Retail Support and YOU!

 Support month has begun and I’m so excited to share my inside thoughts on what it means AND what it takes to be supportive to retail business owners! 

I think the word support is thrown around a lot, but a large number store owners say they don’t feel fully supported in one facet of business or another. The entire reason I got back into retail was that I recognized the absence of that support and how problematic that could be for small businesses. I had the privilege to work for companies that really valued support and development and I would not have the tools and experience I have today without them. I certainly would not have been as successful of a leader. 

I think it’s important we discuss the different types of support needed to be successful long term and how it’s our responsibility to actively seek the support we desire because unfortunately it’s not just gonna show up one day. 

Have you ever taken the love language test? The love language test breaks down which ways you enjoy being shown love. They are: words of affirmation, physical touch, receiving gifts, quality time, acts of service. Knowing which actions make you feel really good are important to understanding your support language. 

How do you want to be supported? If someone tries to support you in the wrong way it might not feel like support at all. It might feel overwhelming or just yucky. 

What do you need? What do you want? Don’t let anyone make you feel like the support you want isn’t realistic.

Do you need words of encouragement? Do you need someone to physically show up and lend a hand? Do you need tools and resources that can make work easier? Do you need someone to surprise you with a day off? A trip? A coffee? Do you need someone to just listen and let you vent without judgement or the need to give you their opinion? Do you need someone to just take a little bit of responsibility off your plate? Clean and organize something you can’t ever seem to find the time for? Do you need direction and clarity? Do you need confidence? 

Reflect and write it all down. 

Most business coaches say they’re here to support you without really identifying how they will do that. What if they plan to support you in ways that wouldn’t feel right to you? ugh. Most times they mean they’re there to encourage and motivate you, but how? 

Support shouldn’t always mean encouragement or motivation. Often, I think the support store owners are looking for are stability and balance. Creating stability means eliminating chaos, preparing in advance, being super clear and focused. It requires us to go back to the beginning and looking at the structure of day-to-day operations. Looking at your routines, store standards, store policies, etc.  Think about support beams when you're building a house. Support beams keep everything standing by stabilizing the structure of the house. If the structure isn’t sound then you lose everything inside it. If there’s something wrong with the foundational elements of your workflow, it can create a lot of avoidable disorganization and leave you feeling like you’re just spinning your wheels exhausted and getting nowhere. 

Creating balance is correcting instability. Instability makes you feel like a yoyo and like you’re always on a roller coaster. Things are unpredictable and inconsistent, and when things aren’t balanced they are at high risk of tipping over, spilling out, crashing, breaking, etc. Imbalance is a huge catalyst for stress. Helping something balance so it doesn’t tip over is one of the biggest forms of support I can think of and something I prioritize when I’m working with my clients.  I want to make a cycle for you that is so predictable, and repetitive that if something goes wrong, you can catch it right away, and fix it immediately. 

When I create support for my clients, I have to do a lot more listening than I do talking because I can’t help fix an issue if I don’t understand it. I can’t offer the support an owner needs if I don’t understand HOW they want to be supported. Support is nuanced and multifaceted. Sometimes support is encouragement and motivation but that’s not all it is. Support is literally providing extra of something so that another thing can work more efficiently. Like the loop or pop socket on the back of your phone. It’s not quite the base of support but it still serves a very important purpose of allowing you to stabilize your phone in your hand without dropping it and potentially damaging your phone. Support is just like that; solving problems! Possibly problems you don’t even know you have. 

Every store’s balance and stabilization needs are different and that’s why it’s so important for you to have a customized support plan made specifically for you and your store. Just like encouragement and motivation cannot be the same for each person. I think it’s hard to find consistent support these days because whoever is providing that support needs to be committed, consistent, available and attentive. That’s why so many coaches go for the automated course direction, because it’s easier to not have to answer to people face to face. It’s a challenge to show up with the same energy every day, but that’s what retailers need. There’s no course I could create and automate that is set it and forget it, a one size fits all for every retailer. It doesn’t work. Support needs to be more personalized. 

The impact support can have on not just your store but your overall happiness is astonishing. It can change the entire ecosystem of your store and turn teams of people that were losing motivation and productivity into highly efficient and enthusiastic team players. It’s wild what a little structure, discipline and accountability will do for everyone involved. When you’re cared for, you can care better for others.

That’s why I’m really excited to reintroduce The Boutique Co-Op with a new name: Retail Rockstar! Retail Rockstar is moving to a year long membership. It will provide a concierge type of customized consulting support to boutique owners with a growing archive of retail resources and tools to help you manage your day to day business. I’ve decided to add some exciting perks to this membership so I can begin to work with store owners and their teams in person as well. The 12 month subscription includes 2 optional store visits a year and 2 VIP group meet up events a year, along with discounts on Boutique Retreat which is coming back this fall. 

