Social Media vs. Social Networking
Social Media vs. Social Networking (Is there really a difference?) Social media is the term used to describe the various media that people use to communicate online in a social way such as blogs, wikis, video and photo sharing. One compartment of social media is social networking. Social networking, in short, is how people interact […]
Who is handling your likes?
Recently, R&A Marketing visited with Spencer Furniture in Spencer, Massachusetts to do a discovery. A discovery is a process where you will uncover the felt need of your customer. It also provides you with the necessary ammunition to speak and act in a way that turns them on. Truly creative direction positions the customer as […]
Special Events
Special events – some love to plan them, others hate the very thought of them. Planning special events can be a pain, from setting a date to finding a venue, but if you remember the five Ps when planning your event, it will be as smooth as butter. What are the five Ps, you ask? […]
Marketing Has Evolved
A quick fix that is projected throughout the landscape of retail is to get a better website, build a Facebook profile, or start a blog and you have mastered today’s marketing. This is a knee jerk reaction that only creates problems—not solutions.
Another knee jerk reaction is to take this new way of marketing as “I better change everything right now to meet the customer’s needs!” Sometimes this is part of the solution but at the core is truly identifying who you are RIGHT now.
What have you offered lately?
We know what Ms. Jones is looking for in her shopping experience. We also know that things that needed to be improved three of four years ago are expected to be running in tip top shape and things that were not top of mind even today are expected to be running in tip top shape.
Are we PLAYERS or are we FANS?
I just finished the book is Built to Serve written by Dan J. Sanders. Sanders is the current CEO of United Supermarkets, a midsized regional supermarket that serves West Texas and the Texas Panhandle.
Built to Serve is based upon the fact of building an organization where there is a higher power above profit and traffic.
Promise
Do you ever tell Ms. Jones no? Is it a better service to say no than to say yes and fail? What can you do when you can’t do anything? Can you call your competitors to find what she wants? Can you rack your brain and search your racks to find an alternative? Or are you willing to sacrifice your staff and stretch your resources to “try” to leap through Ms. Jones hoops?
What is your five year plan?
You are doing way too much in your store right now. It was a fact of life. Jobs and dollars had to be cut to make the business work. As a business owner you took on the brunt of responsibility and ultimately you got tasked with more than you were used to.
Do not be traditional!
What worked last time or the time before that does not cut it anymore. Ms. Jones has found new ways to shop and find the product she needs. Unless you can fit into the new way she can shop—she is not going to shop from you.
Find Your Audience
Ms Jones knows the stories you told. She accepted the worldview that you, the marketer, created for her. In an effort to create sales to keep the lights on you probably violated the stories that Ms. Jones had accepted. Cuts in price on items and products that you were carrying probably violated the very fabric of the worldview your retail outlet embodied.
Let’s create something great!
Looking for a company that can help your local furniture store thrive? Just saying hi? Whatever, the reason. Let’s talk about where you are, and where you want to be.
We mean it when we say, “We love it when you succeed.” Our entire business depends on achieving the best possible results with each campaign for every single client.
– The Doran Family
Contact
Corporate Headquarters
8320 Coppertop Lane
Lewis Center, OH 43035
Mailing Address
PO Box 197
Lewis Center, OH 43035
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