Savvy Store Solutions
Veteran retailer Carol Schroeder shares her experience and perspective on the ups and downs of being a gift retailer.
It's About Time
How much of your time is spent working in your business rather than on your business? Studies show that businesses fail because they don't make the right decision at the right time -- but most of us spend the majority of our day dealing with the myriad of details involved in running the shop. I don't want to downplay the importance of spending at least part of your day assisting customers and wor... Read More
Comments (0)Mistakes Were Made
We all make mistakes, and hopefully become better buyers by learning from them. What are some of your favorites? I've been around long enough to remember saying that I thought the pet rock was a dumb idea that would never sell. And that was just one of my earliest blunders.The secret to surviving mistakes is to take quick action in response. Here are a few common buying mistakes, and some sugges... Read More
Comments (0)Do You Squidoo?
If you want your customers to see your shop through a different lens while shopping online, Seth Godin's brainchild Squidoo may be just what you are looking for. Squidoo, which is now 5 years old, is a user-generated website that allows anyone to create single pages (called lenses) on subjects of interest. The concept behind Squidoo is that you are providing insights about a product or activity t... Read More
Comments (0)CREATIVE WINTER PROMOTIONS
HO, HO, HO -- holiday's over, holiday's over, holiday's over. What are you doing this month to bring customers to your store, and to your shopping area? And I hope your answer isn't a sale, because today's shoppers are getting pretty jaded when it comes to discounts. Winter lasts a long time, especially here in Wisconsin, and aside from the small flurry of shopping around Valentine's Day there i... Read More
Comments (0)A BENEFIT THAT BENEFITS: VTO
Move over, paid vacation, sick days and personal time off. There is a new perk now being offered by some small businesses: v.t.o, which stands for volunteer time off. And unlike others benefits, this one is a win-win for the employee, the business and the community too.The idea behind v.t.o. is that your company pays your employee for a set number of hours of volunteer work done to help a local (... Read More
Comments (0)ARE SHOPPERS GETTING SMARTER?
Smart phones are becoming common companions in the shopping experience, and are changing the nature of our interaction with our customers. Have you thought of ways to take advantage of this recent phenomenon?The Orange Tree Imports customer in the photo above is using his iPhone to send his mother a photo of an apron to see if it is the one that she wants. Other shoppers consult notes and lists on... Read More
Comments (0)We All Need More Friends
Successful marketing through Facebook is dependent on having a lot of friends -- or fans -- for your shop. It's a challenge to motivate customers to take the extra step to go to Facebook and click on "like." I'm inspired by a small tea shop here on Monroe Street in Madison that has over 3,000 friends. How did they do it? The simple answer is that Macha Teahouse invited its customers, one... Read More
Comments (2)Everyone Benefits
Bringing shoppers into your store should be the goal of all your promotional efforts -- and if your promotion benefits a worthwhile organization at the same time, it's a win-win situation! Yesterday we hosted an event in our store that raised $1,000 for scholarships for my alma mater, the U.W. Scandinavian Studies Department. And I'm happy to say that we had a busy day, with lots of happy shoppe... Read More
Comments (0)Shopping Suggestions
"I personally recommend this" are very powerful words in the interaction between a salesperson and a customer. (OK, not as powerful as "free," but we need to stay in business!) Shoppers are eager for ideas about what to buy, and as specialty shop retailers we are in a unique position to make meaningful personal recommendations. We know that reviews and ratings are tools that... Read More
Comments (0)Bargain Hunting
We love it when our suppliers make their closeouts and overstocks available to our shop instead of selling them to T.J. Maxx or Marshall's. The fact that customers can find products at these discount outlets very similar to the ones we're offering at full price makes us independent retailers look bad, and cheapens the perceived value of these products.But when our store is able to buy closeouts a... Read More
Comments (1)What I Wish I Knew
WE ALL LEARN FROM OUR MISTAKES -- HOPEFULLY! NEIL PATEL, WHO DESCRIBES HIMSELF AS A "SERIAL ENTREPRENEUR," HAS COMPILED A LIST OF THE 17 THINGS HE WISHES HE'D KNOWN WHEN HE WENT INTO BUSINESS. HE OFFERS THEM UP IN A BLOG ENTRY ON GEEKWIRE SO THAT YOU CAN AVOID MAKING THESE MISTAKES YOURSELF.HERE ARE A FEW OF FAVORITES BITS OF ADVICE FROM NEIL'S LIST, WITH MY COMMENTS. I ENCOURAGE YOU TO... Read More
Comments (0)Courting Courtesy
The Buy Local mentality is alive and well among our neighboring businesses here on Monroe Street in Madison, WI. About 40 of the shops, restaurants and service providers on our street offer informal discounts for those who work on Monroe Street (or own their own business). The vast majority offer 10% off goods or services, although my employees can also get $2.00 off the rental of a swan paddle bo... Read More
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