People working on or around the Capitol Campus, and those visiting during this year’s legislative session, have a number of options available to assist them with transportation and parking in the capital city.

Intercity Transit, Thurston County’s public transportation agency, provides frequent transit serves to and from the Capitol Campus and many other state offices in the region. Express bus service, park and ride lots, vanpool and carpool serves are available for longer distance commuters. The transit provider also hooks up with Amtrak train service at Centennial Station and connects with other public transportation systems in the Puget Sound region, including Sound (Seattle), Pierce (Tacoma), Mason (Shelton) and Grays Harbor (Aberdeen) transit systems.

Free shuttle downtown parking

The popular downtown shuttle service, known as Dash, provides frequent service throughout the 2012 legislative session as well as throughout the year. The service was established six years ago to enhance access to and from destinations in downtown Olympia and the state Capitol Campus while easing parking and congestion issues, especially apparent during the busy legislative session.

The shuttle service is provided on four brightly colored, 30-foot coach vehicles, operates weekdays every 12 to 15 minutes between 7 am and 6 pm (service frequency varies slightly based on the time of day; service runs weekdays every 12 minutes from 9 am to 5 pm and every 15 minutes 7 to 9 am and 5 to 6 pm). The Dash shuttle provides easy-to-use travel for people working, shopping, visiting, recreating or living in downtown Olympia. It routes along numerous satellite parking lots, including those on the Capitol Campus (at the southern end of the shuttle route) and at the Market District (at the northern end of the route).

“Our downtown businesses love Dash,” states Connie Lorenz, Executive Director of the Olympia Downtown Association. “The service helps state workers and legislators and makes it easy for people to pop downtown for lunch or to run errands without having to mess with parking.”

The service is a small part of the transportation arsenal Intercity Transit provides to South Sound travelers. Other award-winning services of the nationally recognized system include:

• a fixed-route transit system with 15-minute frequency along the area’s major corridors in Lacey, Tumwater and Olympia (Martin Way, Capitol Way, Capitol Blvd, Harrison Ave, Deschutes Pkwy)
• express service between Olympia, Lacey and Tacoma
• vanpool and rideshare services
• specialized van transportation programs
• individualized travel planning support

Transit routes

Intercity Transit operates 15-minute bus service along main corridors in Olympia, Lacey and Tumwater. This makes transit convenient and reliable for thousands of riders using the system every day.

Along with the Dash shuttle, three other Intercity Transit routes operate on Capitol Way traveling past the Capitol Campus. Routes 12, 13 and 68 together provide service every 15 minutes and serve many state offices, including Labor and Industries, the Department of Health, the Edna Lucille Goodrich Building, Point Plaza West, Point Plaza East and Tumwater Square.

Parking is available on the west side of Capitol Lake along Deschutes Parkway. Bus service along this corridor on routes 43 and 44 runs every 15 minutes and connects commuters to downtown Olympia and west Olympia destinations including the Thurston County Courthouse, South Puget Sound Community College and the Westfield Mall.

The Olympia Transit Center in downtown Olympia is the transit system’s largest hub, where rides can make connections to 22 different routes serving destinations traveling to and from Tumwater, Lacey, West Olympia and Yelm. Commuters may also connect there with neighboring Pierce, Grays Harbor and Mason Transit systems. Intercity Transit provides 15,000 rides each weekday. A total of 460 bus departures occur every weekday just from the downtown Olympia Transit Center.

Service between Lacey and Olympia is available every 15 minutes on routes 62A and 62B, operating along Martin Way. Several other routes also offer a high level of service ot the area.

Four commuter express routes travel past the Capitol Campus and through downtown Olympia. Express bus service travels to and from Tacoma and connect with other transit services for transportation to Seattle and beyond.

Regular fares apply on routes except the Dash shuttle which is free. Local service costs $1 per ride and $2 for an all-day pass. Service to Tacoma or beyond cost a bit more.

Pass programs

Intercity Transit administers five pass programs. The State Agency Rider (STAR) Pass program enables state workers, legislators and session staff unlimited Intercity Trasnit use and requires no payment at the farebox. Intercity Trasnit also coordinates similar free-ride contracted pass programs for Thurston County employees, students of The Evergreen State College, South Puget Sound Community College and Saint Martin’s University.

