If you don't know me, this may be a shock to hear a deli guy speak so passionately about business, locals stuff...politics and purchasing power. I mean, what do I know about that....I'm just a deli guy. Also, this is my business' facebook fanpage...why would I say such things in an open forum.
Well, because I believe in them. Also, I may say some things that may ruffle your feathers...so, realize in advance that I speak through you in an effort to empower our LOCAL COMMUNITY to grow.
Cuz'....we can.
First of all, let me go back a little and say...."there's no such thing as a deli guy anymore". In todays day and age, if you think you can just slice cold cuts to support your family...good luck. Specialization in the local marketplace is very very challenging...especially when places are allowed to sell "whatever they want".
I mean, I got some gas the other day...and saw italian bread next to 10w30...I mean, seriously...where are we?
I'll use my personal business to create an argument:
Countless people open up delis and pizzerias around us all the time, invariably leaving...for one reason or another---but most for the same reasons...it's that they fail to connect with the basic needs of the community; missing one or two main ingredients in the recipe for local success. We are "forced"/compelled/obligat
We need Facebook, twitter...blogging, faxing, calling...email marketing...wtf! What are we doing? Do we need to do all of this stuff now? Apparently...um....yes, we do.
Why. Let me backtrack.
Ok..so a few years ago...it was the Pennysaver. That's it. It was great, because...it was really the only place to go!
Now, there are 30 places to post jobs...instantly. For free. There are 30 new places to advertise every day, for free...arguably more effectively...and more "track-ably". Is that a word? So how do we succeed?
We, the business owners, can only do a few things...increase the amount of customers coming in and out of our stores, increase the amount of transactions customers make per visit to our stores, increase the average dollar people spend in the stores, or decrease the costs of doing business.
All to make a few more bucks.
Wow...that's a lot to do right? That's all we can do, at the end of the day....
Mike, thanks, but what does this all have to do with me?
Well, to be honest...everything. The local economy is what's most important to your family everyone! It is, and I'll explain a few KEY REASONS why below that should frame the way your thinking should ultimately be. We can do all of these things...but unless we get back to at least: Starting local....
Then well....we're all in trouble.
I am compelled to add at this time that THE recipe, the one our dad John has had down pat for years, has become muddled. It's true. Listen....
Local businesses are put in the position of infinitely more challenging situations and competition now, and that challenge brings out the best and the "not best" in owners and businesses. How do you stay in the face of your customers when your own customers are staring at their iPhones the whole time they're in your store? Trying to find the cheapest place to find coffee in 10541 on "Yelp" on their phones...
These are things that people like my dad have NO IDEA are affecting our businesses. Many local business owners have NO IDEA how much influence the internet has on their decisions...and how powerful rating services are. They still think "word of mouth" is the ONLY and most powerful way to advertise.
I argue that "word of text and video" is now becoming #1...
Word of mouth is #2
Print advertising is a distant #3
Word of Text, #1...considering, nobody talks anymore...true or true? Just think of how many face to face conversations you've had with your best friend lately, vs, how many texts you've shared....
How many times I see two friends, standing on line....texting other people...while spending QT with that person. Amazing. What are they doing? They're "checking in"...and tagging the friends that's right next to them.
Crazy.
They're not looking on the shelves anymore...and that's my challenge today. As a deli owner...I need you to look at my "stuff" right?
Ok...so...
What are they looking at anyway? So here's an insiders view for all of you customers out there...fans...politically
Support your local businesses...should really say "Spend Local FIRST".
That's it. And I know you've heard that before...but, I hope to have another slant on it by the end of this impossibly long blog/rant...
My cousin once said "see the ball hit the bat", and that made more "cognitive sense" to me than "keep your eye on the ball"....I hit 20 consecutive home runs after I made that distinction....maybe by the time you finish this, you'll understand how powerful "spending local" really is, and make the same distinction.
Spend in local places first...be inconvenienced if you don't find it, and move on...because, when they're gone (small business)...you have NOTHING but Walmarts and Home Depots...and while that (walmarts and HD's) is going to shoved down your throats as "good" for the county, or for the taxbase of your School...or great for tax generation for school programs, etc...it's the local family places that matter most. Quality of life'wise...they matter most. I can't challenge the tax benefits of Target moving into "Union Place"...but I can challenge you for driving to CT to buy a ford...
Here are just a few of my reasons for saying so:
They hire your kids
They promote your school events
They donate your PTO dinners
They sponsor MSA teams
The residents drive your school buses
They fix your cars and tow you
They residents work in your hospitals
They buy you tshirts
How about trips to cooperstown?
They provide/give internships
They give scholarships (chamber)
They say hi to you in restaurants
They value you when you pop in
They hold events like "relay" or "Combos for Life"
They promote local bands like Dead End and the Pacapellas
They donate towards causes
They donate/pay for team dinners
They pay for reading events at libraries...and much much more.
When was the last time, you think, when someone needed a donation...they went to "a big box store"? I may be wrong, but, is there a "House Deep Pot" team? Is there a "Stu Loapold's" shirt in the MSA program? Probably...they're good guys...but I always wonder how many people actually go to a place they REGULARLY shop for the "donation" vs. the "local place" they actually ask.
