Make it personal

The independent coffee shop we frequented on our recent trip to Vancouver was a simple and cute little nook in the side of one of the many large buildings of downtown Yaletown.

There was one feature of this shop that could be used as a lesson to all other businesses…

the Doggie Wall of Fame.

Next to the till there was a wall of roughly 200 images of ‘dog patrons’ taken with a polaroid camera with each dog’s name written on the bottom of the photo in sharpie marker.

As Hazel and Olive fell in love with multiple dogs that were hanging with their coffee drinking owners, I would wander over to the wall of pictures and locate the canine's picture on the board.

This cafe had found a clever and personal way to celebrate, and honour each cafe dog, and had created an annuity of customer patronage in the process.

All things equal, when given the choice between buying a coffee where you are anonymous versus supporting a place that has your ‘baby’ on the wall, I know where the money is heading.

Finding a way to connect with people or clients doesn’t have to be elaborate or expensive,

but rather a simple and personal tug on the ol’ ‘heart-strings’ is often enough.

• Now that’s a peak ethos.