This blog, for me, is like an invisible friend. Somebody I can talk to when nobody is listening or watching and often as juvenile as the 5 year old me with my REAL invisible friend (and 'explains' the through-the-night ramblings that occasionally appear) and as such is unbelievably unprofessional.
Which makes it very shocking when someone comes into the shop and mentions something they've read here. 'I'm sorry, that's between me and ******. Who the hell are you?'
But from next year we're steppin' up. I don't think, from experience, our new chelsea customers will appreciate obvious drunkenness, rudeness, swearingness and stoopidity. So what to do? We've got 12 days before we close for 2 weeks. C&P fire up again from the 7th of january. Expect a new, mature style that will deal with serious business issues as befits serious business men (that's us, by the way). Expect a bookselling version of the Economist. Expect dry-arsed analysis of e-book market trends and the future of digitisation in the publishing industry. Expect C&P to be the first port of call for comment on the ground-breaking trends in the field of modernist literature...
...but until christmas we'll try and slip in as many knob jokes as is humanly possible. Then it's hasta la vista 'blog-as-we-know-it' and bienvenue! brave new world.
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Remember the story about the frog and the scorpion?
ReplyDelete".......it is being part of a winning team. It is also being on the side of the underdog. That is one of the great joys of starting businesses. It is the big corporations against which you are aiming that generally react far too late against you. Generally, they are contemptuous of you - 'how can these people survive another quarter of an hour?' The big corporations here tend to be terribly smug, terribly dismissive and lacking in understanding of what vitality the newcomer can bring to the market. We got through largely because the big corporations, Menzies and Smiths, did not compete against us. The lack of competition from big corporations is very strange. Often the public rather like the underdog and will go with the newcomer if they can, because they find it fun to do so."
Tim Waterstone (from his speech "Anatomy of an Entrepreneur")
Hmmm.... wonder if in 10 years time some little buds will split off C&P corp. to become..??
The future is so exciting for you guys now.
I do wish you all the best, even Boo Van Radley.
About changing the blog from a frothy malt beer to champagne... yes, it does make sense, but I don't quite know how I'll do with the new flavour.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on the expansion chaps. But before you go changing too much, just think: how much of your success can be directly attributable to your site and more specifically your blog....?
ReplyDeleteIt epitomises the difference and friendliness will always be more attractive than professionalism!
All the best!
Ian
Close. For. Two. Weeks!!
ReplyDeleteBloody dilettantes
Jon,
ReplyDeleteMarket conditions! Lower Marsh shuts down for two weeks after christmas, honest.
Anyway, it'll be the last holiday we get for some time.
Have you thought how you will be adapting your "offer" to the new location? Hot tip: Dalrymple - plenty of experience in HMPs lots to say about second division types.
ReplyDeleteI'm all the way up here in Newcastle and will sorely miss this blog when it turns pro in January. i'll have to get on the look out for anotehr one that deals with serious issues, like knob jokes...
ReplyDeleteAh - the dilemma of growth. Your smallness allows you to adapt more quickly and do the things big companies can't do, which means you gain competitive advantage and grow, then become like the big companies and can't do the things you used to do that allowed you to grow.
ReplyDeleteUg.
Also, the bigger you are the more people think they can sue you. When you're small, no-one cares!
Mind you, if you can somehow 'bottle' that C&P essence which comes through in the blog and keep it on the right side of the libel laws, I can see a wonderful brand and the chain expanding rapidly.
Right up until you are purchased by Waterstones of course!
You're not serious! Are you...?
ReplyDeleteI'm thrilled with the new location - just over the bridge from me - but devastated that you're going to posh up your blog.
ReplyDeletePlease don't.