Articles
Read The Street
Think of a time recently when you were strolling along Main Street or walking through a mall and suddenly felt yourself being “pulled” toward a specific shop or restaurant. Do you remember what got
your attention? Was it the colors of the storefront, the store’s signs, an attractive store window display, or some action or movement that caught your eye? If we analyze what most often convinces a
passerby to stop in and visit a new business, it usually comes down to the “allure of the exterior of the business.”
Retailing-Where Do We Go From Here?
It seems we are reinventing retailing once again! Is your small business adapting for these changes? The “blame” for the slump
in retail sales growth is often “the economyl recessionary times, onset of the internet, the weather, etc.” Change is the constant in
the world of retail today.
Considering Going Green? Start Small – But Start!
Combining sustainability with small business is a win-win for communities and business
owners. Simply stated, sustainability is “the ability to endure.” It became apparent to me while researching this article that while many small business owners understand the benefits of “going green,” they aren’t sure how and where to begin!
Setting the Stage for 4th Quarter Sales
Clearly, retailers are aware that the success of fourth quarter sales in 2010 will be depend on the momentum that they create in their stores. “Waiting for business to happen” isn’t a strategy that will work in this economy. Retailers must “make business happen.”
A Sign of the Times
“A sign of the times” is often a response from underperforming business owners as they comment on business and reflect on the volatile economic climate. As I consult with numerous specialty businesses around the country, I often muse about a “sign of the times” from an entirely different perspective – that is, what sign does your storefront deliver to customers or commuters? First, let’s reframe our thinking to reflect the fact that your storefront/façade is a “large billboard” or a business card on a grand scale.
The Trend – No More Business As Usual!
Now and in the near future, all businesses need to adopt the premise to “prepare for business as unusual.” From Madison Avenue to Main Street and around the world, many trends and forces are at work, and they’re affecting how consumers think about shopping and making purchase decisions. These choices span from buying a car to food delivery at your doorstep to custom-designed products just for you.
Competing in the “Sea of Change”
In 2010, it is imperative that business owners carefully re-examine all of their business strategies. In this “sea of change,” coupled with prevailing strong economic headwinds the forcast looms uncertain with market changes, technology changes, sales and marketing changes, and necessary operational changes, among others.
S.O. S. – Stretch Our Staff
Many of today’s highly competitive retail formats are floundering during the dramatic shift in “consumer thinking and expectations” of businesses for both physical and on-line stores. While consulting with small and large businesses around the country, I have become convinced that independent business owners can be hugely successful in this highly competitive marketplace.
No Disaster Plan? Failing to Plan is a Plan to Fail
My very first Main Street assignment in 1992 was to assist business owners in the flood-ravaged communities of West Des Moines, Dubuque, and Amana, Iowa. Thus began a new understanding and compassion for the trauma associated with these types of emergencies/disasters.
Brand -Speak: How do your customers define your brand?
As the economic climate continues to challenge businesses on many levels, I think it is the opportune time for independent merchants, restaurant owners, and owners of service businesses to ask themselves some difficult questions about the perception of their “brand.”
