Donuts, Donuts, Donuts

People often get stuck in the mindset that “I am a bookkeeper (insert any business name here) and there is no way to differentiate my business from other bookeepers because we all do the same thing.”  Wrong, wrong, wrong. You are just not trying.

Last week in “Lessons I Learned from Tim” I wrote about the local donut shop that makes me feel like family.  In doing so, they have stood out from other donut stores.  Voodoo Donuts in Portland Oregon has taken the donut shop in a whole new direction.  Voodoo Donuts’ signature item is a voodoo-doll shaped donut filled with raspberry jelly (blood).  It comes with a pretzel stick stuck in the chest. The owners say that customers love to poke the pretzel into the donut over and over again.  The creativity of Voodoo Donuts doesn’t stop there. They offer a Maple Bacon Breakfast Bar; which is a maple glazed donut complete with crispy bacon on top.  Their menu is filled with a wide variety of donuts that you simply can not get from your average donut shop.  They offer toppings such as crushed Oreo cookies, Captain Crunch cereal, and multi-coloured marshmallows.  Oh, and they even act as a wedding chapel, just in case you wanted to pick up some vegan donuts and renew your vows.

The owners have been rewarded for the effort with two locations that often have long lines and coverage from media outlets such as Food Network, Today Show and USA Today.  So what does this have to do with selling?  A lot! As it is much easier to sell something when it is different and unique.  So my question for you is, “What can you do with your business to make it different?”