They may be designed to protect our feet, but shoes serve a multitude of additional purposes. A nice flat sole makes an excellent spider squisher, while a stiletto can slam a nail like a hammer. Shoes can make or break an outfit (Ms. Jones know this full well) or even help us run, jump, walk or play a variety of sports – there are shoes for baseball, basketball, cross training, football, golf, lacrosse, running, skating, soccer, surfing, tennis, track and field, volleyball, walking and wrestling. I’ve even seen freaky five-toed shoes for hiking.

Today’s technology has transformed the humble shoe into a useful tool. Wikipedia defines a tool as “an entity that interfaces between two or more domains; that facilitates more effective action of one domain upon the other.”

In your store, the two domains are yourself and Ms. Jones. What tools do you offer Ms. Jones to “facilitate more effective action” between these two domains?

• A printed shopping list of every item in a room setting
• Memo pads and pencils for taking note of what she loves (and hates)
• A store map so she knows where she is and where she might like to go
• A tape measure and graph paper
• Digital camera so you can email her pictures
• Swatches and samples
• Children’s play area – yes, this is a tool!

How about your website? Does it facilitate effective action between you and Ms. Jones? Does it provide information, education and inspiration to help Ms. Jones get the job done?

Monkeys use rocks as tools to break open coconuts. What tools can you implement in your store to help Ms. Jones break open her wallet?