J. Lamar Ferren has written an insightful article on how Olive Garden Restaurant can enhance your local Real Estate Business! The article is located here: Five Ways Olive Garden Can Enhance Your Real Estate Business.

Here’s a snippet:

“1. The “Right This Way” concept

In Olive Garden: When you first enter the Olive Garden, you are typically greeted by the host who calls on someone to seat you. Usually the person who seats you will say “Right This Way” as they lead off into the restaurant with you following behind them. I’ll be honest, I’m not a big fan of going into restaurants where I have to seat myself. It’s not that I can’t do it, it’s just that when the restaurant is crowded, it is usually tough to find a seat; especially if you have multiple guests. The person who seats you knows exactly where to go and can get you there quickly; it’s just easier if you follow them.

In Your Business: When a client sees your sign, your Craigslist ad, your flyer, etc., in order for them to click through to your site or pick up the phone and call you, they have to be given a “Call To Action”. Peter Kolat, a fellow BP blog contributor, actually goes into this concept a little more in depth. However, the main thing is to tell your clients exactly what you want them to do. For example, you could say, “Visit My Website Today” or “Pick up the phone and call me at 555-555-5555 right now.” Tell them exactly what you want them to do and if they’re interested, they will follow through. Don’t just assume that everyone who sees your advertisement, will know what to do next. You must guide them through the experience!

2. The “Give Them What They Want” concept

In Olive Garden: After you are seated, you are then greeted by your server, who eventually takes your order. You get the opportunity to read through the menu and choose exactly what you want. If you need more information about a certain dish or drink, your server will be available to answer any questions you may have. Once they’ve completed your order, they take it to the kitchen, where the meal is prepared. After the meal has been prepared, your server carries it out to you, and as you look at your entree, hopefully you notice that you have been given exactly what you wanted.

In Your Business: After a lead comes to your website, they expect to see something related to what your advertisement says. If your ad says I can buy your home in 7 days and your website has nothing to do with buying their home, they they will get ticked off and click the “X” button. Even if they pick up the phone and call you, they then expect to hear something related to the reason they dialed your number. If you can’t give them what they want, then it’s likely that you will be unable to convert them into a deal. The bottom line is that you need to give them a solution to their problem! You need to combine the “Right This Way” concept with the “Give Them What They Want” concept. Put this on your ad and your website because you want your client to go where you need them to go to get what they want, in order to continue on with your process.”