More than bus travel

Five regional park and ride lots are served by Intercity Transit. These lots are used to catch one’s transit trip, carpool or vanpool and include Martin Way just off I-5 in Lacey, the Amtrak Centennial Station on Yelm Highway, the SR 512 and I-5 interchange at Laewood, and the Lakewood and Tacoma Dome stations. A new park and ride is under construction near Marvin Road just off I-5.

Vanpool/carpool partnering is available to people interested in sharing their commute. Intercity Transit staff matches commuters according to their work schedules and travel needs. Call (360) 786-8800 or visit intercitytransit.com or RideshareOnline.com.

Intercity Transit works with about 150 employment sites to support active transportation options for thousands of area employees. Many of these sites provide employee incentives and support as part of their commute trip reduction efforts.

More information

Intercity Transit provides one-on-one individualized trip planning, travel training for new bus riders and online interactive transit planning to help make use of its services easy and stress free. Google Maps online trip planning service and real-time arrival information through OneBusAway.org are available at www.intercitytransit.com along with schedules, route maps, pass programs and other information. The system’s Transit Guide provides information about Intercity Transit’s 24 bus routes and other transportation services. Guides are available at local Timberland Libraries, most area Safeway stores, at the Capitol Campus Visitor Information Center and at most large employment sites.

Information is available by calling customer service at (360) 786-1881 or (800) 287-6348, or visiting www.intercitytransit.com. Customer service is open weekdays, 6:30 am to 7 pm and on weekends from 9 am to 7 pm.

– 68% of consumers say they will pay more for a product/service if they feel like they are getting a better customer service experience. – Harris Interactive, Consumer Experience Impact Report, 2011

This is interesting for several reasons, here are three:

1) Many times we think that we need to drop our price or price match a competitor to get a customer’s business. This just isn’t true. Dropping a price (or even quoting a price too quickly) is a cop out. What we should focus on is providing the best customer service experience possible.

2) Customers will pay more money for something ON PURPOSE if the customer service is excellent. They will seek out businesses that provide legendary customer service knowing that they will end up paying more money. Think about this. Customers want to pay more money if they feel they are being treated well. Let me say that again: customers are seeking to pay more money, if (and this is a big ‘if’) they feel they are being treated well.

3) Customer service is THE most important part of your business. Many businesses spend a lot of money worrying about their product quality or their advertising or their building or their systems and resources. And all that’s great…except…those are not the most important things to your customer. Customer service is the most important thing to your customer. People want to be treated well. They want a ‘human’ interaction. The quality of this interaction is more important than your facility, than your price and even than your quality.

The customer service experience is KING!

“A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” – Sir Winston Churchill

Copyright 2011. Reprinted with permission from Barbara Wold’s Retail & Consumer Tips, mail to: bwold@ix.netcom.com.

Have a much greater focus on the customer experience and do everything you can to ensure that all of your systems, processes, programs, policies, initiatives and procedures have one end in mind: to strengthen your focus on the customer experience.

Everything you decide to do in the coming year, from a strategic, operational or budgeting perspective, must revolve around this one resolution: Putting our customers at the very top of our priority list … and keeping our customers at the top of the list.

2. Focus on the customer service representative: The front-line employee who interacts directly with the customer is the single-most important ambassador a company has; they should be the standard-bearers of your company’s vision and brand. The company’s very reputation and brand promise must be conveyed to your valued customer.

As customer service leaders, resolve in 2012 to start recognizing your front-line customers service representatives. They are your customer service soldiers in their role. As leaders, start understanding your role to shape the resources, systems and processes as tools the front-line customer service representatives can use to heighten and improve the customer experience. Make sure you are providing your customer service representatives with the competencies and skills to do their job well, and then reward them in tangible and meaningful ways when they are successful.

Invite them to be the face of the company in a meaningful way … then observe in wonder as they gain the ability and the motivation to knock the customer’s socks off.

3. Focus on each individual customer service touchpoint: In 2012, focus on the critical value of the singular customer service touchpoint with your customers; the one interaction – the next call, email or chat – the single customer service interaction that might be your one chance to carry that customer to loyalty and maximum profitability.

The power of that one customer experience touchpoint is undeniable. You have to do everything you possibly can to transform that customer experience touchpoint into a customer loyalty experience that will have the customer buzzing about the way you answered his question, solved his problem or gave him direction.

