Amazing rap of the usual pre-flight safety announcement! This is a very talented and creative way of standing out from the crowd – a great example to inspire any business. Take a few minutes to watch, it’s well worth it.

While I was out and about in London last week I had the pleasure of reconnecting with two valuable business services that I think are well worth mentioning.

1. British Library Business & IP Centre

It’s well worth registering for a British Library Reader Pass (a business pass is free and lasts for three years) so you can get access to the Business & IP Centre.

Once you’re in, the Business & IP Center opens up a world of opportunity – networking events, seminars, access to publications (often from around the world), a ‘Fast Growth Club‘, a business funding clinic, a walk-in business surgery, access to expensive industry reports, dedicated research staff – the list goes on.

There are also cafes and desks within the library with free wi-fi so it makes a great central London base to get some work done between client meetings.

2. Mail Media Centre (Infobank Resource Centre)

This hidden gem (up a small lane in Holborn) is brought to you by the Royal Mail. The Mail Media Centre is the ‘central  source of intelligence and innovation for the direct mail industry’ and has Rory Sutherland as a key contributor which is nothing to be sneezed at.

It’s free to register and provides you with the latest marketing insights from industry experts, marketing masterclasses, tools for multi-channel marketing campaigns, brand-building research and events.  Their Infobank Resource Centre gives you free access to highly sought after (and expensive!) Mintel reports and TGi surveys, along with competitor analysis, consumer insights and trend forecasting – all amazing resources for any business.

I hope you find these useful – I’ll let you know if I uncover anything else!

What Is It?

A chain of coffee shops called ‘Cilantro’ from Egypt located at 106 Tottenham Court Road and 193 Piccadilly Street, London.

What Makes It Remarkable?

Firstly, their refreshing tag line is ‘Appetite For Life’.

Secondly, they want you to feel ‘really at home’ and achieve this by offering free wifi, mobile phone charging, an expansive menu, excellent service and allow you to either have your food and drink to go, order it from the counter or sit down and relax and they will serve you at your table. Nothing is too much trouble.

Thirdly, their attention to small detail and additional value. They have created a pocket sized monthly ‘Cilantro Gig Guide’ listing music, film, theatre and art events in London – great for tourists and locals alike. 

Beautifully designed graphics and print material gives them an edge – they do things slightly differently and you notice. Like their free standing notice board with a map of central London, daily newspapers, their in-house magazine and posters of local events. Plus they have shelves with a range of novels – classic and top ten for customers to read while having coffee.

Then there is ‘The Big Red Book’, a gorgeously designed large blank page book for customers to write or draw in, without rules. People write messages for other people, comments and feedback for Cilantro, poems, tips about what to do in London, quotes, snippets of inspiration….

It’s a great place to get away from the hectic pace of the surrounding area, useful for informal meetings or as a base to get some work done between clients.

What little thing could you do in your business to provide remarkable value to your customer and got them talking about you?

During the course of the length of a customer’s stay in London, each time they refer to Cilantro’s gig guide they are seeing Cilantro’s logo and building a connection with their brand. The brand that cared enough to give them something over and above coffee and cake to make their time in London more enjoyable.

What is an inexpensive service that you could offer for free to attract customers?

When I’m in that area and need internet access for my netbook I know where I go (and I buy coffee and food while I’m there).