How Do Retail Stores Handle the Paradigm Shift in Retailing?
For much of his 30-year career, Charles has worked in a variety of occupational environments including retail sales, food services, real estate and enterprise software development. Today, Charles is a Business Alliance Executive with Paladin Data Corporation, a software services company that provides retail solutions and services to hardware stores, pharmacies and other retail verticals. […]
10 Last-Minute Holiday Sales Tips
Keep your store bustling during the holidays with these last-minute sales tips. At this time of year, we see Christmas cheer in every window. Well, we will be seeing it once Halloween is over. Hardware and retail stores are under a lot of pressure to keep a hold on customer interest. Imagine this: The holidays […]
Simple Tips for Managing Growth
According to the National Retail Federation, the retail industry added 43,600 jobs in August. Forbes reports that consumers are spending again, mainly in categories like cars, housing, e-commerce, appliances and home projects. This presents a guarded but optimistic outlook for growth for the upcoming season. How will you manage that growth once it comes your […]
How to Handle Customer Acquisition as a Small Business
As a small business, should I focus on gaining new customers, or repeat customers? Good question. The answer: Ideally, both. A more complicated answer: As you grow your business, it can be difficult to focus on acquiring new customers and preserving current ones1. You have to choose which path to take: new or old customers? […]
How to Talk to Customers Like a Pro
Do you still get nervous when talking to customers? If you’re looking for a few tips to help get over those tight-chested, shallow breath and heart attack feelings, there are a few ways you can show them you want to pursue a relationship. You can always tell when a customer service representative really cares. It’s […]
5 Low-Cost Customer Appreciation Ideas
Many customers walk into stores expecting to be treated well. While they may get smiles and a greeting at a big-box store, there’s an advantage to being a small business. A mom and pop store has the advantage of offering a customer experience that will knock their socks off. Not literally, though. It’s not fun […]
Beyond Brick and Mortar: Are You Losing Customers to Online Stores?
E-commerce. The word strikes fear in the heart of many brick-and-mortar store owners. The statistics can be concerning. In 2011, internet marketing experts reported that 78% of Internet users conduct product research online and 40% of US smart phone users compare prices on their mobile device while shopping in-store. Shoppers often use local stores as […]
25 Tips to Run a Successful Business
It’s always been tough to run a small business, but it seems like the economy is out to get us nowadays. While small businesses fight to make money, they also have to defend their customers like they’re precious seedlings in the garden. Drawing customers in is difficult, keeping them at your store is challenging, and […]
How to Find Employees that Love Your Store
Every employee should love your store. When I say love, I mean go out of their way to treat customers right and bring in more business. No customer wants to be ignored by a grumpy employee, or brushed off by a rude representative. How do you find employees that love your store as much as […]
How to Provide Excellent Customer Service
The customer is always right. You’ve heard this mantra for years – it’s been burned into your psyche. What does it really mean, though? It means you’re treating their opinions and needs as though they’re important and valuing their loyalty. A store is nothing without people to purchase their services and products. Exceptional customer service […]
4 Effective Marketing Strategies for Your Small Business
As human beings, we enjoy being helpful. If you politely ask for help, people will step forward to offer it. So, why does it have to be any different with small business advertising? Shouldn’t we be able to ask for help with our marketing strategies instead of stretching ourselves thin in order to appeal to […]
How to Prevent Theft in Your Store
Theft is like a wound: it needs to be watched, tended, and prevented. With modern adaptations like electronic coupons, mobile gift cards, and online purchases, thievery is taking a new turn. They’ve become bolder with their tactics. Are you aware of these changes? Scare Thieves Away from Your Store We may have come up with […]
Make a Sale Online without Dragging Your Customers into a Deal
How do I lead an online customer to the sale? Most of us have asked. You aren’t alone. Sales are the essential wheels and cogs that keep a store running. It can be difficult to make a profit from an online lead. To get sales, you have to advertise. This is risky business because it […]
4 Ways to Prevent Theft in Your Store
Theft. Whether it’s inside or outside of the company, it’s always painful. The store owner wearily rubbed a hand over his face.Just yesterday he’d found a few items missing from the shelves. A few weeks before that, he’d noticed a sizable change in the cash drawer count. One question had been on his mind for […]
Is Your Social Media Ready for the Public?
Lots of information can be found on the web. What do you want your store to portray? Is your social media ready for the public eye? Here are a few things that you should look over before putting yourself out there. What Your store has a brand. Not only does it have a logo, but […]