You just never know what might come out of the singular customer service touchpoint with a customer. It could be that as soon as the customer disconnects from the call, email or chat or he walks out of your store that he will forget about you. However, it could also very well be that immediately after having had a great customer service experience or a horrible experience that he tweets a message, posts something on his Facebook page or shares his experience with a party of six at lunch.

Resolve to succeed with every customer experience touchpoint.

“A lot of people notice when you succeed, but they don’t see what it takes to get there.” – Dawn Staley, WNBA basketball player

Copyright 2012. Reprinted with permission from Barbara Wold’s Retail & Consumer Tips, mail to bwold@ix.netcom.com.

Downtown businesses, it’s time to start thinking about chocolate for our First Friday in November. Theme: EVERYTHING CHOCOLATE!

Thank you to those who participated in our September Harvest and the October ArtsWalk events. We invite downtown businesses to join us to make Olympia come alive in the evening on the First Friday of each month. Just having lights on in shops downtown makes the city warm and inviting for community members. Even if the customer count is low, it allows the community to realize how we collectively want to make our downtown a success and a friendly place to come.

In November we invite our wonderful Olympia restaurants and coffee houses to participate in the chocolate theme by creating special chocolate desserts and or drinks. Perhaps the death by chocolate or the choco-tini (martini) might be fun. The more chocolate creations the better. We also invite businesses who are normally open in the evening to also create some type of chocolate theme, by handing out kisses (Hershey of course) or making brownies or chocolate cookies, giving chocolate coins, having a chocolate fountain, etc. Chocolate is one food that releases the “love hormone” that will cause people to fall in love with Olympia. The more love the better so please say you will join us for this event.

If you wish to have your business name added to the list of those staying open this one night each month, please respond to the ODA by email at odaoffice@tss.net or phone at (360) 357-8948.

The committee is meeting regularly to create appropriate themes for each first Friday. We will have a special event for the holiday season (more details below). Please join us for November 4 First Friday with the theme Everything Chocolate. Your unique chocolate theme will be appreciated. If you need help with chocolate ideas, please contact Mary Corso of Courtyard Antiques at (360) 701-1354 and she will help you get connected with something scrumptious.

Note: Details below on a group advertising opportunity for First Friday.

More information:
Shop Downtown for the Holidays Sweepstakes
Group advertising opportunity

Five ways to attract new customers

(It’s FREE, FAST and worth a TRY)

I know firsthand the pressure to attract new customers in a challenging economic climate. So you’ve set up your social media empire using Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and you’re blogging to. But how do you make it all work together? You want to reach potential clients and establish your authority online, but what’s your plan?

1. Create a Facebook fan page

There are lots of ways to get creative and engage your customers, and then their friends become your fans and customers too. Facebook offers a free tutorial on how to get started once you log in.

2. Tweet special offers or advice daily via Twitter

Sprinkles Cupcakes is just one business that encourages customers in its stores and on its website to follow the company on Twitter. Every few days, the company sends out messages such as “Celebrate National Chocolate Cake Day! The first 50 people to whisper “rich” at each Sprinkles receive a free dark chocolate cupcake.” That gets people into the shop – and most times they buy another cupcake and a drink.

3. Encourage customer reviews on Yelp

Some 90 percent of consumers say they trust recommendations from people they know, and 70 percent say they trust consumer opinions posted online, according to a Nielsen Global Online Consumer Survey.

4. List your business on Google and Yahoo

When we want to find anything, we turn to Google or Yahoo to search – and you can’t get any bigger in terms of websites than these. Google has a Local Business Directory where you can register your business absolutely free. And here’s what’s most interesting. There’s no reason not to list your business on both sites – whether you own a mom and pop hardware store or a bar, you want to leverage the extraordinary reach of these search engines. Check out Google’s tutorial to help you get started.

5. Be your own publicist

Finally, the website “Help a Reporter” is a free daily email service that delivers media queries three times a day right to your inbox from among 70,000 bloggers, authors, TV reporters and radio producers. Often the requests are for small business owners – recent listings seek small business owners to discuss creative financing in this economy; other queries are for gardening experts, jewelry makers; the needs are very diverse. This is a way for your to do your own publicity without the expense of a publicist to get your business mentioned in the media.

