Years ago, when our children were young, mornings in our house looked a little different than they do today. While I was getting ready for work, my wife was already running the household like an air traffic controller during the holidays. Breakfast was on the table. Lunches were packed. Shoes were found. Hair was brushed. Homework was double checked. Somehow she even managed to make sure I walked out the door looking halfway respectable.
She has always been an incredible mother. Today she has simply expanded her job description and become an equally incredible grandmother. She also somehow manages to get cuter every year, which doesn’t seem fair, but I suppose I’ll let that one slide. Anyway, back to my story.
Every single morning she walked our children to school. Fortunately, the school was only about a block and a half away, so it was an easy walk. Before leaving the house, though, she had one very important item in her hand. COFFEE.
Not one of those fancy insulated tumblers that keep your coffee hot for three days. Nope. This was a good old fashioned ceramic coffee mug. She would pour herself a fresh cup of coffee, add just the right amount of cream and sugar, and head down the sidewalk with our kids. She did this day after day, week after week, year after year and she probably never gave it a second thought.
One evening we invited several families from the school over for dinner. Most of the relationships had started because my wife had gotten to know the other moms during those morning walks or at school events.
As everyone was introducing themselves, one of the husbands looked at my wife with a huge smile and said, in the thickest New York accent imaginable, “Oh, you’re the Coffee Lady.” My wife looked completely puzzled. “The what?”
“The Coffee Lady,” he repeated. “I see you every morning on my way to work. Every single day I see you walking those kids to school with that coffee mug. I didn’t know your name, but I always called you the Coffee Lady.” We all started laughing. For years afterward, that became her unofficial nickname with this group of friends.
The funny part was that she wasn’t trying to stand out or build a brand. She wasn’t trying to become famous for carrying coffee. She was simply living her life, taking care of her family, and doing it consistently enough that someone noticed.
Sometimes the smallest things become the things people remember us for.
So, what does this have to do with running an online business? Well, I’m glad you asked!
One of the biggest mistakes people make online is trying so hard to fit in that they accidentally become forgettable.
Think about it. Thousands of websites all say the same thing. Thousands of social media posts all sound the same. Thousands of people are trying to sell products using nearly identical messages. Then someone comes along who is just, well, memorable.
Maybe it’s their sense of humor or maybe it’s the way they explain complicated ideas in simple language. Maybe it’s their consistency or maybe it’s their kindness. Maybe it’s something completely unexpected. They become the Coffee Lady.
People may not remember every detail about your business, but they’ll remember how you made them feel. They’ll remember your personality. They’ll remember that you consistently showed up. They’ll remember that they trusted you.
Relationships rarely begin because someone has the fanciest website. Relationships begin because people remember people.
Here Are Five Simple Ways To Become More Memorable Online
- Show up consistently. Familiarity builds trust.
- Let your personality shine. People connect with real people, not perfect ones.
- Teach something useful. Helping someone solve a problem makes you memorable.
- Be approachable. Reply to comments, answer questions, and genuinely care about people.
- Keep your message simple. People remember clarity far longer than complexity.
Notice that none of those require a huge budget or thousands of followers or being the loudest person on the internet. They simply require being yourself, showing up consistently, and giving people a reason to remember you.
The interesting thing is that my wife never intended to become “The Coffee Lady.” She was simply focused on taking care of her family every single morning. Consistency did the rest.
Your online business works the same way. Every helpful email you send. Every blog post you publish. Every comment you leave. Every question you answer. Every time you help someone without expecting something in return. Someone is paying attention. You may never know who is quietly watching your journey until one day they reach out and say, “I’ve been following you for a while.”
Just like that husband who drove past my wife every morning, people notice far more than we think they do. The question isn’t whether people are watching. The question is what they’ll remember when they do.
One of the reasons I enjoy being part of the Internet Profits Academy is because it focuses on building a real business without all the hype and confusion that seems to be everywhere these days. Even better, there is now a FREE membership option, so you can explore the community, see how everything works, and decide if it’s a good fit before spending a single penny. I honestly wish something like this had existed when I first started my online journey. If you’d like to learn more, I’d love to have you take a look HERE.
As always, I’d love to hear from you. Have you ever been known by a nickname that came from something you did every day? Or have you ever become memorable for something you never even realized people noticed? Leave a comment below. Those stories are usually the best ones.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I should probably go make my wife a cup of coffee. She has spent years earning the title of “The Coffee Lady,” and somehow I still haven’t earned the title of “Helpful Husband.” According to her, I’m making progress, but apparently I’m a work in progress.
“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” – Maya Angelou
“Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value.” – Albert Einstein
And of course, a few VERY BAD Dad jokes:
Why did the coffee file a police report? Because it got mugged.
My wife told me I drink too much coffee. I told her, “You’re just jealous of my mug-nificent personality.”
Until next time, STAY FRESH, Friends!
Hi Ernie,
Another great blog entry – that definitely fits into what we’re trying to build online.
Brought me a smile and made me remember that during basic training, I’d usually wake up at around 4:30am, get coffee going and try (yes, try…) to get some “me” time.
It was rather ironic because the Colonel in charge of the training school, unbeknownst to many, made his rounds around the different training areas and would casually talk to everyone.
Long story short, it got to be a bit of a recurring thing where he’d bring his cup and we’d share a coffee and talk about how training was going.
Come graduation time, after the ceremony, he walks up to me and hands me a coffee; nothing else said, just a smile and the coffee and the perplexed look on everyone around me.
I always remembered how he made me feel just by having a coffee and a conversation during those mornings.
When it comes to how to treat your customers, treat them as if they were a friend enjoying a coffee with you. It will go a long way in creating a positive business environment.
Cheers!
Marc – What a fantastic story! I love that after everything you went through in basic training, one of the things that stuck with you was simply sharing a cup of coffee and a conversation with the Colonel. And that moment at graduation when he handed you the coffee without saying a word says more than a long speech ever could. Apparently, coffee has been quietly building relationships for a very long time!
You nailed the business lesson too. People want to be treated like people, not transactions. Sometimes taking the time to listen, have a conversation, and genuinely care can mean more than anything we could ever sell them. Thanks so much for sharing this, my friend. Now I’m beginning to wonder if I should forget this online business stuff and just open a coffee shop! ☕😂