How to Boost Business in the Summer - Flourish Tip for Retailers

Summer can be a tough season in retail. Your customers are out enjoying the sun, enjoying some travelling, enjoying summer activities with their families and friends.

Don’t panic! All is not lost. 

Craftily using displays, events, community involvement, and extra customer care are a few things you can do to promote  your business and boost those summer sales.

Use Displays

Pull together merchandise you already carry in-store to create a new comprehensive summer display. Think summer fashions, summer entertaining, summer gifts, summer scents …  Feature these items in a prominent area inside your store as well as in your window(s) to attract passers-by.

Host Events

Invite your customers your hosted outdoor or summer-oriented events. Any excuse to create an event will do, really! Perhaps pair up with a complementary business to help create new customers for both businesses. Offer some refreshments, an activity, a draw, specials, or promotions to boost traffic. Hosting a weekday evening event will promote sales on days other than those already busy summer weekends.

Clearance Sales

Summer is a great time to start clearing out old merchandise; start clearing out winter & spring merchandise before fall arrivals, which usually begin arriving in August, to stimulate otherwise slow July revenues. Be sure to group similar items or items within the same promotion and sign them properly so customers feel compelled to buy!

Make Some Phone Calls

Make a quick call to keep your best (and most profitable) customers up-to-date on what’s happening in-store. Keeping the call friendly, invite your trusted customers to your events, tell them about your sale, or update them on future arrivals. Let your customers know they are important to you. Enjoy the chat!

Keep Customers (and pets) Refreshed

Who wouldn’t enjoy a cool, refreshing beverage on a hot summer shopping day? Offer your customers a glass of cold water – perhaps infused with lemon, lime, or cucumber. Don’t forget a bowl of water for visiting pets! Comfortable, happy shoppers are more likely to stick around longer and spend a few extra dollars.

Team up with others

There’s a good chance others in your area are also feeling a lull in business. Chat them up and see what you can accomplish together! You could all chip in to take out an ad or get together for a large community event. Together, you can come up with ideas to take advantage of what might already be happening in the community, too. Business is easier when you’re working as a team.

Get Involved in the Community

What events might be taking place nearby this summer? Sponsor charity or non-profit events happening in your community that might appeal to your target market. Attend these same events armed with business cards or brochures for some good old-fashioned networking!

Although, summer time can be tough for any entrepreneur, don’t forget the resources at your fingertips and to make use of the extra time that a lull in business can provide. Use the time for getting ahead on blog posts (scheduling them to post according to your editorial schedule), tweaking your website, doing guest article posts, or adding to your social media reach. The sky is the limit!

Looking for more info, articles, and interaction? Follow us on facebook, twitter, and Pinterest, too! Not enough?  Get in touch with Flourish today to ensure your store is the most engaging it can be.

Flourishing Retailers Tip

Through my travels and Pinterest scanning this past week, my eye has been drawn how retailers are using their vertical space. Chances are your walls are tall enough that customers can’t reach everything; making use of this extra space can have quite an impact on your store’s overall look and feel.

          Your Flourish Tip:

Use the vertical space to deliver a brand message, through graphics, props, or merchandise displays reflecting what can be found nearby.

Empty, unused space above your fixtures can give your retail space the unfortunate appearance of looking empty, low in stock, or simply unfinished.  Sadly, customers can’t reach this space or any merchandise stored within it, so what do we do?

Use graphics driving your brand or image – specifically lifestyle-oriented images showing customers how happy they will be while using the product.  Take a look the next time you’re shopping in a mall to see how corporate retailers have used their graphics.

 

The area above your fixtures can also be used for additional merchandise displays, such as bust forms dressed in garments found below or a vignette containing interesting combinations of merchandise stored nearby.

Probably one of the most interesting uses of the high-up space I’ve seen is to display props that relate to the merchandise: This way you have an interesting display but aren’t using sellable inventory.