Copyright 2011. Reprinted with permission from Barbara Wold’s Retail & Consumer Tips, bwold@ix.netcom.com.

• Review your inventory levels. It’s always important to keep inventory turning. During a time of slowing sales, you need to evaluate your inventory more carefully and reduce the stocking units that are not turning well. Inventory turns are expressed in two ways – days inventory (the number of days it takes you to sell your inventory) or inventory turns (the number of times you turn your inventory in a year). Do you know what your turn rate should be? Has been historically? Or what the industry average is?
• Review/determine your company’s break-even point. Understand what level of sales is required to stay profitable.
• Analyze your customers. Take a close look at your customer segments, and make sure you understand why they purchase from you. Segmenting can be done in several ways. For instance, you can use volume of sales; type of customer, such as purchase location (retail/wholesale/internet); type of buyer (commercial/government/personal); or by buyer demographics (educated/family status/residence location). Then you can analyze your various segments to determine what product/service features are important when customers make purchase decisions, which segment provides the best margins and/or greatest volume for your business and other identifying features.
• Watch what the big boys are doing. They have big dollars to spend on marketing and monitoring the market place. For instance, consider all the value meals that have been developed by the restaurant industry, all of which are targeted at budget conscious consumers. Another strategy the big players in the market are utilizing is to cooperatively market. For instance, if you buy a meal at some restaurants, you get free DVDs, toys or other added values. Consider what you can do to make customers feel they are getting more for their money.
• Encourage/promote a “buy locally” strategy in your community. People do not want to travel to make their purchases, so as a local business, you may be able to capitalize on high fuel costs and the convenience you offer. Even though times are tough, now may not be the time to cut back on your advertising/marketing efforts in the local market. Remind people that buying from you saves fuel and postage costs.
• Take positive actions and maintain a positive attitude. People want to buy from a winner, so act like a winner! Do a little market research and be ready to identify and capitalize on potential opportunities. A colleague shared recently that he talked to a restaurant owner whose business has actually been increasing due to the fact that he’s taking advantage of a competitor’s cutbacks; offering more customer friendly hours (opening two hours earlier by customer request); offering friendly and personalized service (reintroducing big coffee cups and small cups again by customer request); and is actively combating any negative word of mouth in the local marketplace.
• Don’t be so focused on cutting costs that you forget about trying to increase sales (while keeping costs the same). Consider charging something for products or services that are currently provided at no cost. Increase prices, and try to sell more to existing customers instead of constantly prospecting for new ones.
• Look for ways to maximize the power of referral within and to your business.
• Make efforts to reduce the amount of time it takes to collect payment from customers. The most important key to getting paid on time is to be clear about the work that was done, how much should be paid and by when.
  • Add a bold due date to your invoice.
  • Call to make sure the customer got the invoice.
  • Don’t wait until the payment is overdue; start collection efforts immediately.
  • Make certain all customer service efforts are addressed immediately so that they won’t later be used as an excuse for withholding payment.
• Contact your accountant to identify potential tax breaks that may have been forgotten or overlooked. Some may still provide financial relief:
  • You may deduct up to $250,000 for purchases of major equipment, including computers, non-customized computer software, office furniture and machinery.
  • If business this year is truly bad and you are going to lose money, you may consider carrying back this loss in order to get a refund of taxes paid in prior years. A net operating loss deduction can generally be carried back to each of the two preceding tax years to offset taxable income in those years.
  • Tax law also continues to provide generous incentives for small business owners. Self-employed individuals can generally deduct 100 percent of the cost of their health insurance (up to the amount of their earned income).
• Refinance. Check into potential debt refinancing options to determine if there are lower interest rates or other options available.
• Take the opportunity to do some of the things you never seem to have time to do when business is booming. Engage in some strategic planning and/or market analysis to identify your best options for the future. Spruce up the business, or update employee manuals. Do some research on your competition. Build relationships with former and existing customers. Make good use of the time, and you’ll be ready to face the future.

For help or more information on remaining competitive during challenging economic times, consult with your local Small Business Development Center (SBDC).

Source: Missouri Small Business and Technology Development Center

1. Focus on the right stuff and the money will come
The top three priorities of Disneyland management is leadership excellence, cast excellence and guest satisfaction. The fourth priority is financial results. The interpretation is that if you do the first three things right, money is a natural outcome.

