Browsing my local IGA Supermarket the other day, I saw this sign posted on the diary fridge.
Seems simple enough, but there's a lot going on behind it.
Firstly, it signals "we hear you' because it tells us that we -- their customers -- had asked for a local brand to support.
Secondly, it signals that they acted on what they heard ... so here's the answer, Norco Milk.
Most other supermarkets would just slide the new product SKUs onto the shelf and that's that. But this simple typed bit of A4 gets us involved in a virtuous community loop.
And owners Sasha and Sarai work very hard to win community trust and loyalty, because they can't really compete on price alone against the major players like Coles and Woolies.
The other day my mother had gone there to get a whole bunch of groceries but was physically unable to carry it all home with her. Although the official home delivery time had already cut-off for the day, Sarai -- without thinking or blinking -- said, "Don't worry, Mrs Lloyd, I'll just drop it off for you on my way home after work." Which she cheerfully did at no extra cost.
Belonging is one thing we all want to do in this fragmenting world.
What more can you do to make people belong to your brand or service? Because we don't need more branding, we need more bonding.