Package is your companys face to the customer. Whether you sell from a 20,000 square foot grocery store or a 20 square foot hot-dog and pretzel wagon, your companys package will shape your customers impression of you.

The best Chief Marketers continually seek that Razors Edge of Differentiation between their small business and the competition. Package is often overlooked as route to achieve a true degree of difference in the mind of the small business customer.

But it doesnt have to be. A few small adjustments and your small business can really outshine the competition.

Of course, theres the obviousis your business clean? Is your merchandise easy to find? How about lighting and signage? Though often overlooked, these are typically the first areas to seek out and improve upon when microscoping your company package. But package is about more than how efficiently a customer can navigate your store. It also affects how she feels during those few precious minutes she is inside your 4 walls. The best Chief Marketers manage to build Customer Respite Areas within their businesses.

Consumers need a break from the kids and the spouse and the job. Sometimes theyre desperate for just five minutes to unwind the jaws of the tension-vise thats wrapped around their head during the course of the day, loosen their collar, and relax just a little.

Yes, theyre at your business to accomplish a transaction with you; probably something as mundane as dropping off their dry-cleaning or picking up a gallon of milk. But you know very well they can get a similar product at a competitive price elsewhere in town. So why not entice a few customers into your store by offering them something your competition down the street isnta Customer Respite or a Surprise Upgrade!

Our next article will help you learn how to create both Surprise Upgrades and Customer Respites with minimal time, money and effort.

Remember: Brand (who you are) + Package (your Face to the Customer) + People (customers and employees) = Marketing Success.

2006 Marketing Hawks