2. Take care of your employees (cast members)
Disneyland has “team centers” to serve the needs of its employees. These centers provide insurance, discounts, tickets, transportation services and payroll services. The message is “be good to your employees, and they’ll be good to your customers.”

3. Everybody should do the “dirty jobs”
How many people are there in the park sweeping up trash? Take a guess. The right answer is an astoundingly low number: eight. This is possible because every employee is supposed to keep the park clean, not just the janitors.

4. Everybody is customer service
How long do you think the training is for the people with brooms sweeping up the trash? Six weeks. This is necessary because guests ask janitors questions, so the folks with brooms must be experts about the park. The training for parking lot attendants can be as long as eight weeks.

5. Pay attention to the details
Walt Disney himself specified the type of trashcan for the park. These cans are currently swapped out every two years and Disney repaints them every four months.

6. Pay attention to even more details
A hairdresser in the wig department takes 30 to 45 minutes to wash and set the wig for Ariel. Then it takes 90 to 120 minutes to dry it. Finally, there’s another 30 minutes to comb it out. This is for a wig. Most entrepreneurs don’t spend this much time practicing their pitch for venture capitalists.

7. Make your customers feel close and important
The buildings on Main Street are 5/8th scale. This is to make people feel like they are closer to the action and important. Most companies erect edifices to make their customers feel small, and their bosses feel big. Disneyland does the opposite. Walt Disney used to crouch down to see Disneyland from a child’s perspective.

8. Know the facts
What is the ration of adults to kids at any given moment in the park? Believe it or not, there are four adults for every kid. I would have never guessed that. This has big ramifications: Disneyland can’t just be a place for kids since kids are only 20 percent of the customers.

9. Green is good
The floats are all battery-powered. The fireworks are launched with compressed air, not explosive charges. The trains are bio-diesel and burn the oil from the park’s restaurants. Currently, 80 percent of the 1.3 pounds of trash that each guest produces per day is recycled.

10. Keep customers coming back
The Star Wards inspired ride called Star Tours has six different destinations, two beginning scenes and three holograms. This means that there are 54 different combinations. If you’re very lucky, you can see all the combinations in three rides – or, much more likely, you’ll have to keep coming back for more.

(Adapted from the article What I Learned From a Mouse with Big Ears, Guy Kawasaki, Co-Founder, Alltop)

Copyright 2011. Reprinted with permission from Barbara Wold’s Retail & Consumer Tips, bwold@ix.netcom.com.

2. Develop a success culture
The culture of a customer service organization is critically important. One or two bad apples can, and will, if not removed, ruin the barrel.

3. Look for the real source of initial customer contacts
Most customers don’t contact your organization because of a customer service issue – at least not initially anyway. Look for what has caused the contact.

4. Look after and empower your front-line people
Make sure your front-line people have the systems, information and processes they need to satisfy their customers during the first contact.

5. Be proactive
If you have an ongoing customer issue, never wait for them to contact you to check what has happened about their problem.

6. Focus on first contact fix
Focus on tracking, analyzing and removing the drivers of repeat contacts. Never fall into the trap of driving down contact resolution times to the extent that it risks not satisfying all of the customers’ questions or concerns.

7. Treat complaints as a blessing
Complaints are a gift – cherish them. Every complaint is an opportunity to make things right, review and improve your processes, and impress your customer. It’s the customers who don’t complain that go to a competitor – so make it easy to complain and put your best people at your complaint desk.

8. Coach, coach and coach again
Training and then frequent coaching and feedback are a key factor in supporting customer service advisors to quickly achieve competence, and to build upon that to become role models for other staff.

“The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.” – William Arthur Ward, American author

Copyright 2011. Reprinted with permission from Barbara Wold’s Retail & Consumer Tips, bwold@ix.netcom.com.

Bring a friend card. Give customers a business-sized card that says each time they bring a friend they get their card punched. When punched, say ten times, the customer receives 20% off their next purchase.

“I appreciate doing business with you” card. Provide your employees with cards that read, “I enjoy doing business with you and I know you will enjoy shopping at our store.” Have employees personally send or give these cards to businesses they patronize. As means of motivation for your employees to give these cards out, offer a prize for the employee that generates the most returned cards.

