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Newsletter #948: The “Lessons from Royer’s Round Top Cafe” Issue

[Welcome back to the Damn, I Wish I’d Thought of That! newsletter. This is text of the great issue all of our email subscribers just received. Sign yourself up using the handy form on the right.]

Customers drive from all over the country to a small town in Texas for one reason: To eat at Royer’s Round Top Cafe. (Or, more specifically, to eat their pies.) So it’s no surprise that the small diner has some spot-on word of mouth strategies that earn them both new and loyal fans.

Here’s what we can learn from Royer’s:

1. Make them a crazy offer
2. Charge less for the best
3. Go the extra mile to fix it
4. Check it out: STRANDBEEST

1. Make them a crazy offer

Royer’s Round Top Cafe gets most of their fame from one thing: ridiculously good pies. That’s why it’s not a stretch to think that some fans of these pies would be interested in having one shipped to them every month — for the rest of their life. And Royer’s offers it. The Pie-for-Life Plan is serious and includes shipping policies and discounts for customers over 50 years old. Not ready to make a lifetime commitment? They also offer a nine-month plan with homesick college students in mind.

The lesson: Who knows Herehow many life-time subscribers they have, but an extreme offer like this definitely starts a lot of conversations about their famously delicious pies.

Learn more: Royer’s Round Top Cafe

2. Charge less for the best

At Royer’s, they insist you try their pie with ice cream. No, really, they charge extra for pie orders without ice cream. It may seem like a pricing blunder, but really, Royer’s is getting rid of a small obstacle (price) to get their customers to have the best possible experience. And creating the best possible experience for their customers is what earns them raving fans and loyal customers.

The lesson: How are you ensuring that your customers have an experience worth talking about every time?

Learn more: Royer’s Round Top Cafe

3. Go the extra mile to fix it

When my company, SocialMedia.org, ordered some of Royer’s pies for a member, the pies were accidentally ruined in the shipping process and arrived in less-than-perfect condition. To make up for the mistake, Royer’s not only sent new pies to our member, but also to our office. That’s a great apology that makes them look good to two companies at once.

The lesson: When you mess up, are you making twice the effort to make it right again? These are the kind of apologies that turn upset customers into loyal customers and advocates.

4. Check it out: STRANDBEEST

Dutch artist Theo Jansen uses plastic tubes to create wind-propelled art installations that look like living, breathing beasts. He says he hopes to one day set them free in herds on beaches so they will “live their own lives.”

Check it out: STRANDBEEST

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