The queue outside Chinatown’s Golden Gate Bakery extends all the way down the street. More people join as customers are served, so the line never gets shorter. Sometimes people show up hoping to buy the famous egg custard tarts through the front door even when the bakery is closed. Locals know to come early and bring cash. Puzzled tourists wonder what they’re missing out on when they see the lines and delighted customers clutching bright pink boxes. Many join the queue and come away with a dozen egg tarts too.
The Golden Gate Bakery is an example of marketing 101.

Marketing 101

1. Make something people want.
2. Consistently deliver on your promise to your customers.
3. Give them a way to spread the story about the thing you made.

If you tick all three boxes, then you’ve got a marketing plan.

Image by Gary Stevens