At Great Harvest we’re keeping a close eye on the latest and greatest marketing innovations. We try to steer away from anything that’s super slick, trendy, scattershot, expensive or overly complex. We are guided by the fact that Great Harvest bakery owners are busy, they customize their offerings, and they benefit from local affiliations, instead of national. We are equally guided by the fact that bakeries create one-of-a-kind whole grain products featuring freshly milled grains.
Keeping all of those factors in mind, the marketing “magic bullet” for Great Harvest is: relationship-building as it relates to customers, the community, employees, vendors and other retailers.
On the customer side, we make a promise to provide the freshest 
tasting, most wholesome whole grain breads in the neighborhood. But that’s not enough. Owners strive to serve breads and sweets with a side of genuine friendship. Our owners strive to know their customers on a first-name basis and have an authentic connection with them. Great retailers know that a fantastic product sold with a side of genuine hospitality is essential. It brings customers back for more of the same, even when it means an extra stop. Facebook pages, blogs and interaction with online influencers like “foodie bloggers” has allowed Great Harvest to broaden relationships beyond the store.
Community relationships are also vital to Great Harvest. At the 
core of our mission statement is “generosity.” Local owners demonstrate generosity by contributing product to fundraisers, auctions, special events and local families in need through neighborhood shelters and churches. Great retailers know the importance of being a meaningful participant in the communities they serve. Great Harvest owners are particularly active in schools, health-and-human service organizations, and the arts. This, of course, varies from community to community based on local needs. Using e-mail marketing, websites, Facebook, and in-store bulletin boards, owners help promote community activities they support month-to-month. It keeps customers informed about community happenings and it reinforces our relationship with customers who place a high value, as we do, on community involvement.
Having a strong relationship with employees is exceedingly important. Employees who are inspired and empowered to do 
great things, will. Successful owners do not want employees to simply clock in and out. They know the importance of engaging their employees. Inspiring employees to greatness can be as simple as having them contribute ideas. Great recipes, customer service improvements, in-store promotions ideas can be improved at bakeries by giving employees ownership in day-to-day success. Employees are also incredibly important to word-of-mouth marketing (good and bad). I continue to be astounded by how many past employees have come back to become bakery owners. That speaks volumes.
Why are vendors important in the marketing mix? Increasingly, bakery owners are featuring local jams, jellies, coffee, dipping oils and other products that are awesome with bread. In doing so, they 
are nurturing symbiotic relationships with other mom-and-pop artisans. The fact that we purchase our whole grains from family-owned farms is a strong value statement. We know that customers seek out and reward businesses that share their values.
Along the same lines, locally operated businesses like ours have a unique opportunity to use local printers, banks, cleaning services, and you-name-it. These relationships broaden a businesses’ referral base. Great Harvest takes this one step further by reaching out to service providers, and neighboring retailers and professionals through random acts of kindness (a.k.a. a fresh basket of breads, sweets, or signature sandwiches). These random acts of kindness remind local businesses that Great Harvest is a fantastic destination for sweets and sandwiches for meetings, and bread to grab on the way home.
Building great relationships isn’t as easy as it sounds. It requires a commitment of time, energy and products...and it can never be forced. Yet it is the “magic bullet.” Customers have a plethora of choices from healthcare providers to car repair shops to bakeries. And first and foremost all of these businesses are in the people business no matter their expertise or products.
If your business has the fundamentals in place (i.e, great products, great store, great service), expand your relationship-building activities and your business will attract more customers, more loyalty and more referrals. That sounds like a magic bullet to me!
We'd love to hear about your experiences (good or bad) that made the difference in a relationship with a retailer. Are there retailers, on principle, that you give or withold your business?
