| Coolest Restaurant Ever: Mama's Ladas: | | | | MINDshare, not MARKETshare. |
| Downtown Sioux Falls, South Dakota. | | | | 4. Make the mundane memorable. 99% of the |
| Here's why... | | | | places you eat dinner have some sort of |
| When you walk in the door, you see fewer than | | | | organized ordering system. These guys don't |
| ten tables. | | | | even have menus! |
| When you look at the walls, you see traditional | | | | 5. Cool and remarkable. When was the last time |
| Mexican decorations. | | | | YOU blogged about an enchilada? |
| And the owner (also the waitress) offers a | | | | 6. Specific. They specialize and have expertise in a |
| friendly greeting and tells you to sit anywhere you | | | | narrow, yet marketable product. |
| want. | | | | 7. Fun. When the meal was over, the owner |
| There are no menus. | | | | came over with a big basket full of Halloween |
| There are no options. | | | | candy and said, "Would you like dessert?" |
| There are no specials. | | | | Awesome! (I had a Snickers Mini.) |
| There are only enchiladas. | | | | 8. About, not from. Every dining guide and |
| And when she comes over to take your order, | | | | restaurant reviewer for Sioux Falls mentions this |
| she doesn't ask, "What can I get for ya?" | | | | place. It's also been written up in several |
| She simply says, "Beef or Chicken?" | | | | publications. |
| Because there are only enchiladas. | | | | 9. Be (somewhat) predictable. Their consistency |
| That's the ONLY thing they serve. | | | | and familiarity puts customers at ease. |
| A business that only sells ONE thing! Brilliant! | | | | 10. No competition. It's not like you could go to |
| AND, IT'S NO SURPRISE: their enchiladas are | | | | the "other" enchilada place in Sioux Falls. They're it. |
| freaking AMAZING. | | | | 11. People respond to policies. You get beef or |
| AND, IT'S (ALSO) NO SURPRISE: everyone in | | | | chicken. That's the deal. Enchiladas or bust. You |
| Sioux Falls has either eaten there or heard | | | | gotta love that! |
| someone talk about eating there. | | | | Mama's Ladas, you win the Approachability Award. |
| Hell, I'm lactose intolerant and I still ate there! | | | | Congrats! |
| THE POINT IS: Mama's Ladas gets it. | | | | And if you're hungry after reading this post, and |
| Everything I preach about approachability, they do | | | | happen to be in the Sioux Falls area, check 'em |
| right. For example: | | | | out: |
| 1. THEE, not A: not just a Mexican restaurant, | | | | Mama's Ladas |
| THEE Mexican restaurant for enchiladas in Sioux | | | | 116 W 11th St |
| Falls. | | | | Sioux Falls, SD 57104 |
| 2. Own a word. Every time I hear the word | | | | (605) 332-2772 |
| enchilada, I think back to my experience at | | | | LET ME ASK YA THIS... |
| Mama's. And I bet I'm not the only customer who | | | | What if YOU only sold one thing? |
| does that. | | | | LET ME SUGGEST THIS... |
| 3. Be That Guy. When I told my client where I | | | | For the list called, "22 Questions to Sidestep |
| ate dinner the night before, she said, "The | | | | Entrepreneurial Atrophy," send an email to me, |
| Enchilada People? Nice!" Great example of | | | | and I'll send you the list for free! |