{"id":11399,"date":"2024-01-04T10:13:53","date_gmt":"2024-01-04T10:13:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dmsretail.com\/RetailNews\/50-ideas-to-spin-the-doors-on-your-stores\/"},"modified":"2024-01-04T10:13:53","modified_gmt":"2024-01-04T10:13:53","slug":"50-ideas-to-spin-the-doors-on-your-stores","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dmsretail.com\/RetailNews\/50-ideas-to-spin-the-doors-on-your-stores\/","title":{"rendered":"50 Ideas to Spin the Doors on Your Stores!"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Retail<\/a><\/p>
\n<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

2024 is the Year of Thinking BIG!<\/span> <\/span><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Welcome
\nto 2024, a brand new year to make your store a stand out! Keep customers coming
\nback for more with these non-stop traffic-building, profit-producing, attention-grabbing,
\nsales-generating, competition-miffing, customer-winning strategies every
\nretailer should embrace:<\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

Windows that Wow<\/span><\/b><\/span> <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

1. Choose
\na theme for your monthly window displays.<\/b> There are plenty of national and
\nfun holidays to choose from each month or make up your own. Carry that theme
\nthroughout the store.<\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

2. Keep
\nit simple.<\/b> People need to be able to take in the message of your windows in
\neight seconds or less.<\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

3. Chose
\na backdrop that makes the merchandise pop.<\/b> A vertical backdrop \u2013 a photo
\nposter, hanging lights, or unfurled bolt of fabric \u2013 will draw the eye up and
\ndown as well as forward causing shoppers will see more of your window display.<\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

4. Add
\nyour telephone number and web address in 10-14\u201d white reflective vinyl letters
\nat the center bottom of your main windows.<\/b> Now, potential customers can
\neasily get in touch or check your website even when your store isn\u2019t open for
\nbusiness.<\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

5. Light
\nyour window displays at night.<\/b> This is especially important if your store
\nis located in an area where people tend to walk, and areas populated with
\nrestaurants and bars. You can\u2019t buy what you can\u2019t see; lighting entices people
\nto come back when your store is open.<\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

6. Create
\nan instant display with window graphics. <\/b>Use photos you own, or have
\npermission to use, that are blown up to fit your window space. We like perforated
\nwindow graphics that show vibrant photos on the outside while allowing you to see
\nclearly out of the windows from the inside.<\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

On the Sales Floor<\/span><\/b><\/span> <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

7. Work
\nyour Decompression Zone.<\/b> Remember, its job is to transition customers from
\nwhatever they were doing outside of your store and refocus them on shopping. People
\ndon\u2019t start thinking about merchandise until they are at least 5-10\u2019 inside the
\ndoor, this means that the baskets and signs and samples that fall within the
\ndecompression zone will e missed. Place these items just beyond the
\nDecompression Zone where shoppers are more likely to see them.<\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

8.<\/b><\/span> Pay attention to your first 10 second impression<\/span><\/b><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

Stand
\njust inside the front door and look around. In the first 10 seconds inside your
\ndoor shoppers are making value judgements about what they see, thinking \u201cShould
\nI grab what I need here or head to another store to browse at my leisure?\u201d View
\nyour sales floor from just inside the door each day, checking to ensure you are
\ngiving shoppers the impression you intended.<\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

9.<\/b> Check your sight line. <\/b>While you
\nare still at the front of your store check its sight line \u2013 you want shoppers
\nto be able to see into and through the sales floor. Get rid of tall fixtures
\nnear or at the front that block product housed behind them, and make more
\ndisplays visible by placing shorter fixtures near the front, and taller
\nfixtures towards the rear of the store. Remember, the more a shopper sees, the
\nmore she\u2019ll buy.<\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

10. Provide
\ncustomers with carts or baskets to increase sales. <\/b>Customers stop shopping
\nonce their hands are full so offer every shopper a cart or basket, at the very
\nminimum, ask to hold items they are carrying at the cashwrap until they are
\nready to check out.<\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

11. Place<\/b>
\nSpeed Bump displays just beyond the
\ndecompression zone. <\/b>These important displays are the customers\u2019 first impression
\nof the store upon entering. Use small fixtures or stacking tables to group
\nirresistible products together.<\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

12. Cross
\nmerchandise everywhere.<\/b> Always think about additional products you could add
\nto a display that will save customers time and increase sales. Around the store
\nlook for places to add J-hooks, clip strips, power panels, and other
\ninexpensive fixtures designed to help you sell more<\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