Sponsor a fundraiser for a nonprofit organization. Sponsoring a money-raising event is a perfect way to increase your store’s exposure to the public. As a sponsor, your store could take charge of organizing volunteers, contacting the media and running the collections. For just a little extra work, you store can receive a great deal of publicity.

Mystery item contest. Advertise in the paper or on the radio a mystery item in your store. Individuals finding the mystery item become eligible for a prize that is awarded in a weekly drawing.

Dollar bill special. This promotion is specifically designed for a local radio station. This is a terrific traffic builder. Radio listeners hear the following, “During the next half hour, anyone who visits ABC store will receive a complimentary dollar bill. No purchase necessary.” This will certainly get people into the store and to look at the products the store sells. Have them sign up for a drawing to build a mailing list. This is great word-of-mouth advertising.

Contest for kids. There are a number of contests for children that can be held, one popular example is a coloring contest. Have children color a store advertising circular and award a prize to the child with the best coloring job for each group.

Start sampling. Use the tried and true methods of sampling a bit more this year. Sampling results in approximately 70% more sales of each sampled item. Ask your vendors for discounted testers or samples.

Hold a contest. Nothing beats a time-honored contest. We all love contests. They generate attention and excitement. They get our adrenaline flowing. Your contest doesn’t have to be extravagant to be remembered, but to get the most out of it, be sure to post the top three winners in your store for several weeks afterwards. Better yet, add their photos.

Speak up. If you have the gift of gab or are comfortable in front of an audience offer to speak at a chamber of commerce meeting. There are lots of business topics to speak about and you will see your business benefit almost immediately.

Hold a “Girls’ Night Out.” Host a Football Widows Party during football season to give women a fun reason to shop in your store.

Quench their thirst. Build your store’s name recognition by passing out bottled water labeled with your business name. Print simple labels on your printer and affix them to bottles of water for your guests.

Set up shows and home parties. Home parties are popular again. Produce home parties, the hostess gets free merchandise and you get an intimate setting to display your wares.

Set up artisans. If you have a front window that draws traffic find a craftsman like a weaver, woodworker or potter to showcase their skill. Inside the store offer the artist’s work at a special price.

Start a gift registry. Kick off the promotion by having a drawing among those who register, then give the winner an item on his or her list. Enhance the service with a display of gift cards and complimentary gift-wrap.

Meet and greet. Start a reading group, collector’s organization or other group that meets in your store. Pick an interest that is parallel to your store’s character and get the word out.

Balloon sale days. Discount sales events can become more exciting by adding a special element of surprise. Place discount messages in balloons and fill your store with colorful balloons with your logo. This effective and low cost event creates a fun party atmosphere and is easy to implement. If you plan to discount from 10% to 50% off make the customer feel “lucky” by starting off your balloon messages at 15%.

April showers = spring flowers. Have customers bring in a potted plant in exchange for a 15% discount. Customers will be excited to learn the plants will be going to a nursing home. Don’t forget to notify the media about this promotion.

Bag lady sales days. Use small store shopping bags (cub size) for this event. Send out a fun postcard to kick off the private sale event. Place bags around the store and ask customers to stuff the bags. Any item that fits wins them a 20% discount. The more creative your mailer and in-store display the more successful the event will be.

Crystal Ball nights. Send out an invitation that goes along with a celestial theme. Bring in a palm reader, psychic or handwriting expert. Offer this service free as entertainment for your customers and serve light refreshments. Have your customers’ sign in on a waiting list as soon as they arrive and ask them to browse around until their name is called. This event will keep your customers in the store longer and buying more.

Customer appreciation party. Plan a special appreciation and/or VIP party and invite only your best customers. Have your store decorated with balloons, bring in entertainment, cater the event and have your staff in formal attire. This works well with special VIP Club memberships and gives an additional benefit for joining the club. No store discounts should be planned. Hand out little gifts to attendees as a nice touch of appreciation.

Copyright 2011. Reprinted with permission from Barbara Wold’s Retail & Consumer Tips, bwold@ix.netcom.com.

It is time to take a minute to assess where your business is now, where you might want to be and put into motion some of the following ideas that will make a difference in your business.

First, take a field trip and a day off, get out of your business and take a staff member with you. Visit successful stores in your area – all types of businesses. Notice how you feel in these stores, the ambiance, the employees you encounter, the merchandise presentation, the visual displays, the entrance, the windows, the signs, the cash-wrap counter, the lighting and the overall appearance.

