Blog: Can One Day Make a Difference in Your Business?

In 1959 Dinah Washington won a Grammy award for the song called “What a difference a day makes,” which was also one of the Top 10 records for the entire year.

The question is “Can one day make a difference in your business?” The answer is yes. One Orange County business, Zlaket’s Market, recently had a day they will never forget as they were the host of the recent KFI radio Ca$h Mob in Garden Grove. Radio host Bill Carroll was there live along with many other KFI on-air personalities, including Bill Handel and Mo’Kelly, and about 400 visitors that flooded historic Main Street.

The crowd started forming about 11:30 a.m. before the show went live, and until 4 p.m. the steady stream of people extended out the door waiting for sandwiches, old fashioned root beer floats and the largest assortment of old-time soft drinks in Orange County. During the day the Zlakets estimate they made over 500 sandwiches and went through 80 pounds of pastrami and in the successive days since, the crowds have thinned, but are much higher than normal.

Can one day make a difference? Only if you use an event like this as part of a strategic marketing plan and not as a stand alone cure-all.

Prior to the mob, the Zlakets were prepped on how to staff, making sure inventory was adequate, creating flyers and getting them distributed and how to develop specials crafted around the 640 moniker which they did. The “Bill Carroll Special” was $6.40 and since he is a Canadian, had Canadian bacon as its primary ingredient. The “Judge Wapner” Root Beer Float included Judge Wapner Root Beer—yes it is real!—and had Bill Handel as the figurehead in honor of his Saturday “Handel on the Law” radio show. In addition the charitable component was brought into the picture with the Boys and Girls Club of Garden Grove and they will also benefit from the banner day.

There were several reasons that Zlakets was chosen:

- They are a historic business, the oldest family owned establishment in Orange County.

- Their business had seen “better days” and needed the boost that this event offered.

- The business was inherently sound, i.e., solid business model, and needed to reengage patrons that had not been there for a while.

Ironically many that came that day have lived in Garden Grove for years or even decades and had never been to the Historic Main Street or to Zlaket’s.

Last July KFI likewise had a Ca$h Mob in Corona del Mar at Toy Boat and six months later the positive news it generated is still being felt. That one day made a difference in that business as it will with Zlaket’s.

Toy Boat has been an iconic landmark for more than 50 years, but the last few years have been challenging for Toy Boat as it has for many others. The July 31st event was brought about by a barrage of requests from fans that asked KFI to do something to help them. Program Director Robin Bertolucci marshaled the station to show up and promote the event, and they are now responsible for saving a very worthy and special local business. The success of that was a pleasant surprise and KFI will continue to offer Ca$h Mobs this year.

To submit an application to host your own mob visit www.FlashCashMobs.com.