No Business Like Snow Business

I’m writing this blog post from the Boston area, where snow in the winter is just a fact of life (in fact, we had some just last night). It’s funny, though: Every time a storm is predicted, people still tend to freak out a bit. For example, there’s always a run on eggs, bread, and milk at the grocery store (one local website has even created a French Toast Alert System to help people gauge how bad the storm will be).

No doubt, business owners all over the area (and the country — after all, Boston is not the only place with snow in the winter) freak out too, because they know no one likes to go out in a storm.

And yet, if people have a good reason to leave their homes (and can do so safely), they often will.

Snow storms present a perfect opportunity for a quick promotion that rewards customer loyalty. When flakes start to fall, why not send an email that says, "Come out in the storm today and get 25% off your purchase!" Or, "Two people eat for the price of one if you come in during the storm!" Or, "Come in for a haircut today and we’ll give you a free bottle of shampoo!" Something that provides a special, out-of-the-ordinary incentive for people to get off their couches on a bad-weather day.

Rather than stand around looking at an empty establishment, give people a great reward for coming out.