Take notes of what you did and didn’t like. At the end of the day, list at least five ideas you can use to improve your business and put into action immediately. This day off will help you look at your business with a different set of eyes, it will be beneficial for you, your staff and your customers.

1. Ad/Marketing Plan for all year. Often retailers advertise only when they have extra money. Effective advertising/marketing calls for consistency and repetition. By appropriating money now for the entire year, you won’t be the victim of “hit” or “miss” advertising. Steps to follow:
•Define your advertising/marketing objectives
•Create an advertising/marketing platform
•Determine your budget
•Develop a media plan

2. Plan all yearly promotions and in-store events now. Give your customers a reason to continue shopping at your store and get noticed in an over-crowded marketplace. If you want to increase sales, you must continually think of creative ways to excite your customers. Steps:
•Create new ideas and brainstorm with staff
•Evaluate what has been done in the past
•Strategic planning
•Involve your team
•Good timing and detailed planning
•Design and reserve ad space
•Contact media
•Attention getting direct mail
•Complete the theme
•Planned OTB increased for special event

Dare to be different. Be daring and you will come up with new opportunties.

3. Review your business goals. To remain successful and continue to grow you must plan for your success. Strategic planning can be your blueprint to achieving your goals and planning for future growth. Set the right goals, believe in them and fully give yourself to them, and a radical change, for the better, will take place in your business.
•Be specific
•Be realistic
•Be positive
•Make your goals measurable

4. Invest in or update your current point-of-purchase system. If fully integrated, this technology can control:
•Inventory (from ordering through sale)
•Scanning merchandise
•Customer tracking and database
•Accounting

5. Review the terms of your lease/loan for a better deal. You might be able to secure a better deal or extend your lease to gain some tenant improvements from the landlord. If you have a loan, go to your bank, you might be able to refinance it. It’s worth a try – the worst thing you can hear is no.

6. A focus group. An excellent way to collect fresh new ideas.
•Gather 10 customers to “brainstorm your business”
•Keep objectives specific
•Appoint an outsider to moderate: more objective and effective
•Provide a discussion outline
•Hire someone to take notes
•Keep session to two hours or less
•Hold focus session in a restaurant’s private room
•Offer compensation, a store gift certificate worth $100
•Write thank you notes to all participants
•Promise anonymity. You’ll get more honest responses and results
•Do not video tape or have an observation window overlooking the group

Ask the most honest judges of your store – your customers and non-customers. Talk to your customers and listen – really listen.

7. Improve your image and customer service. Excellent customer service is no accident – it takes a plan, a commitment and an atmosphere of service awareness in the store.
•Decide to upgrade the stores’ service level and staff attitudes
•Evaluate current customer service practices to identify needed improvements
•Plan a stategy to provide better service
•Train staff to treat customers and other staff members with respect
•Assess performance with customer feedback
•Maintain the new standard so employees will go out of their way to do things for customers

8. Build and improve your staff. Create a team that does the best possible job for the store:
•Ensure everyone understands your winning advantage and their roles in supporting it
•Be friendly to staff members but don’t treat them like close personal friends
•Tell them everything and expect them to do the same
•Invest heavily in loyalty and they’ll give you the same in return
•Realize that fairness establishes your credibility
•Never be too busy to laugh. Nothing gets people through a crisis like a good laugh

When you and your staff feel the passion, you are going to be dangerous in the marketplace.

9. Give your store a makeover. In a competitive retail environment an effective store design can give a retailer an advantage. Ten questions to ask yourself before tackling a makeover.
•Are your window displays effective?
•Have you looked at your ceiling lately?
•What condition is your signage in?
•Have you given enough attention to lighting?
•Is your cash counter at the right height?
•Does your carpet look worn or soiled?
•Are your colors soothing?
•Are you presenting merchandise in an attractive and interesting manner?
•How does traffic flow through your store?

Don’t fall blindly in love with your store. This is what your customers are supposed to do!

10. Evaluate your store policies. The first step in evaluating your store policies is to ask yourself some simple questions. Take a moment and answer honestly.

Excerpt from Building Your Entrepreneur’s Success Rates – 15 Things That Will Pay Off Big by Barbara Wold, International Speaker, Author and Business Strategist.