On a recent trip through rural Ontario I stopped for a coffee at a Tim Hortons near the small town of Norwich, I could not resist taking this photograph.
It is easy to forget in this era of hi-speed Internet and Social Media that there are still communities who either by choice or location do not have access to many of the modern conveniences the rest of us take for granted.
There is a large Mennonite farming community in the area around Norwich and many of these farmers still use the traditional horse and buggy for transport.
Horse and buggy combinations do not mix well with cars and pickups in confined spaces like drive-thrus or car parking areas.
Accidents do happen and unfortunately in most accidents between horse-drawn transport and motor vehicles, horses come off second best.
Providing a couple of reserved parking spaces in a safe area, reduces the risk of injury to a large section of the community that does not own motor vehicles.
For the cost of a small sign and no real inconvenience to other customers, the owners of this franchise have made it safe and convenient for a whole new market segment or niche.
They have also created an unusual talking point and subject for photographs to create a memorable visit for big city dwelling customers traveling through the town.
An interesting reminder for us to look at our businesses and make sure that our websites are convenient for all our customers to use.
- Is our layout logical?
- Can our visitors navigate around our site easily?
- Are our calls to action clear and unambiguous?
- Are we using easy-to-read fonts?
- Follow, like and RSS subscription buttons prominently displayed?
- Do all our links work?
- Is our ordering and check out system simple to use?
It is also an important reminder that just because some communities do not embrace all the wonders of modern technology, don’t automatically assume that they are not potential customers.
Wishing you success in all your endeavours.
p.s. If you are looking for more ideas for your Internet Marketing business, Niche Profit Classroom is worth looking at.