What can you do to make your vertical space more interesting? (I would love to see your opinions or ideas in the comments section below.)

Want more?  Click here to sign up and have the convenience of receiving the tip in your inbox as well as even more to learn about each tip! 

Looking for more info, articles, and interaction? Follow us on facebook, twitter, and Pinterest, too!  Not enough?  Get in touch with Flourish today to ensure your store is the most engaging it can be.

Preparing for a Trade Show in Style on EMomNowTV Live

Instead of your usual old tip, I thought sharing this with you would be fun!  Last Tuesday, I spend an hour with the ladies of Entrepreneur Mom Now sharing and discussing how to prepare for a craft or trade show in style!

Here's the video:

Major takeaways?

• Have a goal in mind and share it with your team
• Four keys to trade show success:
• Draw attention
• Brand!
• Collect Information
• Act! (Follow up)
• The majority of people look 45 degrees to the right when entering, this is a good spot for a booth.
• The butt brush effect - keep aisles and space open, allowing people to move freely
• Invite people in and avoid blocking off your booth
• Create a clean and inviting booth, consider using props, and be sure it reflects you and your brand!

Want more?  Click here to sign up and have the convenience of receiving the tip in your inbox as well as even more to learn about each tip! 

Want a professional look for fall?  Get in touch with Flourish today: website, facebook, twitter, and Pinterest, too!

Tip of the Week

Use visual merchandising to tell your customers a story.  This could be a story centered around lifestyle, colour, trend, or anything else you can imagine!

Spring table display at Elegant Expressions, by Flourish

Any display should give a customer a feeling or a sense, hopefully a good one! This is what telling them a story with merchandise is all about.

Are you having trouble getting started or do you need some inspiration? First, check your marketing calendar... how can you tie in your displays? Second, look for ideas online. In fact, feel free to visit our Pinterest page linked below! Most important of all, have fun with it and so will your customers.

Happy selling!

Want the convenience of receiving the tip, sent directly to your inbox along with even more info?  Click here to sign up!

Looking for more info, articles, and interaction? Follow us on facebook, twitter, and Pinterest, too!

Tip of the Week

Plan your store window changes out on a calendar according to season, holidays, key marketing and promotions, and new shipments.  Be sure to include a change every four to six weeks.

Image: Free People Blog: Summer Store Displays!

Pre-planning all of your window changes allows you to keep an eye out for interesting prop ideas, fixtures, etc.  It gives you time to plan out exciting window displays that entice customers and ensures that you're not changing windows on the fly or in a panic.  That's no fun for anyone!

Have you got questions for Melissa? Check us out on facebook, twitter, Pinterest, the flourish website, or send Melissa an email.

Happy Selling!

Tip of the Week

Father's day is June 16 this year in North America.  If you don't have a plan for Father's Day merchandise yet, now is the time to make one!

Nike men's and women's golf display at Pineridge Golf Resort by Flourish Design & Merchandising

Even if you aren't ordering specific merchandise for Father's Day or aren't typically a Father's Day destination, it doesn't hurt to pull together some quick and easy Father's Day gifts in an easy to spot location.  Wives, partners, and kids may not have been planning to make their Father's Day purchase that day, but a well placed display can easily change that!

This display could be on the front end of a fixture, on a table, or near the cash register. Any prominent place that fits will do!  If you're not bringing in anything special, gather together items from throughout the store that would make a great Father's Day gift!  If you have some manly cards and gift wrap, don't hesitate to pull those in as well.

Lastly, don't forget to top it off with a well placed sign.  Something as simple as "Father's Day is June 16th" or "Everything you need for Dad" is great.  

Happy selling!

Tip of the Week

Take the plastic off!  Customers like to see, feel, and touch and plastic packaging or film impedes their instincts.

Have you ever watched someone browse a store, with their hands on everything?  Have you ever listened to a mom constantly try to remind their kids to "look with your eyes, not with your hands" to no avail?  That's because, instinctively, we need to feel an item before we buy it and that's not just limited to textiles!

