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The Huron Expositor, 1995-11-15, Page 3News and Views Mouser presents creative marketing ideas BY DAVID SCOTT Expositor Editor An acclaimed motivational marketing speaker challenged the business people of Seaforth and surrounding areas for two evenings last week with some unorthodox approaches to business. Charlie Mouser, of Virginia, was sponsored by The Huron Expositor and gave local busi- nesses tips on how to attract and keep customers and how to compete against marketing giants like Wal-Mart that are moving into the area. He spoke last Wednesday and Thursday nights at the Seaforth and District Community Centres. Mouser used the unusual example of teenage dating as a metaphor for business. "If you said, 'I'm good and I'm cheap' do you think you'd get a girl- friend? That won't work for business either," he said. Mouser said television and computers have made the world the size of a county. "You're playing with the whole world not just down the street," he said. He said many stores don't have their prices or store name at eye level in their main win- dow. "Where's your sign? It's way up high. I have to go into the middle of the road and get hit by a car to read it." The marketing expert talked about how people buy. New laboratory agreement GREGOR CAMPBELL PHOTO RENOWNED MARKETER - Charlie Mouser had some practical advice and funny one-liners for area businesses. "We buy with emotion and justify the purchase all the way home with logic." He was quick with funny one-liners and dozens of little tips for businesses. Here were just a few of his various obser- vations on doing business in the '90s: - "You don't operate a store, you operate a theatre." • "One working woman can get more done in her lunch hour than six men can in four days." • "The average Canadian owns 23 electrical appliances - 17 of them he hasn't seen in three years." • "None of us buy products - we buy the effects of products. We buy image and lifestyle." • "The two most important words in advertising arc "you" and "your." Mouser says every business should take down two signs at cash registers that deter cus- tomers: "No cash refuads" and "No personal cheques." Those are just a few things he says make customers unhappy and unwilling to return to your store. "What do you do t� make a customer mad? After they spend $150 at the grocery store Hospital on target to save $50,000 a year BY DAVID SCOTT Expositor Editor Seaforth Community Hospital announced at its last board meeting it has entered into an unique agreement with a pri- vate laboratory. The deal with Daniel Medical Laboratories, of Toronto could save the hospital $50,000 annually, said CEO Bill Thibert. "The arrangement gives both parties a chance to test out the services. It's unique in that it's a public institution and private company working to benefit each other," he said. Previously, similar laboratory work was sent to Stratford. FIRE DISPATCH SYSTEM Seaforth Community Hospital is clarifying its liability insur- ance requirements regarding the fire dispatch system operat- • ing from the hospital. Because of its 24-hour ser- vice, the hospital has tradi- tionally acted as a dispatch for the Seaforth Fire Department. Recently it took, on the dis- patching of fire departments in Clinton, Exeter, Bayfield and Blyth. By the end of the year, Brumfield and Zurich will be on board bringing the total to seven area departments being served by the Seaforth system. The system is helping the hospital generate additional revenue and helping all seven fire departments to improve their coverage, said hospital CEO Bill Thibert. Many of the departments were previously on beeper systems. FINANCIAL OFFICER Seaforth Community Hospital is getting a new Chief Finan- cial Officer. McKillop Council Land owners should notify Richard Cooper, VP of Finance and Operations at Campbellford General Hospital, begins Nov. 20 and brings with him 20 years of hospital finan- cial experience, says CEO Bill Thibert. The new financial officer also has his CGA (Certified General Accountant) papers. INCREASED OBSTETRICS According to operating statis- tics released at a recent hospi- tal board meeting, Seaforth Community Hospital's obstet- rics unit has been busier than usual. In a six-month period from April 1, 1995 to September 30, 38 births were performed at Seaforth. Emergency depart- ment visits were also up slight- ly over last year's figures. Board member Jim Crocker was pleased to note that four years ago, the hospital was at a low of only 14 births for the year. At the same time, the Clinton hospital was perform- ing about 200 births. The num- bers have now almost reversed, he said. ACCREDITATION Chief Nursing Officer Yvonne Kitchen presented a report on the new client centred approach to hospital accreditation at the last Seaforth hospital board meet- ing. Although new standards are being developed for small hospital accreditation, Seaforth will be judged like bigger hospitals, said Kitchen. With 'the new system, there will be a lot more interaction with front line staff. Patients will also be asked about the process of admission. In the past the focus was on individ- ual departments, said Kitchen. • municipality