The furniture selling opportunities are shrinking in a good economy… how can this be?
Despite the fact that we have the best economy in recent years, we are seeing some furniture retail sales numbers falling down to pre-2016 lows. How can this be? Well, with a more stable economy, the customer can control how she spends her money, and who she spends it with. So if we as retailers […]
The difference between strategy and tactics
Many small business owners are driven by short term needs and don’t differentiate between strategy and tactics. Their first thoughts go to the web ad, direct mailer or newspaper insert they think they need. The operative phrase here is “short term”. A simple example illustrates the difference between strategy and tactics. Let’s say you want […]
Why Mobile Marketing is the Smart Choice for Small Businesses
Mobile marketing is a broad term. And although different websites and agencies sometimes use different definitions for mobile marketing, most will agree that it includes marketing campaigns on mobile internet browsers, social media, apps, and even SMS text messages. These ads can take many different forms, from simple text to display images to videos. And […]
The 6 words that guarantee marketing failure
I bet you already know what they are: “It’s how we always do it” These simple words represent an attitude common among lazy marketers that wonder why the results of their campaigns show steady declines. Any given set of tactics may work once, but it is no guarantee the same approach will always yield the […]
Retail Marketing is Changing – Here’s Why
If you’ve been in the retail business for twenty years or more, you’ve seen many ups and downs in your market, and you’ve probably adjusted your marketing strategy accordingly. However, you’ve probably also noticed that the last five years have brought a big shift to the world of retail marketing, bigger than the normal market swings. Read […]
Retail survival in an online world
We’ve all seen the dire predictions…online commerce in general, and Amazon in particular…is going to kill brick and mortar retail. The rapid growth of e-commerce certainly feeds that emotion and statistics show a drop in foot traffic at retail locations year after year. However, a closer evaluation of the numbers is in order. Forrester Research […]
Adapt Your Furniture Store to the Millennial Shopper
Figuring out how to market to millennials is not a discussion for the future, it’s not something that can be put off for a few more years. Millennials are in the workforce and earning a steady income, so now is the time to capitalize on this generation. For the sake of your profits now and […]
The line between editorial and marketing messages continues to blur
In the not-so-distant past the line between editorial and advertising was more like a wall. Journalists were literally forbidden to speak with the sales team and marketers. Marketing messages that looked like articles were clearly marked as “advertorials” or identified as advertising messages. The current situation is quite different. First, product placements in movies, TV […]
12 Tips and Techniques to Take Your Direct Mail Marketing into the Future
Yes, you read that title correctly: Direct Mail Marketing. Although digital advertising is taking the marketing world by storm, direct mail is not a lost cause for furniture retailers. With the right strategy and process, direct mail campaigns can help you effectively turn leads into sales. Why Direct Mail Marketing? Direct mailings are pieces of […]
Think of your marketing as a marathon, not a sprint
When it comes to how you think about marketing and expectations for results a little context is in order. Is marketing a button you can push for instant gratification? Or is it an on-going exercise that only shows true results in the long term? History (and research) supports the latter. Too many marketers think it […]