What Seattle Businesses Get Right

Nov 20, 2025

How Visually Engaging Businesses Turn Curiosity Into Customers — And How You Can Do the Same

On a recent trip to Seattle, I found myself completely fascinated, not just by the city, but by how certain businesses at Pike Place Market used visual storytelling to attract crowds. These weren’t grand marketing budgets or elaborate setups. They were simple, clever, and incredibly effective strategies that any small business, including podiatry clinics, could learn from.

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Seeing the Product Being Made Is a Magnet for Attention

Beecher’s Handmade Cheese is impossible to walk past without stopping. Huge glass windows reveal the entire cheesemaking process: the liquid curds being mixed, the solids being shovelled, and staff working in full view.

People crowd around the glass, record videos and take photos, and then inevitably walk inside to buy something. I even tried their mac and cheese (for breakfast, of all things), and it was sensational.

The Pike Place Fish Market pulls the same lever but in a different way. Their loud calls, flying fish, and cheeky monkfish jump-scares have become world-famous. The result? Crowds of people watching, filming, and sharing. That’s free marketing amplified by social media.

Samples and Activity Create Buy-In

Bonnie B’s pickled preserves hooked me with one word: samples. A large sign invited people to taste everything. It worked; I did, and I wanted to buy.

Nearby, Hellenika Cultured Creamery showcased staff actively making Greek yoghurt and churning different flavours in the front window. I visited multiple times because the experience was just as compelling as the product.

Across all these businesses, a theme emerges: activity + visibility = engagement. When people see motion, colour, and craft, curiosity kicks in, and curiosity leads to conversation and purchases.

How Podiatrists Can Apply the Same Strategy

You may be thinking, “We’re not throwing fish or making cheese, how does this apply to podiatry?”

If you have a 3D printer for orthotics, put it in your reception area. My clients who’ve done this didn’t just attract attention; their orthotic numbers increased significantly.

People asked questions, created social posts, and became more comfortable saying yes to treatment plans because they understood the process.

If space is tight, create a live-feed screen showing your orthotics being manufactured elsewhere in the clinic. A simple camera and TV can transform waiting time into education and engagement.

If You Can’t Show a Process, Create a Visual Feature

Not every business has equipment to display, but every business can create something worth photographing:

A weekly “Quote Board” created by a local chalk artist
A “Joke of the Week” sign (people love sharing these)
A mini art wall from local creatives
Seasonal or themed displays for events
A live “Fun Fact of the Day” whiteboard

These ideas spark the same behaviours you saw in Seattle: people stop, smile, take photos, talk, and share.

The Simplest Marketing Strategy Is the One People Share for You

The businesses I saw in Seattle didn’t rely on complicated funnels or paid ads. Instead, they leaned into what humans naturally do: watch something interesting, talk about it, and share it with others.

Every podiatry clinic can create a version of this. It doesn’t need to be big. It just needs to be memorable.

Business Guidance When Needed?

If you want help improving your business and marketing heading into 2026, and you want a business coach who makes learning fun instead of a chore, please reach out.

Below is a link to my calendar. You can schedule a free 30-minute Zoom call with me to discuss any aspect of podiatry. You may have business questions or need career advice; regardless, I’m here to help where I can.

A podiatrist I spoke with in early 2024 earned $40K by following advice from our free 30-minute Zoom session. And, they never became a coaching or mentoring client.

You have everything to gain and nothing to lose, and it’s not a TRAP. I’m not out to get you; I’m here to help you if you need assistance.

Please, follow the link below to my calendar and schedule a free 30-minute Zoom call. I guarantee that after we talk, you will have far more clarity on what is best for you, your business, and your career.

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