The beauty of having bad employees is that it points out a problem, right? And when you see a problem, you have 2 options: Whine about it or address it. I always say, there are only two kinds of retailers – whiners and winners. I already know YOU are a WINNER… So let’s address the problem, shall we? The root … Read More
Amazon Prime Days: How do you increase your sales by 176%?
Would you like to know how YOU should celebrate Amazon Prime Days? Wait, what?! Why am I asking you, an independent retailer, to cheer for Amazon Prime Days? Because this is a huge opportunity to take advantage of the cultural fanfare this event gets and puts a local twist on it to make it your own successful annual event. In fact, … Read More
A powerful report you are probably NOT evaluating (Part 1 of 3)
To make the best decisions possible when going to market or placing orders for an upcoming season, you need to come prepared. Of course you’ll want to have your Open To Buy plan (OTB) which tells you how much you should be spending on new inventory, based on your sales history and projections. But your OTB plan is only one … Read More
Don’t Miss the Pieces of GOLD at your Next Trade Show
It’s trade show time. ☺ You come back from trade shows with so much NEW…new lines, new items, new ideas and new enthusiasm. Right? Imagine today is your first day back at work. You are pumped up! As you pull up to your store you are thinking, “Just wait until my team hears about all the great new items I … Read More
10 Top Tactics to Manage Your Cash Flow Better
After having been in retail for over 30 years, there are proven tactics that work well in keeping your finances and operations going smoothly. Each one is tried and true. Most come from mistakes that I have made that I don’t want you to make. There is such value in getting an outside perspective on your own business. It’s why … Read More
Want More Profit? Better Sleep? 4 Ways to Breakthrough to the Next Level
Definition of A BREAKTHROUGH: any significant of sudden advance that removes a barrier to progress. Our stated goal: To help you shift your perspective and raise your level of consciousness so that you actively create the business and life you desire by giving you concrete, actionable activities that will help you remove barriers and advance to the next level of … Read More
Taking It Personally
Yesterday, I visited a shop that only sells children’s books. The store was empty and I asked the clerk, “Do you know where I can find Yertle the Turtle?” He walked over to the computer, typed a few keystrokes and said, “I don’t think we have it, do you know who the author is?” Stunned silence. [I found the section … Read More
50 Cents NOW Or 1 In July …Maybe
Which is better? 50 Cents NOW or $1 in July…maybe 1. Tough question. After my post a couple of weeks ago about moving out the last of your sale merchandise at steep discounts, I got pushback and many questions about it. (These are actual emails and FB posts.) From Lynn: Freaking out a bit, but also sick of starring at … Read More
Ho Ho Ho – The Secret Translation
What! Ho Ho Ho has a secret translation? We can all picture Santa Claus leaning back with hands on his belly while saying “ho ho ho”. It is part of his joyful and laughter-rich image. “Ho ho ho” is an onomatopoeia, which is a word that sounds like what it means. It is a deep and happy sound. In the … Read More
5 Ways Every Retailer Can Increase Holiday Season Sales
The Holiday Season is every retailer’s dream and nightmare. When I owned my boutique, I used to joke that I wished Jesus had a brother so we could do it all two times a year instead of one. At the same time, the holiday season caused a lot of stress for my team and me, I REALLY wanted to make … Read More