before logging • McKillop Township hired a new employee when its Coun- cil met for a regular meeting last Tuesday, Nov. 7. Brian Campbell is now a part-time snowplow operator for the township. Council also passed a motion that all requirements, financial and otherwise, now be satisfied before severance applications will be considered. General vouchers of $90,672.22 were approved, as was the road superintendent's voucher for $30,962.98. Council also endorsed some letters and the following resolutions from area municipalities: McKillop agrees with Grey County that operators and land • owners should notify municipalities before logging. Logs left on road allowances have caused problems for municipalities. McKillop endorsed a resolution from Stanley Township that the assessment act be amended to _ authorize the assessment of trailers in parks. Council endorsed a resolution from Morris Township that a portion of property tax be paid before applicants are eligible for farm tax rebates. Another resolution from Bayfield that McKillop agrees with is that it does not support any increase by the Huron County Board of Education in the education share of 1996 property taxes. Seaforth ready for winter Seaforth's Public Works Department is ready for winter. Its new sand and salt storage building is now complete next to its shod. It has a capacity of about 80 tons and is inside and protected from the elements. Works Superintendent John Forrest says this town goes through about 200 tons of sand and salt in a usual winter, and the new shed will have to be periodically refilled by truck from Clinton. But now it's on staff and patients. Before accreditation was problem oriented, now it's a continual process, she said. "Who is your client? Who do you serve? You concentrate on what you do to achieve intended results." Dr. Mark Woldnik said hos- pitals must adopt business -type auitudes. "We are more of a business than we think of. We have to listen to pwple. We have been doing that here for years before we were ever involved in` •accreditation. That's one of the big beefs against bigger centres (they don't listen to people). We give individualized care," said Woldnik. you ask them, 'Is that all?"' He reminds cashiers to say "thank you." He also advises store owners not to ask "how are you?" unless you're genu- inely interested in how the person is doing. Don't say it Just to make conversation. Mouser also advises against asking, "May I help you?" to the browsing customer. People hate making decisions, he says. "Everybody comes into a store to purchase - either now or in the future." Another trap business people make is making the telephone a priority over a customer in the store. The first customer in the store is the priority. He claims that like psychol- ogists say, we all have three people inside of us: child, parent, adult. "Lock up the child and parent in you before you go to work," Mouser advises business owners. Mouser answered questions from the floor both nights to do with specific business situ- ations following his presenta- tion. He was also available for private consultations with local business owners. Fabrics & Co-ordinates not inekglkt- limited time only HILDEBRA PAINT & PAPER 527-1880 15 Main St. Seaforth THE HURON IXPOSITOR, Novmbor 16, 1995-3 ELE L I Farm • Home • COMMIX: al . Pols Line Construction 345-2447 1.. RIC E D Dealer of FILTER ® EXPERT STRAY VOLTAGE SPECIALIST PARENTS OF STUDENTS, at SEAFORTH DISTRICT HIGH SCHOOL are invited to attend PARENTS NIGHT being held on WEDNESDAY, NOV. 15 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm (at the school) - Interviews can be arranged by students for parents WE LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR VISIT JOIN US AT OUR NEW PLACE OF WORSHIP SEPT. 3 SEAFORTH HIGH SCHOOL 9:45 Christian Education Hour (classes for all ages) 11:00 Morning Worship Service 'The Bible Church that has the family at heart" G VI.•N. NOM •rY••N. Bethel Bible Church 48 Water St., Egmondville 7:00 Evening Bible Study (held at the Church) There are also a number of small group Bible Studies that meet through the' week. Let us know how we can serve you. Call for more information Pastor. Rev. Rick Lucas (519) 522-0070 0 Christmas JO OFF '7 4 Baskets --'+ Arrangements `, ` Over 500 on display! moi' 0 �' 4 Prints ;' ,-'+ New Giftware + Artifleal Trees & len: ---- /- -_ �)1:4 ( 1.\1. FRESH ; - ,) CEDAR \,ROPING\-> • 1 75 foot roll... 99•). I CASII R&' ('ARTILY..: WHILE SUPPLIES L' SEAFORTH Only 86 Main Street HOU. One Day Only SUNDAY, NOV. 19 12 NOON to 5:00 p.m. Due to the magnitude of this event we are Inviting everyone to join us at our larger location: 36 Main Street, Seaforth for this special Christmas Open House Flower Magic Jean /N • -- ,- Come see- - , SALIVA ;' ,��� & his Elvesl ; Coffee & Cookies! Santa has Preseiii .. \; for the Kiddies. /; Bring your I Bow Making Demo On Request All Plush Animals4/72\1--. i ,, Wind Chimes 5 O/O 1 1 OFF\� 1 _'' \\ i /• r--- / .\• ,% RIBBON Buy2Yards- �\ 1 get the 3rd Yard tl FREE,)..-,--_, • • • • .• moi TREE /ORNAMENTS I Buy 2 - Get 1 '‘,FREE!,) • `. Sundays noon - 6:00 p.m. now until Christmas! Il O\VCr,MaWc .i'; 1 1 111 I `.(111--!Illli—:1:7117 SUNDAY Only November 19