What’s your Ziggy?

I know they say you should never go grocery shopping when you’re hungry. I hope it’s OK to blog!

I’ve been daydreaming about a favorite ice cream shop where they offer every customer a Ziggy. You order your cone exactly as you want it, but they go one step further in serving it to you. Using a melon-baller-size scoop, they add just a little bit more to the top, a Ziggy. You can have one extra bite of your favorite, vanilla on top of vanilla for those who like to keep it simple, or you can satisfy your taste for that runner-up flavor that didn’t get picked this time as the main attraction —Mint Chocolate Chip on top of Elephant Tracks (peanut butter cups in chocolate ice cream), for example. Hypothetically, of course.

It small. It’s simple. It’s cheap. It’s fun. And it creates an experience —one that gets talked about, one that creates fondness and solidifies customer loyalty.

Well. That got me thinking about the barber shop that offers a coupon for a free tap beer at the pub next door with every purchase of a buzz cut, the landscape shop that always has fresh popcorn popping and the restaurant that brings Bazooka Joe bubble gum to the table at the end of the meal. Each creates the same result. Of course, nobody’s going to get a bad hair cut in exchange for a free beer (well, with a few exceptions). But, all things being equal, why wouldn’t you do business with the entrepreneur who adds a Ziggy to the mix?

So what’s your Ziggy?

You don’t need to be a retailer to have one. And, though all of the examples I've provided so far may be driven by my dropping blood sugar, a Ziggy doesn't have to be something you can eat.

Hosting a customer appreciation party at the local bowling alley is a Ziggy. Mailing valentine cards to everyone on your client list is a Ziggy. In fact, your Ziggy doesn’t even need to be a physical thing. You can attract or retain new clients because they find YOU compelling; you add a touch of fun or novelty to the transaction.

Here’s food for thought: Whenever, and however, you add value for the sheer joy of it, people will naturally be attracted to you and to your business. Get Ziggy with that!