At The Book Loft of German Village, one of the original owners was fond of saying that the bookstore isn’t just a business — it’s a destination.
And that might be partly why the independent bookstore with 32 rooms of books has been able to stay in business when so many other independent bookstores have had to close their doors because of competition like Barnes & Noble or the rise of e-readers. (You can learn more about the Book Loft in this month’s Uniquely Columbus.)
If you can capture the imagination of your customers with originality, quirkiness or by just being different enough to stand out, while meeting a real need, then you’ve got a recipe for sustained success.
Sparking growth
This month also features the Medical Mutual 2016 Pillar Awards for Community Service, which honor employees who continually give back, executive directors who stand out and board of directors who go above and beyond. One of the honorees is Pelotonia.
Now there’s something that has captured the imagination of Central Ohio — so much so that cities are starting their own charity bike rides, like Cleveland’s VeloSano, and there are discussions about how to make the Pelotonia brand a national one.
Although becoming more than a business can take a bit of luck, being in the right place at the right time with the right product or service is also a strategy that takes into account industry trends. Do you want to ride the wave of a rising trend, or buck it and strike a cord by being completely different?
Trending ahead
Last year, Smart Business columnist Kelly Borth introduced me to the J. Walter Thompson Intelligence’s annual report of the top 100 trends. I found it to be a fascinating read, so this year I sought out The Future 100 report on 2016 trends myself.
It didn’t surprise me that food and drink are central to consumers’ lives, that social good continues to wrap itself into new sectors or that people are becoming more comfortable with adaptive technology and irritated with targeted advertising.
When you see it all in one place, however, it can’t help but give you new ideas and help with the illusive quest in business to be noticed, to be more than just a commodity and to gain real customer loyalty.