The biggest objection I hear to removing packaging is damage.  Removing the plastic from an item can result in a lightly soiled or damaged item, but you are likely to sell far more of it and the items around it.  Selling your display model at a discount is a small price to pay.

Happy selling!

Are you left wanting more?  Sign up to have the tip of the week sent directly to your inbox and receive even more info about each tip!  Sign up here.

Have you got questions for Melissa? Check us out on facebook, twitter,Pinterest, the flourish website, or send Melissa an email.

Tip of the Week

Avoid scattering key items around the store as they can lose their impact and clutter the space.  Grouping merchandise makes it stronger.

I know, it can be so tempting... and sometimes you worry that if you don't have something in a few places, your customers will miss it!  The truth is if you have one here, one over there, one in the back of the store, and one at the front, customers are even more likely to miss it.

Creating a strong presentation with emphasis on key items ensures that they will be visible to customers as they are passing by. 

I hear a lot of people say that it works in their store; that their customers are different.  If that's you, just try grouping a key item and making it the focal point of a display for a few weeks.  You may find that it works even better for you.


Would you like to sign up to receive the tip of the week directly in your inbox along with even more content and information?  Click here to sign up!
 Have you got questions for Melissa? Check us out on facebook, twitter, Pinterest, the flourish website, or send Melissa an email.

Tip of the Week

Keep your displays moving and changing.  It’s change that keeps your customers interested.

I think it's true, what they say...  Change is the spice of life!

It's also said that 80% of your profit comes from 20% of your customers and I bet you know who those customers are!  You need to invest your time and energy in keeping regular customers interested and frequent change is the way to do that. 

Every time you change your displays, it feels as though there is new product in the store, gives customers new ideas, and generates interest.  It is worth your time.

Have you got questions for Melissa? Check us out on facebook, twitter, Pinterest, the flourish website, or send Melissa an email.

Tip of the Week

When displaying furniture for sale, be sure to leave your customer enough room to try it out.  Often times, people need to see things as they would use them at home.

This could mean allowing room to sit on a chair or sofa or space to see the finish on a table top.  It could also mean leaving room for customers to move in between pieces.

When considering sales per square foot, it can be tempting to fill every inch of available space, but that could actually impede sales both furniture and products alike.

Tip of the Week

When purchasing for your store, make sure you have a plan.  This could include a financial plan, merchandising plan, theme plan and so-on.

 

This week we have the Alberta Gift Show in Edmonton and if you don't go in with a thought out course of action, it can be overwhelming.  You could wind up blowing your budget, choosing the wrong product mix, or simply getting caught up in all of the excitement. 

Make a plan before you go to any buying show.  Give yourself a budget based on past sales and buying and consider giving yourself a budget by category as well. 

Another thing to think about before choosing your product is the physical space in your store.  What merchandising are you planning for the next few months?  Are there any specific stories or themes?  What holidays and events are coming up?  What exciting things are on your marketing calendar?

Good luck and happy selling... and buying!

Have you got questions for Melissa? Check us out on facebook, twitter, Pinterest, the flourish website, or send Melissa an email.

Tip of the Week

Here's your Tip of the Week:

Take all the posters, stickers, and homemade signage off of your windows so that customers can see into the store or your displays.

The view through the store window at Elegant Expressions.

 

Sometimes it might seem like those signs and stickers bring people in the door, but are they properly representing your brand?  Do they contribute to the look and feel of your facade?  They can lower a customer's percieved value of your store and the product you sell, so make sure that they're up for a reason if you're going to keep them there!

If you really want to keep your signs and stickers up, consider designating one specific area where they're allowed to go and keeping them to that area.  Then, be sure to remove them when they're old or tattered!

Happy Selling!

Have you got questions for Melissa? Check us out on facebook, twitter, Pinterest, the flourish website, or send Melissa an email.

