In Blogs And At Starbucks, It Goes Back To The Grind

Instead of grinding coffee only in the morning, Starbucks employees will grind beans for each new pot.  The Wall St. Journal says the change is part of an effort to re-invigorate the “Starbucks experience” in the face of competition from other brands.  Howard Schultz, the former CEO, retook  leadership of the company, saying the switch to pre-ground coffee had “taken the romance and theater out” of a trip to Starbucks.

Forgive me for brewing a metaphor here, but I truly believe Shultz is onto a secret blog marketers need to hear. Just as visitors to a Starbucks shop need an “experience” – crackle, aroma, and all – to keep coming back for more, online visitors to your blog need to find an experience along with information.  Word tidbits, unique points of view, special how-to tips, links to unusual resources, and humorous touches – all these things make your blog post special.

According to Schultz, “We achieved fresh-roasted bagged coffee, but at what cost? The loss of aroma – perhaps the most powerful nonverbal symbol we had in our stores.”

Having “sipped” the content of your blog post (that’s all they will probably take time to do, as online searchers tend to be scanners, not readers), visitors must be enticed to click through to your website to savor the full range of what your company has to offer – what you sell, what you do, and what you know.  Each digital “hit” is a chance for you to “make a hit” with your potential customer or client