travel, - rather than one they'll use because it happens to be where they're passing. I'm not limiting myself to the physical world - I'm talking online too.
Diagram - visitors to Well House Consultants' web site from the UK over a 24 hour period. See here for worldwide diagrams and ask me here if you want to 'do' diagrams like this on your web site. Diagram updates daily.
Why do I want to be a destination business?
Because I don't want to have to rely on the reflected glory of other businesses that ARE destinations in order to support my own business!
At the start of January, Woolworths in Melksham closed its doors. Talk to the other local traders who are not destinations, and you'll hear them telling you how the number of people through their doors dropped. Talk to local traders who are destinations, and they'll talk about how the vacant shop front can at least be kept nice, and what they would like to see in there in the future.
How do I make myself a destination?
By providing a something that people will travel (in real life, or online) to buy! A quality product. An unusual product. Excellent customer service. Something that's tailored to meet their needs. A friendly welcome. Follow ups that make them feel special. Co-operation with other businesses to turn your network into a destination. Providing marketing information that makes your destination an easy one to reach. Making it physically and logically easy to reach your destination.
But my business isn't suited to being a destination one
"Oh yes it IS". Well House Consultants (my own business) has two very different products. The first is a computer training company, and our courses are so different that new customers ask "where is Melksham?" as part of their booking process. But the second business is a hotel ... and you would think that people don't come just for the hotel. But they do! Training delegates come back with their partners for weekends. Honeymooners looking for a quiet, romantic spot for their first nights together will stop with us. People attending trade shows in the town will go out of their way to stay with us when they're doing another show in a neighbouring town.
And it's a matter of degree, too. It may be that Mr G wouldn't be coming to Melksham at all if he wasn't due to have meetings at KB - but when he's in town, he makes sure that his destination in the evening is Well House Manor.
The wider picture
Now here is something beautiful. If you follow the "destination business" philopohy, you're also going to be promoting the interests of your town (Melksham in our case) and of complimentary businesses. And you can make a real contribution in your own specialised way to the community. Encourage the destination choice your customers make by supporting good travel links, a welcoming town, a wide selection of eateries and complimentary stores. It become natural to work with the area board and the town council to represent your needs and your town's needs to the Unitary Authority, and with organisations such as the Chamber of Commerce and the FSB to futher your needs at all levels from locally to nationally.
What now
If you want to learn more about the Chamber and what it's doing in Melksham, then make your destination Well House Manor on 23rd April for our Chamber of Commerce Networking Breakfast. Or if you've missed that, we have a networking lunch on 23rd June and a Networking Evening on 23rd September. None of those dates suitable? Still get in touch! I'm graham@wellho.net and I aim to answer all emails within 24 hours.
Sunday, 5th April ... - The Chamber of Commerce event on 23rd April is already open for bookings. It starts at 10 a.m. at Well House Manor on Spa Road, and we're limited to 20 places as it's a networking breakfast with a keynote talk on effective networking by Andrew Jackson. Places are £10.00 for Chamber members, and £15.00 for non-members. Call us on 01225 708225 or Ann Marie - the Chamber's Admin - on 01225 355553 (mornings) to reserve your place.