Make Retailing a Happening (HACC Flagship November, 2009)

Q: Dear Coach Barry: I run a small retail business in Centerville. My traffic is down this time of year, but I think I offer great items at great value during the winter. How can I keep the customers coming in to get me through the winter? – Anonymous

A: Dear Anon … Thanks for asking. If you’re going to be open, you need the year-rounders coming in all winter and spring. I suggest you work towards building a loyal following by staying in touch. The most impactful thing you can do is ‘buy’ your customer’s contact information and then use it to serve them. Suppose you offer a 10-20% discount on their next purchase if your customer gives you a phone and email address. As you collect the information, build a simple database and keep it handy in the store. After all, you can’t let people get the discount twice for giving you the same information !! Then do some simple things and use your information to get the word out.

Create a rollout of items. Introduce an item for the holidays, and tell them that there will be a companion item with a New Year’s theme for January, a Lover’s theme for February, a Spring theme for April, and a beach theme for June. Keep them coming back all the time.

Host an event with the rollout of the new items. A fashion show, or a wine tasting, or a trivia contest. Make it fun to shop with you.

Create merchandise that promotes your shop or restaurant -- How about a knit cap or tee-shirt with your logo and a clever saying. A hockey rink out of state gave away and sold boxer shorts that had “The Smell of Hockey” written across the bum. And who doesn’t have a coffee mug that says “Cuddles & Bubbles”. Most family restaurants sell shirts or water bottles with their name on it, but without a clever ‘must have’ saying, they mostly hang on the wall and get dusty. Make your advertising a collector’s item.

Thank-you cards – The last time you got one, it was probably from you mother. When did you last get one from a store or business? Wouldn’t it be impressive? Do it, and do it before your competitor does.

Call customers to say ‘thank you’ two days after they bought from you. Even if you only leave a message, think about the impact that will have. You’ll be the talk of the town.

And finally, with a data base of customer contacts, you can also do some of the techniques we talked about last month. Check out the October Flagship posting on this blog.