16 Ways to Thrive — and Not Just Survive — in 2008

Whether times are good or bad, it never hurts to take stock of your business practices. Here's a simple test to determine how well you're doing.
March 3, 2008

By Doug Fleener

Are you doing everything it takes for your store to thrive and not just survive in 2008? If you believe you are, but you're not sure, here are 16 ways to tell if you passed the test.

1. You have already held, or will soon hold, a refresher training for your entire team on sales and engagement basics. Many retailers are reporting some drop in traffic, which they need to overcome by increasing their customer conversion rate or the average sale. (I know a few retailers who are tying these refresher trainings into a baseball spring training theme. Fun!)

2. You still post daily goals and how the store is performing to goal. Even better, you do so in a fun and motivational way.

3. All the activities you have deemed non-negotiable are done every day. If they're not, they really aren't non-negotiable, are they? Yesterday I spoke with two different people about sending out thank you cards. Both retailers said, "We do them, but we could be better." In 2008, most retailers can't afford not to do what they need to do to succeed.

4. Nothing makes your staff happier than to make a bigger sale than you.

5. Instead of standing around doing nothing when traffic is slow, the staff is working on ways to either drive more customers into the store or be more productive with the customers they have. Give yourself a big old pat on the back if the staff picks up the phone and invites top customers in.

6. You have run some sort of fun contest or competition during the past two weeks.

7. You often take some action after reading a Daily Retail Experience [or other educational newsletter] besides filing it away. If you print out a Daily for the staff, you also take the time to discuss it and use it as a catalyst.

8. You're positive you spend as much time building your business as you do running it.

9. Your staff appreciates that your standards are high and that you spend time helping them meet those standards.

10. Your staff still loves working at your store. They appreciate what you do for them and know that you appreciate what they do for you.

11. You — and your employees — smash like a bug any gossip or negativity that comes up.

12. Every day on your way to work, you're thinking of actions you can take to have a successful day.

13. You have formally asked your team to come up with ideas to grow sales in 2008. I suggest requiring everyone to post at least one idea.

14. You have already held, or will soon hold, some type of event to drive sales and traffic.

15. Even if the store hits a small slump, your team is optimistic it will end soon. If that's the case in your store, you deserve a double pat on the back, because that only happens with strong leadership.

16. If you didn't answer all of the above with a "yes," you're already thinking about what you can do to change that.

I'm more convinced than ever that 2008 will be a good year for those who put in the extra effort every single day. Are you?

Doug Fleener is president and managing partner of Dynamic Experiences Group, a Lexington, Mass., retail consulting firm dedicated to helping retailers boost their sales and profits. A veteran retailer with more than 25 years of hands-on retail experience with world-class retailers including Bose Corp. and The Sharper Image, he also has owned and operated his own specialty stores. Fleener is the author of the book "The Profitable Retailer: 56 Surprisingly Simple and Effective Lessons to Boost Your Sales and Profits." Contact him at (781) 861-7803 or visit dynamicexperiencesgroup.com.