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The Gifted Retailer

GDA Staff -- Gifts and Dec, 5/16/2011 5:13:11 PM

"Buy what sells, not just what you like" is a mantra that owner Francene Pisano Dudziec of Monogram Muse in Clarks Summit, PA, keeps repeating to herself when stocking the store shelves. "Just because I'm tired of looking at it, doesn't mean my customer is," she says.

Gifts & Decorative Accessories: What do you like best about being a retailer? Monogram Muse
Francene Pisano Dudziec: Receiving positive feedback and having customers feel satisfied with their purchase, that they have selected something unique and special, is what is most rewarding about being a retailer. It's especially gratifying when a new customer comes in telling us how they received a gift from us and were so impressed that they had to stop in for a visit. We are also grateful for our repeat customers that continue to support us and also suggest us to their family and friends.

My family was an inspiration for the concept behind our store. My daughters and I all have unusual names, so we could never find trendy, fun personalized items locally. I was constantly looking for unique gifts and wanted to bring these items to our region. It's equally fulfilling when a customer comes in to order a gift for a recipient with an unusual name saying that they could never find anything with their name on it.

Impeccable service, personalized gift giving in a relaxed setting and gorgeous complimentary gift wrap are just a few of the benefits of shopping at our store.

G&DA: What was the most valuable piece of business advice that you ever received?
FPD: I grew up in a family owned business and my parents were always telling me that it's not an easy job to own your own business. I opened my store with an open mind, knowing that I was going to have to work my hardest, knowing that there's going to be good times and bad times, and mistakes will be made. They taught me to stick it out, make changes where necessary to keep focus on the business. Some people go into business thinking that their life will be easier and don't realize how much time and effort it takes to maintain a successful business.

Monogram Muse Second to that, would be "buy what sells, not just what you like." I often get tired of selling the same products so I try to test out a few new ones and then end up getting stuck with them. "Buy what sells" I repeat to myself. Just because I'm tired of looking at it doesn't mean my customer is. Some customers have their one or two product favorites and just keep ordering the same gift for their recipients so I have to remember to keep it in stock and be grateful that they are a happily satisfied repeat customer.

Equally rewarding is attending the trade shows with my daughter. It's exciting to be the first to see new products and trends in the industry.

G&DA: What is/was your most successful promotion?
FPD: It was actually our most recent one. Our town just started a monthly art walk and we participated in the second event. Knowing that most of my customers are families, rather than offer a wine tasting or something for an adult crowd, we hosted an art event for kids - rock painting. Well the rock painting was a big success! We had a number of new guests that hadn't known about our store. We advertised via social media, our personal email list and sent home flyers with kids at school. We also received a lot of press and publicity for the event. It was a very low investment with a large return. We are considering hosting it every month through the summer.

G&DA: What three products/lines are you best sellers?
FPD: We have a number of best seller products, but overall I'd have to say jewelry. Who doesn't appreciate receiving jewelry especially if it's monogrammed? If a customer can't decide on a product, they usually end up selecting Monogram Muse jewelry. We also stock pre-initialed jewelry pieces for the customer that needs a last minute gift but is still looking for something personal.

Our monogram baby products are also very successful. New mom's love to see their new baby's name on their gifts. We carry premium baby gifts that will stay with the child and eventually become a keepsake favorite.

Third would be our personalized aluminum beverage tubs. They are a great hostess gift for the summer months and holidays, and sell year round for wedding and engagement presents.

G&DA: What are you doing to attract new customers?
FPD: Social media, a lot of it. I post daily on Facebook and at least once a month on Twitter and email ads. I also send out press releases for all our events or business changes such as local awards or recent recognition. Press release distribution helps you create buzz, increase online visibility and get attention to your business.

G&DA: What was your most effective display?
FPD: Our most effective display is the interior of our new location. We recently moved and our previous store was starting to get cramped. Our new location is within a charming home-like setting. We moved from two rooms into four, consisting of large windows, hardwood floors and French doors. Customers have admired the ease of visibility of all our products, the warm cozy feeling and the pleasant inviting rooms with an abundance of natural light that compliment our product displays.

G&DA: How do you find your best employees?
Monogram Muse FPD: Our best employees have been from referrals. Our business isn't just retail, it's focused on custom, unique gifts and requires a certain amount of creativity and talent. I've been lucky to find great employees that not only offer good customer service skills, but are also creative with an interest in design and art.

G&DA: What was your biggest retail problem and how did you solve it?
FPD: Starting a new, unique business, gaining a customer base was our biggest problem. We knew we had a niche but getting the word out via paid advertising was consuming a lot of our budget. We cut back on paid advertising and invested time into social media. We found that using social media and collecting customers emails has turned out to be the best form of advertising for us. Although it's not a large financial expense, it does takes up a lot of time but the response has been much more successful than our previous paid advertising. Social media also allows us to have a more personal connection with our customers.

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