Honor Among Bees

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Even after a year of honor system business, it's still a thrill to watch people stop ... smile ... shake their heads in disbelief ... but almost always BUY! We're convinced that folks sometimes purchase our honey (whether they need it or not) just because the sheer novelty of our super-soft sales approach appeals to them.

Maybe our invitation to "honk if you need help" encourages honesty with the hint that watchful eyes are nearby, but we like to believe that most folks simply respect the fact that we trust them.

Whatever the reason, we'd never had more than small-change losses until a couple of months ago ... when, to our surprise, the till was short by $5.00! The missing money was bad enough in itself, but the thought that we might have to alter our sales system was even worse! After all, we were used to being free all day to work in the shop or with the bees, to garden, to run errands, or simply to rest. Until that shortage showed up, our tiny losses hadn't ever added up to enough to justify the long hours that would be spent if we actually "tended shop".

Happily, the whole matter was cleared up a few days later. We were enjoying a chat with some customers when one of them glanced at a birdhouse that hangs from a corner of the honey stand. He walked closer and peered inside.

"Did you know that there's money in there?" he asked.

The missing $5.00 had been poked (we don't know why or how) into the entrance hole of the little birdhouse. We retrieved the cash and our faith was restored.

TRICKS OF THE TRADE

While strangers "passin' through" are often good for a jar or more of honey, our real security lies in repeat sales to our local population. To increase that business, we've adopted some "tricks" that are beneficial to both buyer and seller.

For one thing, since glass jars are one of our biggest expenses, we've posted a sign offering to pay cash for used containers . . . and we give people an even better deal when they trade 'em in for honey. This encourages return visits and creates new customers!

And, as another "gimmick", we give away small jars of honey on the slightest occasion. For example, when a new bank held Its "open house" in a nearby town last week, we presented a token "gift" to each employee. Good advertising? Goodwill? Sure! And we can certainly use plenty of both!

Some of our "liquid gold" also goes for shower, birthday, and anniversary presents. Once again, this provides us with "free" advertising while preserving our supply of ready cash. And we often barter jars of honey for Items that we need but can't afford. All of these methods, of course, let people know about our business ... and when they know we're here, folks will often stop in to buy!

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