During COVID, most business owners were thinking about survival. We were thinking about growth. Not growth in revenue, but growth in customer loyalty. And we found that growth at the beach.
The COVID Opportunity
When restrictions on public spaces tightened, Fridays at the beach became one of the few activities people could still do freely. The government allowed physical activity in sportswear on public beaches, and thousands of people were taking advantage of it. Our burger joint was only five minutes away from this beach, and we were struggling.
Most restaurants would have tried to drive traffic through discounts or ads. We did something different. We went to the customers.
Taking the Brand to the Customer
We took two of our best employees, gave them branded delivery bags, and sent them to the beach on a Friday morning. Their mission was simple: engage with people and tell them about us. "We're right around the corner! We make the best burgers in town."
First Friday: roughly 10 new orders per employee. The second Friday brought similar numbers. But we didn't stop showing up, and we didn't expect instant results.
Third Friday was different.
The Power of a Habit
By the third Friday, we didn't need to pitch anymore. Word had spread through the beach community. Orders were coming in before we even arrived. People who recognized our employees were placing orders and asking them to deliver later.
By the third Friday, we didn't need to go back. Word had spread, and the orders kept coming in — people placing their burger orders before they even arrived at the beach.
By the end of the month, we were consistently getting 30 new orders per Friday just from our beach presence. People weren't just buying a burger anymore — they were planning their Friday beach day around getting a burger from us. We had become part of their routine.
The social media buzz didn't hurt either. Our branded delivery bags became recognizable at the beach, and people started tagging us in their beach photos. User-generated content did what expensive advertising never could.
The Lesson
Creating a habit is far more powerful than creating a sale. A sale is a transaction. A habit is a relationship. Once your product or service becomes part of a customer's routine — their Friday beach day, their Sunday family time, their weekly ritual — you have created something far more valuable than revenue. You have created loyalty.
And loyalty is harder to compete against than anything else. When competitors come along, your customers don't switch because your product is part of their lifestyle, not just a choice they make.
Key Takeaway
The most powerful thing you can do for your business is become part of a customer's routine. Once your product is associated with something they do regularly — their Friday beach day, their Sunday family time, their weekly ritual — you have created something far more valuable than a sale. You have created a habit. And habits are hard to break.