Tip of the Week

Ready for another tip of the week?  Ready or not, here it comes!

It’s not too early to begin showing off your spring merchandise!  If you have it in stock, get it out where customers can see it.

Spring display by Flourish at Cloud Nine Pajamas

Right now, your main focus may be Valentines Day or sale merchandise, but that doesn't mean you have to hide spring!  Customers will be excited to see something new, fresh, and promising of warmer weather, so get it out of the back room or storage.  It doesn't have to be in the most prominent spot just yet.

Happy selling!

Have you got questions for Melissa? Check us out on facebook, twitter, Pinterest, the flourish website, or send Melissa an email.

Tip of the Week

Yeesh!  We've been out of touch for a little while!  Between the craziness of the holidays and a January wedding, you haven't heard from us much!  Here's a photo from the wedding for fun!

We're back and raring to go now, so here is your tip of the week!

If you don’t have a Valentines display, try pulling together a few things by the till.  If you don’t have Valentines merchandise, be creative to take advantage of the season!

Valentines is a fun holiday during the drags of winter, so be creative and pull together existing merchandise in your store with a simple sign for those who might be looking for a gift or decoration!

This store had no Valentines merchandise on hand, so we build this display!

Have you got questions for Melissa?  Check us out on facebook, twitter, Pinterest, the flourish website, or send Melissa an email.

Music and Your Store

An awesome collegue cohort, and client of mine recently emailed me this great question and I just had to share it with all of you!

 

Hi Melissa,

I've been wondering about the relationship between music and shopping for a bit and maybe you can help me. I'm trying to research the relationship between BPM (beats per minute) and retail sales. Whenever I go to the malls all I ever hear is high BPM dance and pop music but I find this irritating  I would assume that all these big chain stores are playing this music because it is proven to increase sales. Maybe it's a stimulant? The one research paper I came across online found that stores that played more relaxed music saw customers that lingered longer in stores and therefore were more likely to purchase more...What do you think?

 

The Answer:

 

I, myself, haven’t read a whole lot of research.  In fact, I don’t think there’s a ton out there.  But I do think that the study you read is among the most accurate.

 

If you choose music that your target market or core customer likes the best, they will linger longer.  It’s also important to have music that doesn’t drive you or your staff members nuts!  If you’re on edge, your customers will sense it. 

 

The truth is a happy customer and a customer who is in tune with the environment buys more, so don’t worry about what the malls are doing because your customers don’t shop there all that much.  The reason we see malls choosing the music they do is that they’re generally trying use top 40 type music to appeal to the masses.  There are also loads of stores in the malls that appeal to teens and young adults and that is the music that they like best.

 

If you really want to focus on choosing music that your customers like best; you could try creating a survey monkey survey (or use a similar software or system) and invite them to complete it or complete it with them at the till!  It could be fun and customers get to feel involved.  Also, I’m sure most branding gurus would say that the music you choose needs to fit with your brand.  If your brand isn’t a teeny bopper, high octane, brand... I wouldn’t worry about pushing the high speed music.

 

Last, but not least, we come to holiday music...  I know it's not everyone's favourite, but it’s an absolute must.  That’s where most of the retail studies pertaining to music have been done and it’s proven to drive sales up quite a bit!  Usually, the chain stores start weaving in the odd quiet holiday song about November first, then after Remembrance day, you’ll hear it every 2^nd or 3^rd song (you may have to make custom CD’s or playlists for your store).  As of December first, it should be all Holiday, all the time!  You will get the odd customer that may complain about it, but even they will be more likely to pick up a couple of Christmas gifts (should that be applicable) because it’ll be top of mind.

 

Here are some links to research I've found!

Association for Consumer Reasearch - Using Store Music for Retail Zoning

Michael Morrison, Monash University - The Power of Music and its Influence

Live Science - 7 Holiday Marketing Tricks Retailers Use

 

And here's a little bit on the Shoppers Drug Mart Holiday music "controversy"

Canadian Retailer Puts Christmas Music on Pause

Shoppers Drug Mart Hits Mute on Christmas Music

 

I gladly welcome all of your questions and comments!  Please add your comments!