13. Implement
\nthe Pyramid Principle<\/b> in displays by placing a tall item in the center of
\ntwo smaller items. This causes the eye to unconsciously seek the tallest item
\nbefore scanning the smaller items and the rest of the display. The more they
\nsee, the more they buy.<\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

14. Look
\nfor props in unusual places, <\/b>like thrift shops, garage sales and on trash
\ndays in tony neighborhoods. We have a friend who does very well collecting
\nunwanted furniture she restores and sells to retailers for props, and to customers
\nfor home decor. Have fun with your fixtures!<\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

15. Sign
\nyour displays.<\/b> Most indie retail stores are undersigned, yet it\u2019s a fact
\nthat displays that are signed outperform displays that are not by 20 percent.
\nThe message should be simple, indicating important features and price. Use both
\nupper and lower case letters and don\u2019t use a font smaller than 30 points. Customers
\nwho wear reading glasses should be able to easily read your signs without them.<\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

16. The
\nAmericans with Disabilities Act requires store aisles to be a minimum of 3.6\u2019.<\/b>
\nOn your sales floor can shoppers easily navigate the aisles without bumping into
\nproduct? Can two customers easily shop the same aisle\/area? And do customers in
\nwheelchairs have enough room to shop comfortably?<\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

17. Do our
\n360 Degree Pass-By every morning before you open for business.<\/b> Start at the
\nfront door and walk every aisle in the store, finish with a look at the
\ncashwrap, service counter, cutting tables and rest rooms. Note areas that need attention
\nbefore the store opens for the day. Require all associates to do a 360 Degree
\nPass-By before each shift.<\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

18. Utilize a daily <\/b>Store Opening Checklist<\/b>, prepared by you or the night crew, that lists
\nthe tasks to be completed the next day. Drop us an email for a customizable
\ncopy of this form.<\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

19. Set
\na daily sales goal and post it at the cashwrap. <\/b>Your associates will perform
\nbetter when they know what\u2019s expected of them each day.<\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

20. Hold
\na ten minute JOG (Jog Your Memory) meeting each morning or at the start of each
\nshift.<\/b> Discuss products, policies, promotions \u2013 anything store associates
\nneed to know that day.<\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

21. Take
\ntime to visit other retail stores for ideas. <\/b>Not just store like yours, all
\ntypes of stores. Visit popular chain and indie retail websites and social
\nmedias. With your creative mind we guarantee you will come up with dozens of
\nideas you can tweak to use in your own store.<\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

At the Cashwrap<\/span><\/b><\/span> <\/b><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

22. Policy
\nsigning should be framed and displayed in a prominent place at the cashwrap. <\/b>Your
\nreturn\/exchange policy should be comparable to other retailers in your area
\nthat sell what you sell. Try to eliminate the word NO, writing your policies in
\na friendly voice. \u201cNo refunds or exchanges without receipt!\u201d becomes
\ncustomer-friendly when changed to \u201cWe gladly accept returns and exchanges
\nwithin _________ days. Your receipt guarantees it.\u201d<\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

23. Place
\na variety of impulse items at the cashwrap. <\/b>High margin, inexpensive items
\nwork best. Choose things quilters typically need but don\u2019t forget items like
\ncandles and body lotions. Women are huge impulse buyers so give them a
\nselection they can\u2019t resist.<\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

24.<\/b> Sell<\/b>
\ngift cards year round at the cashwrap. <\/b>A
\nsmall display is all you need. Remember that the majority of gift card shoppers
\nspend more than the face value of the card and require more than one trip to
\nyour store to spend it. That\u2019s good news for you!<\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

25.<\/b> Use
\nthe wall directly behind your cashwrap to display product.<\/b> You never want
\ncustomers to stop thinking about product, even when they are checking out.
\nInstead of notes taped to the wall and piles of merchandise, use that space to
\ndisplay featured items, new arrivals and impulse product.<\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

26.<\/b> Keep
\na stash of frequently forgotten items at the cashwrap.<\/b> Now, when a customer
\nsays, \u201cI forgot to get __________, I\u2019ll get it next time.\u201d you can reach under
\nthe counter, grab that item, and save the sale.<\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

Store Operations<\/span><\/b><\/span> <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

27. Be
\nopen when customers expect you to be open. <\/b>There is no perfect answer to
\nwhen you should be open because the answer depends on time of year, your
\ncompetition and what shoppers expect. It\u2019s important to note that a big percentage
\nof retail sales happen after 7:00 pm, which explains why malls and chain stores
\nstay open until 9:00 pm. You should be open some evening hours and on Sundays
\nas well.<\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

