Avoid the 'Broken Neck' Syndrome - Practice 'Heads Up' Marketing

'Broken Neck' Syndrome - The condition of not being able to see what's going on around you. I learned this while being a bartender in college. After Dennis, John and Goober (the best in the restraunt industry) taught me how to set-up and tend bar, I started noticing how bad other bartenders were. When I would go to other bars it was impossible to get a bartender's attention to order a drink. They were too busy washing glasses, filling ice bins or attending to some piece of equipment behind the bar. It seemed like they had a broken neck and could not lift their heads up to look around to see customers waving at them.

I was taught to keep my head up looking around - even while you are washing glasses, etc. That way you could always see customers who were trying to get your attention. Selling more drinks, pleasing customers and getting more tips was what it was all about.

Anticiapte The Customer

To be a good bartender you need to anticipate the customer. You're a bartender! You serve people drinks - that's what you do - that's what people are coming to you for. Here's a concept - expect it and help them! Look for customers walking towards the bar; look for customers standing at the end of the bar; look for customers who are almost finished with their drink and ask them if they would like another. (See any parallels to your business?)

Unfortunately many other businesses operate this same way - they get caught up in their day to day operations and they forget to anticipate the customer. I actually had a SVP of Marketing and Sales say to me  "If it weren't for all these #%$@& customers we might be able to get something done around here!" Ha! If it were'nt for all the customers, there would be nothing to do around here!

Heads Up Marketing

This is the practice of actively avoiding the 'Broken Neck' Syndrome. Always be looking around – or at least take time to look around to see what’s really going on. Earmark a percent of the budget for customer research, market research and competitive analysis. Find a good third party resource to give you objective feedback – not what you want to hear – which is what employees and your agency will tell you. Test ways to collect feedback from frontline employees and customers.

Then use your new found insght to figure out new things to try to generate more business or serve exisitng customers better. And stop flirting with that girl at the end of the bar - get back to work!