These days many retailers fear that all of their efforts are in vain because Amazon is going to overtake the world.

A client and I were reviewing her results for the last year – she was up 30%! So exciting, right? I’ll admit that I was feeling pretty sure of what her answer would be when I asked the question, “So, you must be feeling pretty good about our working together, right?” I was shocked when she said, “Well, actually, I am just afraid that I am wasting my time in an industry that will be wiped out by Amazon, the internet and big box stores.” Wow. That set me back. But then I realized how often I have heard it before. It is a deep dark fear.

What would you say if I told you that you have a secret weapon that gives you the power to laugh in the face of the internet?

There is something that you possess that they will NEVER have.

Your personality and your passion.

It shines through all you do. Your merchandising, your carefully edited selection of items, your quirky products at the front counter, your window displays, the events that you chose to do…and not do! Do not underestimate the power of this weapon.

A shopping cart on a screen does not have that. A shopping cart on a screen can have a list of photos on the side with the caption “You might also like”…but it can’t tell Chloe that this one particular necklace will be perfect with the dress she just bought for her best friend’s wedding. The bottom of a screen might show a photo and say, “These items are frequently bought together”…but it can’t tell Jack that you know his mom doesn’t like sleeveless tops. Only YOU can tell a customer the honest truth when they ask, “How do these jeans make my butt look?” There is no app for that.

Only you and your team can look a person in the eye, solve a particular problem for them, answer a question, make life a bit easier for them and then wrap it up in beautiful packaging!

It is not about customer service. Zappos has great customer service. It is about being a resource for a community of like minded individuals. Zappos doesn’t have that!

Your marketing shares your message and passion with your raving fans…….and as they see that you truly can read their minds and find solutions for their issues with the information you share….. they are drawn to you. More information is shared on Facebook and items are pinned and repinned on Pinterest and tweets retweeted and the interaction deepens. And a community is formed.

It all starts with your personality and passion.

No one else has that.

Revel in it! Enjoy it and share it!