28.<\/b> Answer
\nyour telephone within three rings. <\/b>Choose the way you want your phone to be
\nanswered and share it with all associates. A simple answer might be, \u201cThank you
\nfor calling ______________! This is ______________, how may I help you today?\u201d Don’t hide behind voice mail and don’t make associates tell callers about a sale or hours or whatever is
\nhappening in the store that day before asking how they help drives
\ncustomers crazy.<\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

29.<\/b> Manage
\nyour customer response times. <\/b>Best practices say you should return phone
\ncalls and respond to email requests within 24 hours and reply to text messages
\nwithin an hour. Don\u2019t hide behind an automatic reply unless it\u2019s absolutely
\nnecessary. Not being responsive gives a bad impression of your business.<\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

30. Control
\nyour back stock. <\/b>Before you reorder check to ensure there are no additional
\nquantities of that product already in your stock room.<\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

If you
\nneed a physical reminder, place a green dot sticker on the shelf or bin ticket indicating
\nthat there is more of this merchandise in the stock room. When there is no more
\nof the item in the stock room replace the green dot with a red dot, indicating
\nthat this item needs to be reordered. Add a black dot if the item is not to be
\nreordered or mark it down and move it to the clearance aisle.<\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

31. <\/b><\/span>Take
\nphysical cycle counts.<\/b> Even if you have a POS system it\u2019s still important
\nto take periodic physical counts at shelf level to compare actual inventory versus
\nwhat\u2019s on the POS report. If they don’t match you need to find out why.<\/span><\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

32. Create
\nand maintain a Never Out Item List.<\/b> These are the items that can never be
\nout of stock. Physically check this product against the list daily and re-order
\nas necessary.<\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

33. Don\u2019t
\nwait too long to take a markdown. <\/b>Merchandise that isn\u2019t selling doesn\u2019t do
\nyou any good collecting dust on a shelf. It needs to go to free up cash to buy
\nfresh, saleable product. Add a \u201csell by\u201d date to price tags and bin tickets,
\nand mark down items as soon as sales start to slow down. Packing away product
\nfor next year is rarely a good idea.<\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

34. Control
\nyour delivery dates.<\/b> Yes, you can tell vendors when you want to receive
\nyour orders. Accepting a late-season delivery doesn\u2019t make sense if it arrives
\ntoo late in the season to sell, as does receiving and paying for goods far in
\nadvance of actual sell time.<\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

Marketing<\/span><\/b><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

35. Create
\na weekly bag stuffer and hand one to every shopper.<\/b>  Getting them into the customers\u2019 hand is
\nimportant. Regardless of the name, if you pre-stuff them into bags they will not
\nget read. Use your bag stuffers to advertise specific product, events or
\nwhatever is important that particular week.<\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

36. Build
\na Brag Sheet<\/b> that\u2019s loaded with the services your store provides, awards,
\nconveniences, merchandise categories, brands, social media handles, return
\npolicy, hours \u2013 everything that\u2019s important to your customers. Print it on the
\nback of your weekly bag stuffer, add it to your website, social medias and
\nemail blasts.<\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

37. Send
\nan email blast at least twice a month.<\/b> Choose a professional email
\nmarketing company to create your campaigns. Constant Contact, Email Contact,
\nSnapRetail and MailChimp are just a few retailer favorites that offer a free 30-45
\nday trial. Try them all and then go with your favorite.<\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

38. Collect
\ncustomer email addresses organically.<\/b> Place a sign-up sheet at the register
\nand on your website. Host contests where the winner is notified via email and make
\nasking for the shoppers email part of the regular checkout process.<\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

39. Every
\nemail blast should have a clear message <\/b>that <\/b>encourages the reader to act by visiting your website or coming to
\nyour store.<\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

40.<\/b> Pepper
\nyour emails with large photos and less copy.<\/b> People don\u2019t like to read long
\nblocks of copy so keep the message short. Make every photo clickable, taking
\nthe reader to your website for more information or to purchase. It should take
\na reader no more than 20 seconds to fully understand the message you are trying
\nto convey.<\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

41. 64
\npercent of people say they open an email because of the subject line alone<\/b>.
\nMake sure yours are compelling.<\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

42.<\/b> Measure
\nyour results<\/b>. <\/b>Every <\/b>email marketing company provides you
\nwith detailed reports on how customers responded. Keep the techniques that work
\nand tweak those that don\u2019t before sending your next email blast.<\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

