Why does a permanent ‘Pancake Breakfast’ sign (actually) advertise
perpetual optimism?
I live in a small town, and at least once a
week I drive by the little yellow legion hall on the corner of King & St
Clair Hwy. There is a smallish permanent
metal sign out front that says: ‘Pancake breakfast Sat 8-11’ It’s been there
ever since I can remember (I’ve lived here since 2001) and to be honest with
you, other than occasionally thinking, “Yum that sounds good.” I have never really stopped in to eat or
investigate where the proceeds go and what they support. Although others have, and they reported that
the griddles are huge commercial firehouse grade…which, I’ve been told makes
for divine pancakes! Call it complacency or even laziness, but I think the real
truth is that I never allowed pancakes to be a destination. LOL! Go ahead, laugh! I’m a person who uses lists and calendars and
sets goals and I never put it on any list so it remains just a backdrop on my
short commute. Recently though I’ve started thinking a little harder about what
it means to have a permanent sign, essentially asking for money?
What does it represent?
To be so bold as to not occasionally ask
for money (like the seasonal bell-ringers for the Salvation Army) but to
permanently ask for money?
It
reminds me of a few things:
·
1) It’s a numbers game. Why take the sign down? You can’t capture the
drive by traffic and the out-of-towners if they don’t know it exists.
·
2) There is a lot of future mindset thinking
going on here. Perpetual
optimism, it says:
A) Things are always looking up! (If
you have just enough extra money for a stack of flapjacks)
B) We will always be here & one
of these days you’re going to want or need us!
C) There are some
essentials in our area, and pancakes are one of them!
D) We believe in
our product and its consistency!
E) We expect future sales to
outpace current sales (whether
they do or don’t is inconsequential)
Isn’t this a great lesson in forward thinking? Future thinking mindset, which focuses on the
plan and not the problem. This little
Pancake breakfast operation can also teach us lessons in consistency,
stability, reliability, loyalty and brand recognition. Lessons that in this current culture, have
been gobbled up by technology (and the ever-evolving) addicting application of
an instant gratification society.
The message is simply, “Come eat our pancakes, you won’t be
disappointed!”
I guess it’s time for me to put pancakes on my calendar!
Lisa Ekanger Your Preferred Trainer
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