Can Promoting Your Competitors Strengthen Your Business?
Main Street America
We revitalize older and historic commercial districts to build vibrant neighborhoods and thriving economies.
This week on Main Street Business Insights, Matt Wagner, Ph.D., spoke with James Langteaux, owner of Trû North Café in Livingston, Montana. He shared his passion for creating a strong community that uplifts all businesses and shows true compassion for people.
James Langteaux: It was nearing Christmas, and I thought, you know what? I love my neighbors. I'm going to go promote all my neighbors, the stores and restaurants, and even other restaurants that I like.
Matt Wagner: Yeah, you did it today. Someone came in and they were vegan.
James: We're very meat.
Matt: Trû North, very meat. And you recommended someone else, and you said "go three doors down, blah, blah, blah." And yeah, that was powerful. It was great.
James: And this was an even crazier step forward with the TV. I was probably itching to do a little bit of TV or something, but I would go and do ridiculous ads for other businesses. I'm talking ridiculous, like, I'm in bed with a bottle of wine, and I met the love of my life at Betty's Bottle Shop down the street. Then I would go to the kitchen shop and talk about a pan that I just bought and that we're using in the kitchen. And every ad for them would say "they're just four doors down from Trû North." So it was a little bit of a back-end promo.
Matt: Exactly. Yeah, that's all right.
James: People saw and laughed about it. They were like, how many times did you mention Trû North in their ad? But people loved that I was actually pro my competitors. And I think that was kind of the watershed moment, where I think the town just went, oh, he's a team player.
Matt: He's okay.
James: He's okay. And not to blow my own horn, but I love people, and so I think they could sense the genuine love and care for the people that came in. I've sat and cried with people who've lost kids while we're busy, and hugged people that I just met, and signed books with love notes to people. I think those are some of the keys.
Matt: That's the wonderful thing I experienced firsthand being in the café. It's truly authentic. I mean, it's not put on, it's not a show, it's not like this is part of the business plan. It's a natural thing for you to do, and I think people see and understand that it's truly authentic.