The “Chick-fil-A Economy” — How Chick-fil-A Can Grow Your Bottom Line
Have you ever thought about how political candidates devise their strategies to win elections?
When a political candidate comes to me, I always recommend three foundational strategies to start: make a commitment to helping others, be authentic, and market to emotion.
So, how can these same strategies help business owners win?
Take the famous fast-food restaurant Chick-fil-A, for example. They have implemented these proven strategies in an insanely unique way that any entrepreneur can use to significantly grow their own bottom line.
Here’s how each one of these strategies has put Chick-fil-A on the path to reaching the third-largest quick-service restaurant title by 2020 (with nearly half the locations compared to the competition):
- Commitment to helping others: Not only does Chick-fil-A make charitable and sponsorship donations (a total of $19 million so far) and give employees the opportunity to volunteer during working hours, but they are also closed on Sundays. Why? It all started in 1946, when the founder, Truett Cathy, saw the importance Sunday held as a day of rest and reflection. It’s a proven commitment that has yet to be duplicated in the industry despite the fact that it works! Their overall commitment is what has put them on top.
- Be authentic: Chick-fil-A’s authenticity is real and you know it. Not only do they plant their “Closed Sunday” flag in the sand, their authenticity shines through in their product. Is there a better chicken sandwich (or nuggets) on the planet? No. In fact, my wife and I recently hosted a party where we served a platter of Chick-fil-A nuggets, a platter of fruit, a platter of cookies and a massive bowl of homemade chili. Within an hour, the nuggets were gone, while the rest of the food was barely touched.
- Market to emotion: For years Chick-fil-A has run one of the best, not to mention hilarious, negative ad campaigns ever produced for the simple fact that they make themselves the villain and cows (think burgers) the hero. These ads emote laughter and endear the consumer to the product. Click here to see why this 20+ year campaign still works.
What can you, as a business owner, learn?
If your company is playing a tactical game in your mission and marketing — stop it now. Focus on these three strategies in a thoughtful and creative manner and you will, at a minimum, improve your bottom line in a VERY short time frame.
As an entrepreneur, you need to determine if you’re going to win the marketing game and grow your business, or if you’re going to let a marketing agency take advantage of you. ICYMI, here is my recent interview with Doug Morneau to learn how to best win the game of marketing.
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