Even though the river dictated our direction, we still needed a guide to make sure we avoided the rocks, sandbars and hazards that lay before us. Our guide was an expert who had faced the challenges on countless trips down this same river. His expertise was critical to our safety, enjoyment and reaching our goal. Many retailers avoid obstacles and sandbars in their path using a qualified expert to help guide their business journey. Others bump some rocks and spend some time on the sandbars. Without a guide, these retailers end up in the river when they hit the rapids just as we would have without the expertise of the river guide. Just as our guide had a plan, timeline, strategy and tactics developed for our successful trip, a good retail guide has an accurate merchandise plan supported by retail experience and a team of experts to call upon… just in case.

Eric was our guide and he had been taking adventurers down the river for 24 years. Notice that we were not clients or customers but rather “adventurers”. That set the mood for our experience right from the start. Did I mention that this was an experience and not a raft trip?! I bet a lot of your shoppers are looking for an experience and not just another pair of shoes or a new dress. Disney had the imagineers so maybe you should have the fashioneers?

After 24 years of guiding a raft down this same stretch of river, I would guess that there is not a lot on a rafting experience that Eric has not seen. Even so he was as excited as a little kid. When he saw a hawk fly overhead, you would think it was the first bird he had ever seen. He informed us that the river was flowing at 35,000 cubic feet per minute which in reality meant absolutely nothing to us. After 5 minutes, Eric made us so darn happy to be travelling the river on that trip because we were the lucky ones that caught the river at that flow. We could not wait for the experience since it was such a unique opportunity. We actually felt sorry for the poor people who had to take the trip when the river was 36,000 ft3/min or, heaven forbid, at 34,000 ft3/minute. Imagine if you and your staff had that peak level of excitement for the shopping adventure that your customers were about to embark upon in your shop! It is not just, “Why don’t you try these on?” but rather (and excitedly), “I really want you to EXPERIENCE the comfort that only this shoe can provide!” or “I love the way you look in this hat”

The four of us on the trip had a lot of questions and Eric knew the answers to them all. The white stripe on the rock was a petrified coral reef when the ocean sat on this very spot. The top of the mountain we saw was actually covered by 3,500 feet of silt! The green rock was actually covered by a type of moss and the black was a hydrate of manganese. The point is that training is critical to credibility. How much training does your staff get every week? Do they know the details, features, history, story and benefits of every item you sell? Are they able to bring a top to life with its own unique story? Eric can do that with a rock!

Then as a special show of trust and opportunity, each of us was allowed to travel to the back of the raft and steer! He explained what he looked for in the river and how to avoid it. We were taught how he spots and avoids sandbars and rocks. We now entered into his world. It reminded me of one of our clients who offered valued customers the opportunity to go to market with her. They paid their own way but they were allowed to enter the retailer’s world. She showed them how she evaluates a vendor and a line. They could see how she places orders and the risks she takes with every order. By allowing them into her world, she increased the trust, bond and relationship — just like Eric did.

Before you think that the experience was all fun and games, consider the safety aspect. Eric laid down specific rules and the safety lecture was not to be taken lightly. Eighteen people had gone missing on the river in Utah this year alone and he was passionate about the safety of each adventurer. “If you see a body part or torso floating in the water, cross your neck with a finger to let me know to cut off the motor.” That got our attention. A retailer needs rules and policies as well. Passion and consistency are what make policies work as part of a consistent experience for the staff and the customer. Just as Eric does not want to lose adventurers on the river, you should not be losing fashioneers due to inconsistent or weak policies in the store.

What deeply impressed me about Eric was his consistent optimism. For him, the sun was coming out, the clouds were always breaking up, the rain was always a momentary event and the rapids were always the best experience in memory. The night we camped out, we built a camp fire. Even though Eric had talked about sleeping outside under the stars as an important part of the experience, the thunder, lightning, heavy clouds and pouring rain would have seemed to be a hindrance to stargazing. Eric insisted for two hours that we were going to have one of the best stargazing nights ever. Then finally, as the rain continued to pour and the clock struck 11 p.m., he was forced to admit that maybe setting up some tents might be a good idea. We were all tired, soaked and chilled, but because of Eric’s optimism and the great job he did of establishing and guiding the experience, we were all delighted.

