Over the last month, three emails came to me about Rachel’s Brownies from enduring fans who were wildly ecstatic about our brand. Rachel’s Brownies was a business my wife started, and we built together from 1975-1989.
These enduring fans find us either directly through my blog or through our daughter’s website (www.fannyslater.com) as she had a variation of our original recipe in her cookbook published Orange, Lavender & Figs. (Fanny won Rachael Ray’s Great American Cookbook Competition)
We sold Rachel’s Brownies to GoodMark Foods in 1989, and the business continued until about 1996. Then, sadly the bakery, along with other bakery businesses owned by GoodMark Foods, was sold to some ex-Nabisco executives. That new company closed their doors a few years later and the last brownie was baked.
We made the last Rachel’s Brownies about 25 years ago, yet these enduring fans remain loyal.
My wife and I moved on from selling our business. We loved the business experiences we had together and we are proud of what we built. Did you know we had lunch with The President of the United States in 1985? Read about that here.
But our raving fans still crave something that can no longer buy.
It isn’t unusual to get letters from fans who haven’t consumed one bite of our brownies in the last 25 years. These fans wanted to know if we could whip up a batch just for them. Rachel’s is a brands with enduring fans that outlived the product. What’s going on?
Brands and Raving Fans
I’m not surprised that our brownie fans still crave our beautiful chocolate delights. What created such a bond? In building our business, we made a calculated decision that all of our marketing resources would go into quality control and ingredient purity. We did everything we knew to create a spectacular product over and over again each day.
We didn’t skimp on ingredients; we always erred on the side of the customer. We built perfections into every morsel. We focused on word of mouth marketing. This Nestle ad featured us because we used their premium chocolate. They paid to run these ads.
In the ’70s and ’80s, the Internet didn’t exist. We didn’t do traditional advertising or digital marketing. We focused on making a product so superior that people would want to keep buying it over and over again.
Lessons from A Double Chocolate Brownie
Although I have been in marketing for more than 40 years, the lessons from our brownie business, like our fans, have lasted a long time.
- Make a product or deliver a service, unlike any other product on the market.
- Never cut corners. When an ingredient doubles in cost – tough luck. Suck it up and keep making a great product.
- Focus. Focus. Focus. Do one thing exceedingly well.
- Take back any product without any question.
- If someone gets a product that isn’t perfect –give them their money back or replace it.
- Create and inspire a workforce of people who are happy and love the work.
- Live your brand. Be authentic. Don’t overhype.
- Be generous to your community. Share as much as you can.
- Don’t take yourself too seriously.
The secret to having a brand that endures beyond the product is to understand the true nature of your business.
We were never in the bakery business.
We sold joy, one bite at a time.
My grandfather Poppa George who loved Rachel’s Brownies. He proudly wore our Rachel’s Brownie t-shirt to promote our brand. Circa 1989.
Need help with creating raving fans?
I can help. You can set up a time chat with me about your marketing challenges using my calendar. Our initial conversation is free. You talk, I listen. Email me jeffslater@themarketingsage.com or call me. 919 720 0995. Visit my website at www.themarketingsage.com. Let’s explore working together today.
Photo by Agustin Fernandez on Unsplash
