Successfully serving your customers requires more than you think. You must recognize where they are in the purchasing process to adequately meet their needs.
To be a successful retail salesperson, you must understand how and why customers buy. Purchasing is a financial decision resulting in the exchange of money for goods. The process itself is very linear. The time it takes to move through this process varies according to each individual and the product or service purchased.
July 21, 2008
To make the most of your investment, you need to drive traffic to your Web site. Here are some proven ways to do just that.
Driving visitors to your Web site once you've spent so much time and money is the final step you must focus on to improve the rate of return on your investment. After launching the Web site, if you magically expect new customers to appear on your doorstep, you'll be disappointed. The Web site must be promoted — to all of your existing customers as well as any prospects in your database.
July 07, 2008
An e-commerce site may be just what your decorated apparel business needs and your customers want, but as in any business decision, it pays to look before you leap.
E-commerce sites typically fall into two groups: the custom-designed site that serves your own business and the company store that serves a business you represent. In this article, the fourth in our five-part series, we discuss the differences between these two approaches.
June 19, 2008
When it comes to Web sites, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. The type of site you choose should be based on the needs and budget of your business.
The who, what and when of building a Web site are all interrelated issues that must be considered as you plan for the launch of your site. The complexity of the site you choose will determine who builds it and your timeline from commitment to launch. Your business model, which includes company size, investment funds, customer needs and future plans, also needs to figure into this critical upfront decision-making.
June 09, 2008
Creating a Web site involves a number of key strategic considerations that can't be ignored if you want your site to be effective.
Once you come to terms with why it's so important to have a Web site and what you want it to accomplish, you can focus on how you will achieve success with your Web site project.
May 22, 2008
Having a Web site is a necessity for doing business in today's digital world. In Part 1 of this series of articles, we explain why it's important and what you need to consider to get your site up and running.
If your business isn't on the Internet, you're missing sales and losing credibility every minute. Today, a Web site isn't a business luxury — it's a necessity. Just like a business card or brochure, your Web site provides the first impression many people will have of your business. Your goal is to make sure it's not the last.
May 12, 2008
Have you had a good — or bad — customer service experience lately? Why not use the example as an employee training tool?
I recently returned from a week-long business trip. During that time, I presented at two different conferences in Southern California, worked with three different clients and stopped in Illinois on the way home to surprise my mother for her 75th birthday.
April 29, 2008
Embroiderers find offering special-occasion gift items is fun, profitable and builds repeat business. Here are some of the categories to consider, suggested gifts to fit the occasion and where to source them.
The range of gifts for special occasions is extensive, so trend and product research is crucial to finding what's right for your customers. First, identify what's being celebrated and look for suppliers that offer unique items for that market. To get you started, consider these proven examples from gift-crazy embroiderers.
April 14, 2008
Embroiderers find offering special-occasion gift items is fun, profitable and builds repeat business. Here's how to get started.
When people achieve professional milestones or celebrate anniversaries, a personalized gift can mean more than just a token present. Weddings, graduations, back to school, births, Mother's Day, Father's Day and birthdays are all special occasions that embroiderers can turn into profitable celebrations of their own.
March 31, 2008
While running an operationally sound store is important, coaching your sales team is more important. Are you a strong sales coach? If not, here are some things you can do about it.
One thing I've learned during my many years in retail sales and consulting is that high-performing store managers and owners are extremely focused on being good sales coaches. I see some managers and owners who are good people coaches and have strong business skills, but their stores never reach the desired level of performance because they fall short in coaching sales.
March 17, 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.
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.
March 03, 2008
Everything from attitude to procedures can affect your sales. Here's a short list of things you can do to see immediate improvement.
Ten tips for increasing your sales and profits.
December 17, 2007
While there might be an economic slowdown out in the world, you can keep one from taking place in your store.
From the high cost of heating a home this winter to the housing slump to the expected anemic holiday season, it seems that it's one story after another about how tough things are and are going to be. I almost feel as though my daily newspaper should be renamed The Doom and Gloom Globe.
December 03, 2007
Learn how the right content can boost your search engine ratings and drive more traffic to your site.
Building a Web site is a lot like building a house. First you develop a blueprint, and then you choose the right team to build it. Then the real work begins — filling the house with the right content.
November 02, 2007
Learn how to pick the right artwork, production process and prices for your e-commerce T-shirt Web site.
If you’re planning on selling preprints online, you most likely have some ideas either for killer artwork, clever graphics or something special that will grab customers’ attention. After all, unless you have compelling preprint images that people want to buy, even the best-looking, most functional Web site on the Internet won’t be able to sell them.
November 02, 2007
Learn what it takes to build a world-class presence on the Internet.
Establishing an online presence for your company is a no-brainer. After all, the cost is relatively minimal, and the benefits are many, ranging from the potential for round-the-clock orders to the ability to tap into new market niches. But how do you actually go about setting up the site? Thankfully, it’s easier and less costly than you might think.
October 08, 2007
Don't rush into cyberspace without a plan that maps precisely where you're headed, and how you'll get there.
The Internet makes it incredibly easy to launch a decorated apparel Web site relatively quickly — maybe a little too quickly. Given how easy it is to do so, it might be tempting to hastily assemble your Internet-based T-shirt business without spending the time to do your homework first. But just like a physical, bricks-and-mortar T-shirt business, successful Web companies also require lots of research, planning and a rock-solid business plan — and that takes time.
September 24, 2007
Part one of a multi-part series on how a great Web site store can sell your pre-print line without a large upfront investment.
For many years, decorators have realized the money-earning potential of offering a preprinted line of apparel. There's nothing more profitable than selling large quantities of the same image. However, in the past, this was a fairly expensive venture. It required creating catalogs, samples and hiring a team of sales reps to go out and sell the line to retail shops, among other costs. It was a risky investment that frequently did not pay off.
September 10, 2007
Take our TISS (Telling Instead of Selling Syndrome) quiz to find out.
Don't you just love it when a customer comes in and asks for a particular product? No need to identify why she's in the store or what she's looking for. You just take her over to the product, tell her everything she needs to know, and out the door she goes, product in hand. Ah, life is good.
August 27, 2007
Learn what it takes to build a world-class presence on the Internet.
Establishing an online presence for your company is a no-brainer. After all, the cost is relatively minimal, and the benefits are many, ranging from the potential for round-the-clock orders to the ability to tap into new market niches. But how do you actually go about setting up the site? Thankfully, it’s easier and less costly than you might think.
August 13, 2007
Be wary of treating your customers the way you like to be helped, as you may unwittingly be expressing the influence of poor sales approaches rather than good ones.
After a recent seminar, one of the attendees (We'll call her Ellen) wanted to discuss her approach to waiting on customers as it differed from what I had recommended. Here's how the conversation went.
August 13, 2007
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The Business Magazine for Apparel Decorators
Whether it's learning how to grow your storefront, create a Web site or develop an apparel decorators business plan, Impressions can help your apparel decoration business succeed. Impressions Magazine offers how-to articles on apparel decorating for businesses, teams, schools, retail and much more.
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