Retail is filled with obstacles and unexpected actions and reactions. The best retailers, like the best river guides, manage the total experience and leave as little as possible to chance. Forecasting sales and buying the right merchandise at the right time in the right classifications make the trip to your destination smoother, straighter and faster. The right merchandise plan is critical to staying afloat and not becoming one of the missing in action. We had a great time and that is exactly what your customers should be saying about shopping in your store– “We had a great time!”

A key element in motivating a sale is timing. A customer who has forever to make the decision will normally not make the decision to take action. That is why sales are touted as “this week only” and the stores that turn their merchandise the fastest create the logic: “If I don’t buy it now, it will be gone tomorrow.” Timing is what compels the prospects from an emotional decision and creates the urgency to proceed to buy now.

Selling words – does that sound like a ridiculous concept? It probably sounds almost as unbelievable as selling water in bottles. . .  Yet all of our thoughts, opinions, feelings and actions are inter- twined with or because of words that we read, see and hear. How much of your marketing is wrapped up in words? Lots!

Words are so effective at swaying opinion, sentiment and action that they deserve much more attention than they get. When the “estate tax” became the “death tax” by political wordsmith pundits, public sentiment made a drastically sharp turn against it. It was the same tax but different words! Choosing the right words to sell and market your products can have the same dramatic impact. In your battle to create the right perception, the right words will give you the edge.

How do you find the right words? That is a skill for sure but there are some guidelines that can certainly help you reach deep into the emotions of your customers!

1. Know the members of your audience and what they already believe. Don’t be afraid to go for the heart! The milk industry knew that their customers already liked milk. The question “Got milk?” was a huge hit as it reminded the customers to act on what they already believed.
2. Be interesting and new. Just as customers buy the new merchandise, they are also intrigued by new ideas. Don’t tell them what they already know; tell them what they already don’t know. There is a big difference between “We have the latest styles” and “Have you tried on a shirt made from bamboo?”
3. Personalize, humanize and validate what you say. Tell a story to create interest. Make the story about you or the customers to give it meaning. Give them the measurements to validate the message. In our M1 marketing, we don’t just say that we have the best demand forecasting in the industry. We give the measurement: We have been over 92% accurate in forecasting sales. You can tell people to buy the “five-finger toe shoe” or you can tell the story about how your knees allow you to run twice as long in those shoes.
4. Make them see it! Morton Salt’s slogan “When it rains, it pours” makes you visualize the product. If you are just telling people what you want them to know, they may not care. If they can see it, there is more chance they will act. After all, seeing is believing.
5. Keep it simple. People want clarity and simplicity.

These five guidelines are a valuable test for your selling and marketing messages. Getting it right is not easy but thinking about every word and phrase can help you get more bang for your marketing buck. Helping sales staff hone their language and message can help increase UPT and $/T. Imagine the results you can achieve when you invest in innovation when it comes to the words you convey. Prosperity comes from a culture of paying attention to the details. Sell your words!

Excerpt from Bloomberg Business week

Customer service: marketer vs. merchant

By Jeanne Bliss

Thinking Like a Merchant

Anderson explained what he meant to be a “merchant” in this way:

“We are all merchants. And for me, that is an honorable and vital identity—even in this day when it is fashionable to hold forth on the subject of marketing in all its forms. I don’t decry that exactly, but I’m more comfortable considering myself a merchant. And here’s why.

• A marketer deals with many; a merchant deals with one.

• A marketer moves from the mind; a merchant moves from the heart.

• A marketer is logical; a merchant is perceptive.

• A marketer does business across the world; a merchant does business across the counter.

• And finally, a marketer bets his all on a system; a merchant bets his all on his store.”

