by Premier Packaging

Ever since the down fall of economy and big department stores (walmart) are located every corner of US towns, small retail stores shrink and disappear due to direct competition. But despite the direct competition, there are still small firms that continue to thrive with the market and generate income. This is how they keep their business alive so could you.

1. Please your customers aka customer service. As a retail independent owner, you should already know that pleasing your customers is the top priority. Doesn’t matter what the customers’ satisfactions are you have to fulfill it. What makes you different from your competitors is the way you run your store and treat your customers. Good customer service will keep them coming back which means great profit for you. Yes, of course, it requires a lot of works, patient, and a thorough understanding of their behaviors. But at the end you’ll generate income.

2. You have to be on the scene at your store. What this mean is you have to run the store with a salesperson staff. What the point of opening a business if someone else runs it for you. This is benefiting both you and your customers. Your benefits are you have the accurate data of what they will purchase, look at, hours they’ll shop, and price them willing to pay for. Unlike the big corporate CEO, they have to depend on the reports from the field, spreadsheets, and infrequent management visits. This could lead to an inaccurate future decision. Another reason why you should be at your store is your employees will give your customers the best service they could possibly give.

3. Your Store Front Windows. The familiar phrase, “Don’t judge a book by its cover” do not apply to your retail store. The first impression customers are going to get out of your store is from its windows. By saying this, your store front window is the cheapest and most effective way of advertising your store. If set right, they will bring customers into your store. You can dresser your window yourself or you could find a professional window dresser. They are relatively at low cost to hire. The front store windows should always feature your sales, special events, and any promotions you have. Change your front store window frequently.

4. You need to change with time. Too often, retail independent owners are too comfortable with the way they run their business and see no reason why they should change. They considered change is a bad gamble, and status quo is the safe way to go. Unfortunately, it is via versa. Time will pass by you who resist changing with time. To keep your retail store alive and compete against your competitors, you should be ready, willing, and able to make all necessary changes to keep your store competitive. You should not be afraid of failure. As our President Franklin D. Roosevelt stated in his inaugural, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” Overall, you must make adjustments to keep your small retail store alive.

5. Let the WWW works for you. The internet is the great tool for small business. You should use it to your advantage. First, you start an email newsletter today between and your customers. Outline a brochure of what the email will contains (usually sales and coupon are the best), and how often will your customers will receive the email (once a month). Second, you should have an e-commerce of your store. Website is not expensive to develop if you used it properly. Don’t create a website that is all business, but instead, make it entertaining and informative for your customers. Your website mainly should be center focus of your primary customers. For example, if your customers mainly men, develop a page mainly for men activities such as local sport. Focus in your local area first.

These five strategies are only a basic general guideline. They are relatively low cost or no cost at all. It is only consuming your free time. But as a business retailer your free time is your store. Use this to your advantage.

by Premier Packaging

Ever since the down fall of economy and big department stores (walmart) are located every corner of US towns, small retail stores shrink and disappear due to direct competition. But despite the direct competition, there are still small firms that continue to thrive with the market and generate income. This is how they keep their business alive so could you.

1. Please your customers aka customer service. As a retail independent owner, you should already know that pleasing your customers is the top priority. Doesn’t matter what the customers’ satisfactions are you have to fulfill it. What makes you different from your competitors is the way you run your store and treat your customers. Good customer service will keep them coming back which means great profit for you. Yes, of course, it requires a lot of works, patient, and a thorough understanding of their behaviors. But at the end you’ll generate income.

2. You have to be on the scene at your store. What this mean is you have to run the store with a salesperson staff. What the point of opening a business if someone else runs it for you. This is benefiting both you and your customers. Your benefits are you have the accurate data of what they will purchase, look at, hours they’ll shop, and price them willing to pay for. Unlike the big corporate CEO, they have to depend on the reports from the field, spreadsheets, and infrequent management visits. This could lead to an inaccurate future decision. Another reason why you should be at your store is your employees will give your customers the best service they could possibly give.

3. Your Store Front Windows. The familiar phrase, “Don’t judge a book by its cover” do not apply to your retail store. The first impression customers are going to get out of your store is from its windows. By saying this, your store front window is the cheapest and most effective way of advertising your store. If set right, they will bring customers into your store. You can dresser your window yourself or you could find a professional window dresser. They are relatively at low cost to hire. The front store windows should always feature your sales, special events, and any promotions you have. Change your front store window frequently.

4. You need to change with time. Too often, retail independent owners are too comfortable with the way they run their business and see no reason why they should change. They considered change is a bad gamble, and status quo is the safe way to go. Unfortunately, it is via versa. Time will pass by you who resist changing with time. To keep your retail store alive and compete against your competitors, you should be ready, willing, and able to make all necessary changes to keep your store competitive. You should not be afraid of failure. As our President Franklin D. Roosevelt stated in his inaugural, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” Overall, you must make adjustments to keep your small retail store alive.

5. Let the WWW works for you. The internet is the great tool for small business. You should use it to your advantage. First, you start an email newsletter today between and your customers. Outline a brochure of what the email will contains (usually sales and coupon are the best), and how often will your customers will receive the email (once a month). Second, you should have an e-commerce of your store. Website is not expensive to develop if you used it properly. Don’t create a website that is all business, but instead, make it entertaining and informative for your customers. Your website mainly should be center focus of your primary customers. For example, if your customers mainly men, develop a page mainly for men activities such as local sport. Focus in your local area first.

These five strategies are only a basic general guideline. They are relatively low cost or no cost at all. It is only consuming your free time. But as a business retailer your free time is your store. Use this to your advantage.