| When I interviewed Kevin Rosen of Junior's | | | | more convenient than walking into the store or using |
| Cheesecake here in NYC it was to ask him what he | | | | the 800-number. This ease of entry is crucial to |
| and his family want the Internet to do for them and | | | | bringing customers back to the site again and |
| their business.I met Kevin when he appeared on a | | | | again.With approximately 5000 cheescakes selling |
| panel of business owners taking their companies | | | | every week, it is clear that they have the recipe for |
| online, sponsored by Crains Publishing Company at its | | | | success.We published their profile just over two |
| annual Expo.In fact I interviewed over 50 successful | | | | years, they were early adopters in their industry. |
| long established Main Street companies, asking many | | | | Now there are many people who have jumped on |
| of the same questions that I asked Kevin. I was | | | | this bandwagon - yet Junior's maintains its advantage |
| looking for the common denominator, the two or | | | | by continuing to evolve its strategy.In addition to |
| three reasons that all mentioned for taking their | | | | having their story published on our web site, where it |
| otherwise successful traditional company online.And I | | | | receives consistent daily traffic from Internet |
| got them!Each of them told me that in one way or | | | | searchers, they were used as an example of "Best |
| another in order to increase their market share. | | | | Practices" in the book, "Doing It Right, Realizing Your |
| Junior's, located since 1950 in Brooklyn had just | | | | Company's Potential" that we published in 2003 and |
| opened a Manhattan outlet in Grand Central Terminal. | | | | have recently made available on our web site at no |
| While he was already reaching out into their existing | | | | charge.Now, we're looking for another batch of |
| geographical market Kevin had much bigger plans to | | | | business owners whose story to tell.Were going to |
| extend their market reach nationally if not | | | | be asking some of the same questions, two years |
| internationally.Kevin is the third generation of the | | | | later, in order to complete our research on the |
| family to be involved in the business. When | | | | adaptation of the Internet by traditional mainstream |
| ex-Brooklynites, some living as far away as California, | | | | businesses. And there will be other questions |
| started calling Kevin and asking him to mail them | | | | designed to help us tell the stories of Main Street |
| cheescakes, he knew Junior's was ready for national | | | | companies developing strategies for continued |
| exposure.And they want to use technology to help | | | | success in the 21st Century.The new profiles will also |
| them grow their bottom line by enhancing the | | | | be posted on our web site and some of them will be |
| customer service, increasing productivity, reducing | | | | selected as part of the content in one of the two |
| costs, and having at least a part of their business | | | | books we have in process.Based on our experience |
| operating 24 hours a day seven days a week. He | | | | doing these interviews we've dramatically streamlined |
| began by computerizing back office operations, and | | | | the process for this next round. The process is |
| continues to champion state-of-the-art solutions for | | | | straightforward and will require very little of the |
| the family business, ultimately putting the company in | | | | person being interviewed, beyond the time were on |
| cyberspace.Kevin believes that the two most | | | | the phone together.There is a page entitled Submit a |
| important functions of the web site are to generate | | | | Profile linked to every pay each of our web site (top |
| sales growth and to increase brand awareness. In | | | | right). If you or someone you know is interested in |
| that spirit, the new site focuses primarily on | | | | exploring the idea of telling their story, I believe you |
| e-commerce.Twelve different specialty cheescakes | | | | will find the information you need there.Wayne |
| are offered, as well as gift certificates and | | | | Messick wants to interview business owners |
| collectibles. Users have the capability of creating their | | | | positioning themselves for success in the 21st |
| own personal address book on the site, so repeat | | | | Century. To be interviewed visit And for cutting edge |
| orders and gift-giving can be handled in a mouse-click, | | | | leadership strategies for your business visit where |
| and orders can be easily tracked from the site.Placing | | | | you can also read the full story of Junior's |
| an order on their web site is as easy and perhaps | | | | CheeseCakes. |