And in a world where products and services are available in hundreds of variations, the companies that think and act in this manner still get a disproportionate piece of the overall pie.

Too often retailers get swept up in the latest technology to methodically reach out to prospective customers. The thinking is that if we email 5000 and get 2% response we are doing well. You will never do this better than the national chains and big box stores. This article is great in getting retailers back to their strength. Being a merchant. Making customers and sales one by one.

Evan Wise

By Evan Wise

Motivation is not a switch that is either on or off. It spans an entire spectrum from “I don’t care!” to “What else can we be doing?”. The tough part is that different people are motivated in different ways and finding that trigger is the key. That is a constant battle! There is not room here to discuss all the things that can motivate customers, staff, vendors and owners, but by discussing some, I hope you will get some ideas of motivators you have not tried in the past that may work in your future.

Let’s get MONEY out of the way early. Too many retailers look at money as the only qualified motivator. They give bonuses, raises and spiffs to sales staff without measuring the return in increased sales that the motivator actualizes. When that does not work as well as hoped, they then run promotions, sales and discounts, using money as a motivator in the direction of the custo- mers. Certainly money can motivate but for how many people and for how long? Without measurement, you really can not know. Every retailer has used money as a motivator to a some extent.

The next great motivator is RECOGNITION. People love recognition, respect and admiration. The utilitarian philosophy says people will do what brings them the most pleasure – and status and respect feel good! It starts by knowing your customers’ names, important dates and their personal history. Spending time researching what your best customers are doing on the internet can help you recognize their interests and accomplishments. Even telling other customers about the recognition will often get back to them by word of mouth.

Employees seek recognition as well. Sure, they want that bonus but they also want everyone else to know they got it. Public recognition is more important than the bonus. The bonus merely tells them that you are sincere about the recognition. As long as you are sincere, you cannot overdo public recognition of positive actions, results and effort.

People want to feel like they belong. They like being a part of a COMMUNITY of people who like, understand and appreciate them for who they are and what they think. Political parties, churches, synagogues, mosques, gangs and work groups are all examples of com- munities that motivate people to come back. The more your staff members feel and work like a community, the more motivated they will be to adopt your goals and expectations and to work together to make them happen. Making them part of decisions is a part of building the community.

When people feel like they have more STATUS because they shopped at your store, they are likely to come back. Status comes from listening and caring about your customers. When they are important to you as people and not just customers, they have risen in status. When you ask your customers for opinions, when you use their ideas and when you give them the credit, they rise in status. Status feels good. The more status you create, the more sales will be created.

Employees also love status. They want you to be open to their input and love when you use their ideas. People want to feel important so anything you can do for the right reasons to make them feel that way will motivate them to do more.

There are many other motivators but very few that motivate everyone. The more you listen and find out about a person, the more you will be able to figure out what is his/her motivator. Make the call to action clear and the motivation effective and the results will speak for themselves!

What does this mean to you? Walk into your top 3 competitors’ stores, but instead of looking at the lines and prices, look at the service. List 5 main ways you are not only different but better in the eyes of your customers. Then ask your customers if they agree. In 2011 find 2 new ways to be different and better.

Many progressive companies, including Management One®, are taking surveys of those who are benefitting from their goods or services so as to gauge the satisfaction with what is offered. The results are sometimes surprising. Sometimes you get no feedback and that is a message too! At times where you believe you excel is not important to customers, while sometimes what you do naturally is very important to them. The key is you need to know what they are thinking – then respond!

Domenick Celntano

Silberman College of Business
Fairleigh Dickinson University

Do not forget about training the staff in the features and benefits of the merchandise. Make sure the staff is linking the benefits to the needs of the shopper or the recipient of the gift. Do not forget to record what you are learning!

Remember that the holidays bring new shoppers to the store and this is your opportunity to make new “customers for life”. Thank you notes and personal calls to follow up the sale are both as important now than ever. You are never too busy to develop new long term customers!