43. Host one major in-store
\nevent and one \u2013 two minor in-store events each month.<\/b> <\/span>A major event is one that builds traffic and packs your store with
\ncustomers. Do not confuse a major event with something that takes a long
\ntime to plan. A class, trunk or fashion show can be a big undertaking, but it\u2019s
\nnot a major event unless it attracts potential customers who come to watch and
\nbuy something while they\u2019re there.<\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

A minor
\nevent might be a Saturday full of makit it & takits, demonstrations, and mini
\nclasses. <\/b>Minor events draw customers to your store but should not take a
\nlot of time to plan or implement. If the concept of events and promotions is new
\nto you, then begin by running one major event and one minor event for each
\nmonth of the year. If you\u2019re already running events on a regular basis, you can
\nadd as many as you are comfortable adding.<\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

44. Create
\na marketing and promotions calendar for each month of 2024. <\/b>List dates and
\ndeadlines for each part of your marketing efforts, including in-store events,
\npromotions, Facebook Live broadcasts, classes, email blasts, and social media
\nposts.<\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

45. Toot
\nyour own horn.<\/b> Contact local medias and pitch stories about your store. The
\nmajority of the stories presented by local media come from a press release, so
\nsend one for each newsworthy thing you do in your store including awards, big
\nevents, famous visitors to your store, contest winners, charitable works,
\nnewsworthy associates, etc.<\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

Social Media<\/span><\/b><\/span> <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

46. Ramp
\nup<\/b> your social media presence.<\/b> Unless
\nyou have  a dedicated social media
\nperson, choose one or two social media platforms and commit to keeping them up
\nto date. You should definitely be on Facebook and Instagram. Posting daily is
\nthe optimal goal; three times a week is the very minimum you can do to keep
\nfollowers interested.<\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

47. Continue
\nto boost your business online.<\/b> Online selling is here to stay. Keep your
\nwebsite up to date and choose a selling platform such as Comment Sold, Shopify,
\nBig Commerce, or Woo to help you automate.<\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

48. Make<\/b>
\nFacebook Live broadcasts a major of your
\nmarketing.<\/b> We know so many retailers who connect with customers via
\nFacebook Live. If you haven\u2019t tried it yet (and why haven\u2019t you?) it\u2019s time to
\nget on board. Choose a daily or weekly time slot and stick to it. The same
\nselling platforms listed in number 44 will also help you easily sell via social
\nmedia.<\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

49. Instagram
\nis more than just posting photos.<\/b> Instagram Live is similar to Facebook
\nLive; Instagram stories allow you to post photos and videos that disappear after
\n24 hours, and Reels let\u2019s create and post videos \u2013 people love videos! There
\nare even more options available, but if you choose to just post photos on your
\nInstagram grid that\u2019s okay, too.<\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

50. Use
\nhashtags to expand your reach.<\/b> Posts with hashtags have more engagement
\nthan those that don\u2019t. Without a hashtag your posts only go to the people who
\nfollow you, but posts that include hashtags can reach anyone who follows that
\nparticular hashtag. Google \u201cbest hashtags for ______\u201d to get you started. Be
\nsure to include a hashtag for your store as in #nameofyourstore.<\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

One
\nmore: Take care of yourself.<\/b> Take a day off when you can. Start your day
\nwith fellow business owners at your local coffee shop. If there\u2019s no time for
\nthat, then spend a few minutes catching up with friends on Facebook. Attend trade
\nshows that help your business and make you happy. Make dinner plans with
\nfriends or better yet, go a day early and visit local stores with your pals.<\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

Retailers
\nare some of the most resilient people in the world. There is no limit to what
\nyou can do when you put your mind to it!<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

COPYRIGHT
\nKIZER & BENDER 2024 | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | Retail Adventures Blog<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\"Retail<\/a><\/p>
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

2024 is the Year of Thinking BIG!  Welcome to 2024, a brand new year to make your store a stand out! Keep customers coming back […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":11400,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11399","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dmsretail.com\/RetailNews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11399","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dmsretail.com\/RetailNews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dmsretail.com\/RetailNews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dmsretail.com\/RetailNews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dmsretail.com\/RetailNews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11399"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dmsretail.com\/RetailNews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11399\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dmsretail.com\/RetailNews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11400"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dmsretail.com\/RetailNews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11399"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dmsretail.com\/RetailNews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11399"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dmsretail.com\/RetailNews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11399"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}