Businesses want a Full Parking Lot

I have worked with Grocery Chains, Grocery Stores, Ice Businesses, Insurance Companies, Bread Company, Online Businesses and Home Businesses for over 30 years. One of the main things they all have in common is that they all want a full parking lot. It doesn’t matter if they have many store fronts, on-line website or a home business they all need customers to succeed. They all need to keep growing each year by finding more customers and filling up their parking lots.

There are many ways we can fill up our parking lots for our businesses. I am not saying it is easy, it will take “EFFORT”. I know it isn’t just one thing that will fill your parking lot. It may take trying new things, things you may never have tried or things that feel out of the box. A famous quote I like is how Albert Einstein defined Insanity:

“Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” by Albert Einstein
How many times have you kept doing the same things but hoping for different results? Here are a few quick hitters to help fill up your parking lot:

1. Talk to your Customers and Potential Customers – Ask them what they want. Ask them what problems they have that they need solved. Then work on solving their problems. Some really successful people in the business world have got out of their comfort zone and asked people to do business with them. A great leader for a Major grocery chain went door to door when he got his first store and introduced himself. I’ve done that at stores I ran in the past and it does work. I would gave them a flier with coupons to come in and shop with us. I then invited them to come in and see our improved store, I would let them know that we would really appreciate their business. How many towns have you lived in that a business owner came to your door and asked for your business? Why not also talk to your current customers and talk to them, ask for ideas and more. You don’t have to be a business owner or store director to do this. I have known many department managers do this or their employees.

2. Net work with other successful business leaders. Expand the people in your business world. I like to surround my self with positive and forward thinking people. People that don’t say the word “Can’t”. I like to surround myself with people who believe anything is possible. I believe we can learn from everyone we meet. Two people can accomplish more than one person.

3. Study successful businesses. Visit them and see what they are doing. See what you can learn from them. It doesn’t have to be in the same line of business that you are in. For instance if you run a Grocery Store you could learn from successful book store, car dealer to a restaurant. Find out why people are drawn to them and why people keep coming back to their businesses. If you have a website study other websites that have a lot of traffic and find the things they are doing different.

Be patient. It may not happen overnight. Your parking lot may grow gradually. Be patient and keep focused on filling up your parking lot. I have always felt customer count was one of the most important measures of how you are doing. Is your customer count or website traffic increasing or decreasing? Be patient, some people give up too early and throw in the towel. Coke for instance sold like $50 in pop their first year and lost money, now they are know world wide as a major pop company. Good thing they didn’t quit after their first year. Please let me know how you have filled up your parking lot over the years.

Let me know your thoughts or ideas. Also please join my facebook and Linkedin using my e-mail me at bruce@millsway.com. Follow me at twitter Bruce Mills at millsway_com
Also please check out my website for products that could help you. Have a great day.