Looking for a new angle for your advertising or social media promotions? Take a walk through your store and see what items you carry that might solve a problem or need for a customer.  We sell a lot of fat separators for gravy at this time of year — but there are still plenty of… Read More


Spring cleaning may not be on your mind during November and December, but the Christmas season is an ideal time to go through your store’s back stock to get rid of odds and ends of merchandise.  I have often quoted the line “don’t let inventory become family” — so here’s a look at ways that… Read More


Succession Planning    Why didn’t they sell the shop to their employees?” asked a colleague of mine when they heard that a long-time retailer here in Madison, WI was going out of business.  The loss of a beloved independent is painful for the community, and clearly there were many people who would have preferred to see… Read More


The fashion world has long used the concept of a “lookbook” to promote a line, or a season — and now the term is starting to pop up in other merchandise arenas.  So what is a lookbook? Originally a collection of printed photographs compiled to showcase a designer or retailer’s offerings, a lookbook today can… Read More


You’ve got friends on Facebook, you tweet on Twitter, and you pin to Pinterest.  And now you’re hearing a lot about Instagram.  Do you need yet another social media outlet in order to promote your business effectively? I think the answer depends in part on the demographic you are trying to reach. Instagram boasts of… Read More


Did you know that by Halloween, you should have your holiday hiring in place?  Even seasonal employees need a few weeks to get settled in and become familiar with your store, merchandise and procedures.  But don’t panic — in this economy, you should be able to find qualified candidates eager to work. The key is… Read More


Just four years ago, American Express started a program called Small Business Saturday — an effort that had enormous impact on the success of local retailers on the busy shopping weekend after Thanksgiving. According to the History of Shop Small on the American Express website, last year’s  consumer spending was an incredible $5.5 billion. One… Read More


A large percentage of retail workers, especially those working part-time, do not have any health insurance.  No matter what your political thoughts on this subject, hopefully we all agree that in an ideal world everyone should have access to good health care. Our businesses perform better when our employees are not sick (or spreading illness),… Read More


The changing of the seasons are a great excuse to re-merchandise your store, moving displays around and adding some new colors and themes. Even if you don’t sell seasonal merchandise, such as the Halloween goods in our shop display (above), you can give your store a fresh look with autumn leaves and pumpkins.  With consumers… Read More


Buy One Get One is such a common promotion that even shoppers now recognize the meaning of BOGO. (It’s also sometimes referred to as BOGOF, for Buy One Get One Free, but that sounds a bit like an insect repellant, doesn’t it?)  If you are thinking of marking something down to half price, but want… Read More