Two words that can strike dread into any retailer's heart - "Coming Soon". When you drive by that empty storefront or construction site and see a competitor is coming to town it can fill you with dread. Retail (and in the words of Pat Benetar, also Love) is a battlefield. But you have a leg up......this is your turf and you can be prepared for the eventual battle and win the war. First Rule of Battle - Time for Radical Honesty This is a great opportunity to take a har

In my consulting practice, I’ve been asked if in-store events really drive positive ROI. My response is if you are expecting a full payback during the 2 hour event, then no. Events are one part of an integrated local strategy, but can differentiate you, drive repeat traffic and provide a positive return on investment. What differentiates a great event from a so-so one? There are 6 “must haves” for any successful event: Concrete goals for the event Great topic that is relevant

As a follow up to my blog post on "6 Benefits of Local Partnerships for Retailers", here is an infographic that illustrates the main points. #retail #localmarketing

Think about the Friday night HS football game that the community rallies around. Or the annual 5K race through downtown. Or the local chamber of commerce who diligently promotes new businesses and network in your town. What do these have in common? At their core, they are community partners that can make or break any local retail store. Local marketing isn’t only for independent retailers. A sound local marketing strategy can help multi-unit retailers breakthrough the clut

Today’s customers are savvier than ever before. People literally have the world at their fingertips, but consumers want personalized, relevant experiences. And what is more personal than your neighborhood? It’s where you choose to live. It’s where you choose to spend your time and potentially raise a family. Customers want to shop local and be able to get what they need when they need it. As I discussed in my blog “The State of Retail”, over 90% of retail spend happens in sto

Toys ‘R Us did not go out of business due to a lack of demand for toys. In fact, per NPD, US & Global toy sales increased 1% in 2017. In the US alone, the toy market brought in over $20 Billion in sales and grew 1%. Same goes with their Babies ‘R Us brand. The baby care market brought in $30 Billion in 2017. There are many reasons why TRU when under, but it wasn’t due to demand. The demand (and sales) are there. Toys ‘R Us did approximately $6B in revenue in 2017. But where