October 7, 2008 | Link This | Email this | Comments (0)

Well, I'm back and the “Williamsburg Festival” at Pine Tree Barn was a huge success!! This is the third year that I have been a part of the festival and with the economy such as it is we were all braced for a potentially slow weekend. When Saturday proved to be a record-breaking day, both in terms of attendance and sales, it got me thinking about what made this festival so successful.  

The moment you get out of your car, you know you are in for an experience. Every retailer at this event is dressed in colonial garb and demonstrating their trade. There are weavers, painters, candle makers, potters – just to name a few- and at each tent adults and children alike are enticed to participate in the activit...Read More

September 25, 2008 | Link This | Email this | Comments (0)

I’m heading to Wooster, OH next week for the 17^th annual WILLIAMSBURG Festival at Pine Tree Barn. It's the third year that I have presented at this festival and when it comes to promoting your business through an “in-store” event the folks at Pine Tree Barn have it dialed in. People come from near and far for this event that has all the makings of a colonial-style good time!

In-store special events are a great way to encourage long-time customers to stop by while enticing new customers to come in and see what you have to offer. Here are some tips for creating a successful event at your retail store.

First, figure out if you want to tie your e...Read More

September 19, 2008 | Link This | Email this | Comments (0)

It was just about a month ago when I said “hey, retailers… get ready for fall”! If it was hard to embrace leaves and pinecones when it was 95 degrees out, guess what? October is right around the corner!! So, if you haven’t shifted all the way into the next season, time to get moving.

Indoor and outdoor spaces are increasingly melding together as space becomes more of a commodity. This is good news for retailers of outdoor furniture and accessories. Fall is a great time to introduce to your customers the myriad of ways that outdoor accessories can transition easily indoors for a creative look.

Large urns planted with an assortment of grasses or flo...Read More

September 11, 2008 | Link This | Email this | Comments (4)

I recently stumbled across this great article online and thought I’d share it with you. “Effective merchandising resources to SPARK your creative juices” written by Sharon Leicham is an informative and succinct resource for anyone that wants to create dynamic displays in a showroom or retail store. It was published in a fitness publication but the ideas are applicable not matter what industry you're in. Here are the highlights from the article or click here to download the full PDF file. It is well worth a look!!

Best Websites:
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September 5, 2008 | Link This | Email this | Comments (0)

Retailing is all about the customer experience. Here are 4 essentials for enhancing a customer’s visit to your store. Recently, I talked about how important general “housekeeping” is to a retail location but, of course, there are many more factors that play a part in creating a truly pleasurable shopping experience.

The “WOW” factor – I know I’ve touched on this before but the first 10 or 20 feet of a selling space is crucial. The front of the store should be interesting, intriguing, fun – this space should tell a story about who you are as a retailer. Make it impactful. And can I tell you ...Read More