And you know what...I'm happy for that, because I get a chance to show my support for my local _____.
The questions is: Are you doing the same? That is the challenging question I need to ask.
I hate to even say names, but, this is facebook...there are no rules right? I know those places do GREAT THINGS...but, do they do great things FOR MAHOPAC families when push comes to shove....? I'm not sure, that's why this is a post...and not a column.
They probably do, but when local places leave...they're not coming back lately...and you need to see that. BE local.
I'm not beating them up, or anyone up...I'm just making sure you all realize HOW POWERFUL you all are...that when you go to your local business...you're purchasing power is being transferred to the businesses that support most of the programs in your community.
This post is to make sure you understand that it is YOUR JOB to protect your community. It's not the Supervisors job, or the planning board...or the building department. It's "WHERE YOU SPEND YOUR MONEY" that matters. They all have a JOB, and at the end of the day...protecting that job and their families is most important...100x more powerful than any legislation they can enact...is your spending decisions.
Until you really read and think about what this all means, it'll be easy to just look at a T-Shirt that Campanella fences sponsored on MSA and say without though...."That fence guy is a nice guy"....not realizing that he does that "not for the money" but for the feeling he probably gets for helping our neighbors.
ALWAYS say thank you to those places when you see them...tell them "That's a reason why we're here"...take nothing for granted, and spend your money with those that give to your family-directly or indirectly.
As my favorite comedian and commentator would say: "I don't want to go on a rant here...but"...local business is the most important thing to protect here in Mahopac. There are quite literally dozens of stores EMPTY on Route 6. Mahopac doesn't need "saving" from big industrial or commercial projects...it needs its local patrons to be great at being local. That's it. Be great.
Be great...and we can hopefully all stay in business to support YOUR community.
Best,
Mike Bucci
Chief Ham
Bucci Brothers Deli
p.s. If you want to discuss anything I've written, feel free to call me personally- 914-879-8415
I love both of the 2 businesses I mentioned before, and hold them in the highest respect...I had to use 2 regional businesses with clout to illustrate a point. I know for a fact that they donate a tremendous amount of money, my contention is that I don't see the reach of them in Mahopac.
Best-MB.
They fix your cars and tow you
They residents work in your hospitals
They buy you tshirts
How about trips to cooperstown?
They provide/give internships
They give scholarships (chamber)
They say hi to you in restaurants
They value you when you pop in
They hold events like "relay" or "Combos for Life"
They promote local bands like Dead End and the Pacapellas
They donate towards causes
They donate/pay for team dinners
They pay for reading events at libraries...and much much more.
When was the last time, you think, when someone needed a donation...they went to "a big box store"? I may be wrong, but, is there a "House Deep Pot" team? Is there a "Stu Loapold's" shirt in the MSA program? Probably...they're good guys...but I always wonder how many people actually go to a place they REGULARLY shop for the "donation" vs. the "local place" they actually ask.
And you know what...I'm happy for that, because I get a chance to show my support for my local _____.
The questions is: Are you doing the same? That is the challenging question I need to ask.
I hate to even say names, but, this is facebook...there are no rules right? I know those places do GREAT THINGS...but, do they do great things FOR MAHOPAC families when push comes to shove....? I'm not sure, that's why this is a post...and not a column.
They probably do, but when local places leave...they're not coming back lately...and you need to see that. BE local.
I'm not beating them up, or anyone up...I'm just making sure you all realize HOW POWERFUL you all are...that when you go to your local business...you're purchasing power is being transferred to the businesses that support most of the programs in your community.
This post is to make sure you understand that it is YOUR JOB to protect your community. It's not the Supervisors job, or the planning board...or the building department. It's "WHERE YOU SPEND YOUR MONEY" that matters. They all have a JOB, and at the end of the day...protecting that job and their families is most important...100x more powerful than any legislation they can enact...is your spending decisions.
Until you really read and think about what this all means, it'll be easy to just look at a T-Shirt that Campanella fences sponsored on MSA and say without though...."That fence guy is a nice guy"....not realizing that he does that "not for the money" but for the feeling he probably gets for helping our neighbors.
ALWAYS say thank you to those places when you see them...tell them "That's a reason why we're here"...take nothing for granted, and spend your money with those that give to your family-directly or indirectly.
As my favorite comedian and commentator would say: "I don't want to go on a rant here...but"...local business is the most important thing to protect here in Mahopac. There are quite literally dozens of stores EMPTY on Route 6. Mahopac doesn't need "saving" from big industrial or commercial projects...it needs its local patrons to be great at being local. That's it. Be great.
Be great...and we can hopefully all stay in business to support YOUR community.
Best,
Mike Bucci
Chief Ham
Bucci Brothers Deli
p.s. If you want to discuss anything I've written, feel free to call me personally- 914-879-8415
I love both of the 2 businesses I mentioned before, and hold them in the highest respect...I had to use 2 regional businesses with clout to illustrate a point. I know for a fact that they donate a tremendous amount of money, my contention is that I don't see the reach of them in Mahopac.
Best-MB.
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