Designing the Customer Experience - Capital Ideas

A little while ago, I was flattered to be invited as a panelist to the Capital Ideas event (for the Edmonton Journal) called "How Do I Design a Great Customer Experience?" along with Kirsten Proulx and Jason Suriano!  It was an awesome experience and so much fun, so I wanted to share some of the key takeaways with you!

What's the most important thing you've learned about designing a customer experience?

• The customer experience begins before the customer even enters the store. -Kirsten
• Ensure you greet the customer -Kirsten
• Anything you can do to make shopping easy and exciting for the customer will really enhance their experience -Melissa
• If the product isn't acceptable to my team, then I won't bring it to the end user. -Jason
• I play the role of customer for my team. -Jason
• Tweet: @ABCraftAlert: Customer service starts before your customer even comes in the door - displays, signage, making experience easy to navigate #capitalideas
• Tweet: @Randwulven: #capitalideas If you don't enjoy the experience, why would your customer? @jasonsuriano
• Tweet: @_SoleRevival: Make it easy and enjoyable for people: Put natural "go with" items together on the floor - you said it, Melissa! Great tip. #capitalideas

Examples of a great customer experience

• Teamwork, consistency, branding, and environment help to create a great customer experience.
• Tweet: @ABCraftAlert: Inspire the customer and get them excited about the product. Then mix that with the store owners passion for the product #capitalideas

Dealing with "problematic customers"

• When a customer comes to you with a problem, be grateful that they've provided you with the opportunity to fix that issue. -Melissa
• "I'll often ask my team; so what did we do wrong?" -Jason
• A customer complaint can hurt because it's something you want to do well and take pride in, but I'm glad that the customer acknowledged the problem -Kirsten
• Tweet: @RyanGJMcGregor: Upset clients are not an imposition... They are an opportunity! #capitalideasYEG
• Tweet: @ABCraftAlert: There is no such thing as a bad customer. It's an opportunity to be a problem solver #capitalideas It's bad when you don't hear from them

Applying lessons from past to present

• There are two types of customers in the restaurant industy; the kind that wants you there all the time as a part of the experience and the kind that wants you to be invisible.  That directly applies to what I do now. -Jason

How do you motivate your sales staff?

• Treat your employees the way you want them to treat your customers. -Melissa
• Personally tell your employees that they're doing a great job. -Melissa
• I wouldn't inflict straight commission on my employees. -Kirsten
• The customers generally always come back if you provide them with a great experience. -Kirsten

The "treasure hunt" method of shopping

• The "treasure hunt" method of shopping does not work for everyone. -Melissa
• We have a baby boom in Alberta right now, so be sure to accomodate strollers and busy moms! -Melissa

Measuring the effectiveness of your customer experience tactics

• We watch to see if product sales change when displays change. -Kirsten
• The more sales you can track, the better. What can your POS system do? -Melissa
• Measuring customer responses has gone even more high tech than A-B testing.  We're using the gaming piece as an analytics tool. -Jason

The takeaway - What others had to say

• A "bad" customer is your best customer -Terry
• Responding to complaints online shows that you care -Terry
• Accept who your customer is and go with it -Tema
• Don't make assumptions about your customer, find out what's important to them -Tema
• From a retail standpoint, subtle changes in how you merchandise your products made huge differences at the till -Kyle
• If you have go-with items with a product it makes the shopping experience easier and quick for people -Kyle

Want to see more?  Have a look at some event photos on the Capital Ideas flickr page!  You can also read all of the tweets associated with #CapitalIdeas on the Storify page!  Would you like to hear more from Capital ideas and the panelists on Twitter?  Follow @CapitalIdeasYEG @FlourishDesignM @Henrys_PFT and @jasonsuriano by clicking on their links!