Ambiance attracts

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     You are familiar with the ambiance that brings you back to your favorite restaurant. How about ambiance in other places?

     Chiropractors and therapists have waiting rooms and treatment rooms. Do these make you want to come back?

     Do you return to the health food store because it invites browsing? Do you visit the women's clothing store just to pick up what you've special-ordered? Or are you anxious to go back to see what's new in the display of hot shoe styles?

     Example: Peggy runs a pet supply store on Main Street. She decided to kick it up a notch. She arranged to have her front window turned into a showplace for puppies. A call to the local pet adoption center resulted in half a dozen puppies arriving at the pet store every week. Puppies in the window created quite a buzz and brought new customers into the store. They stocked up on supplies and sometimes they adopted puppies.

     Ambiance can mean different things in different businesses. The owner of an auto repair shop installed a 50-inch television set in the waiting room. A dentist turned his waiting room into a playroom for children--including computer games. 

     Example: Takisha used her grandmother's recipes to create unusually flavorful cookies in her local bake shop. When she added a couple of small tables and a coffee machine, she attracted more customers looking for a quick pick-me-up. When she added a small table of free bite-sized samples, she attracted even more people, and they bought more to take home.

     Turning your place into something that adds to the attraction takes thought and creativity. Think about ways to jack up the ambiance that will entertain, titillate and even inspire your customers and clients. It can firmly anchor your place in their minds. 

     Ambiance is not limited to bricks-and-mortar stores. Snapping those pictures and posting on social media helps extend the ambiance of your operation. You're aiming to provide a warm feeling about your products and services and keep you in the minds of viewers.