Have you created a quilt pattern and want to share it with the world? Read on to learn how to copyright your pattern. Special thanks to avid quilter and Tulane University Law School John E. Koerner Endowed Professor of Law, Elizabeth Townsend Gard, for answering the question “If I write an original pattern, do I […]
Inflation recently hit a 40 year high. Read on to understand how this is affecting your business. Shipping Containers According to Scott Fortunoff, President of Jaftex Corp., shipping container costs were $3,000 to $5,000 prior to the pandemic. During the pandemic, however, the price of a shipping container peaked at between $25,000 and $30,000. As […]
Customer service is your business’s legacy. Read on for tips to encourage customers to shop again. Physical Presence The first part of leaving a legacy is your store’s physical presence. A great way to think about this is through the senses. What does your store look like? Make sure the environment is clean, organized, and […]
Last week we learned what a customer avatar is and the data points that help create one. This week we build your customer avatar and learn a new marketing technique. Building Your Avatar As you know, a customer avatar represents your ideal customer. To build your customer avatar, it helps to think of an actual […]
Why do your customers chose to shop with you? If you don’t know the answer to this question, practice the below exercise to keep differentiating yourself from the pack. What is a customer avatar? A customer avatar represents your ideal customer. Creating a customer avatar is important because they are the type of person that […]
Last week we covered how to budget for inventory with funds you have. (Remember, if your inventory account is empty, don’t buy more inventory!) In part two of our budgeting for inventory series, we cover what inventory to stock and how to avoid supplier marketing schemes. Buy with your customers in mind First, know who […]
Are you spending money you don’t have for inventory? Continue reading to learn how to avoid this financial situation. Budgeting To avoid overspending set aside a portion of every sale in a separate account to be used specifically for inventory. If the account is empty, do not order inventory (even if a calendar reminder is […]
It’s been 30 months since the pandemic began. How does your business stack up? If your business benefitted from the side-effects of stay-at-home mandates, know that an increase of sales doesn’t equate to an increase of profits. Read on to determine if your increase in sales actually equated to a better business operation. Gross margin […]
Psychology plays a huge role in retail merchandising. Read on for ways to display your merchandise to turn inventory faster. Simple tricks There are many ways to arrange your merchandise to increase sales, but let’s start with the 2-finger rule. Simply put, there should be a two finger space in between your product and the […]
Did you know customers are more likely to notice mannequins than any other fixture in your store or window display? This is simply because mannequins look like them. Read on for six ways to dress a form to add to your store’s environment. How to Dress Mannequins Be dramatic: Think of items you can style […]