November 7, 2002
It seems to me one of the secrets of business success is to give the customer more than they expect. I know this is probably pre-Business 101 but it is a revelation to me. We got gift packets from our printer reps yesterday and it was unexpected. Last night as I poured Kansas City honey on a tortilla, I thought to myself, “What a great bunch of guys, those Banta boys are.” It may sound silly, but a $2.50 jar of honey has helped cement a $250,000 print job (not a bad return).When we were at lunch at Bob Brink’s golf club, we all got salads, etc. and then the waiter brought out a plate of fudge and put it in the center of the table. It was free, unexpected and no matter how cynical I try to be I just have that little voice in my head that goes, “Hey, let’s go back there, free fudge!” So I’m trying to figure out what we can do to give our readers and advertisers something extra and unexpected.

The rent issue got more complicated yesterday. The $3K office space up in Carefree came in at $4.1K, and other spaces seem to be even higher ($27 a Sq. ft). Some office space down in Phoenix is going for $12 a square foot, but somehow that takes the small town charm out of our operation. Going to talk to Dave today about creative solutions. Maybe he’ll take $2K and a jar of honey.

“Difficulty, my brethren, is the nurse of greatness -- a harsh nurse, who roughly rocks her foster children into strength and athletic proportion.”
—William C. Bryant