If you need help getting set up for success, managing sales, managing your team, workflow, and customer relationships Retail Rockstar is for you! Support is here and it’s better than ever! If you’d like to enroll early in Retail Rockstar which officially kicks off in July, feel free to email me or DM me on Instagram! There will only be 12 spots available since 3 of them are already filled through October of this year, so throw your name in as soon as possible so you don’t miss out. I suspect that spots will fill up fast.

Creating an Effective Retail Sales Strategy

How to create a retail sales strategy that works!

Do you know how to create a sales strategy? This is the top question I get when I’m putting retail managers through training. I use a tool called a Day At A Glance worksheet, but it’s more commonly known as The Daily Sheet, and there’s one box labeled “Sales Strategy” right under “Product Focus” that gives everyone trouble.

“Amanda, what do I write in that box?”

Today I’m breaking it down for everyone, because Holiday is coming and it’s important that we get this right if we’re going to experience any type of meaningful growth over these last two months of the year.

First, you have to know the numbers, collect them, understand them. I see so many stores stop there, and unfortunately you’re not even close to being finished. You have your sales goals but now what? The numbers mean nothing without a plan to make them happen. I say this all the time but here’s another reminder in case you’re new around here: you are happening to the results. Which means your planning absolutely makes a difference if it’s well thought out and well executed. We can sit back and let the sales do whatever they want, but sales results are always better when we’re actively influencing the service quality in our store with a solid plan and organization.

“I want to make $1200 today” is a great start, but what will you do to make it happen?

You have to believe it. If you’re apprehensive or doubtful you’re simply not approaching goal setting with the positive energy or the BELIEF required to get it done. Goal setting and strategy creation have no room for self sabotage. If you can’t get behind the plan, make one that you can get behind. One that gets you extremely excited, and will get your team and your customers excited too. 

The first thing that derails plans all the time is a lack of energy and commitment to the plan. If you’re the leader, it’s important for me to tell you:

NO ONE WILL STICK TO THE PLAN IF YOU DON’T STICK TO THE PLAN.

It’s totally fine to rewrite the plan, to pivot, to adjust, but there’s a difference between pivoting and abandoning. Please be mindful of which you are doing. 

Let’s say your product focus is shoes. It’s now your job to make sure you're doing everything you can to support that focus with your actions and your words. 

So the shoes are on promotion.

How will the customer know that?

How will you pull their attention to that promotion and more importantly all the wonderful shoe options? 

Here’s what I’m looking for:

• Is there signage around the whole store marketing this promo? 

• Are the sales associates consistently telling each customer about it with energy and enthusiasm? 

• Are the shoes moved to a prominent area of the store that will grab the customers attention?

• Are shoes fully stocked in all sizes?

• Are sales associates asking customers what their shoe size is and grabbing them a shoe to go with their outfit while they’re in the fitting room? 

If the answer is no, then we know we’re not doing all we can, and we’re not taking ownership and control over influencing the sale. Our actions and words aren’t actually supporting the product focus which makes our goal much harder to achieve. We don’t have a strategy at all.

I could even argue that this is not truly a product focus if you aren’t actively and consistently directing the customers focus to the product. It’s not a product focus if you and your team aren’t focused on building sales around that product consistently all day long. 

So, let’s back up and walk through the steps of making a rock solid sales strategy. 

1. You have to know what you’re trying to achieve. What is the goal? Be specific. Without specifics it’s really difficult to make a plan. Know the goal you want to achieve and reverse engineer your day. 

2. Identify where you want the team to concentrate their effort with a product focus and some promotions. You have thousands of products and if you try to sell all the products to all the people, you’ll be pulled in a million different directions. You won’t know what to say to the customer when they come in. Select products and promotions that help you achieve your goal easily, and don’t you dare feel bad about having an agenda. Your plan is to simultaneously take really good care of both your store and your customer and that’s nothing to feel bad about. 

   For example: Stacy wants to make $3000 today. She knows she needs to make $500 an hour. She only has one promo right now that is 3 for $20 headbands. That promo is not going to help her sell $500 an hour, so she knows that can’t be the first thing she talks to the customer about. Instead, she makes the product focus blazers. She has twenty blazers priced at $60 each. She knows that if she layers a shirt under them, talks them up to each customer and THEN tells customers about the headbands later in their shopping experience she’ll be selling at least $115 per customer. That focus can absolutely help her make her $500 sales goal each hour. 

3. Control what you can. What can she do to make sure each customer knows about the blazers? Right now she knows they’re on a rack in the middle of the store on the wall, so she moves the blazers near the front of the store on a rack with some attention-grabbing signage. They will be the first thing the customer sees when they walk in. She creates a thoughtful display with lots of different tops and bottoms that mix and match with the blazers. Then she posts these different outfits on social media, and creates a sense of urgency around them by reminding her followers that she only has 20. Last, she makes sure she tells every customer about the blazers when they walk in and adds at least one to each fitting room. 

It’s important to note that Stacy did not put the blazers on a promotion or discount. She’s simply building excitement around a product that is a popular fall style staple right now by controlling what she can: her enthusiasm, the product placement, the merchandising, the signage, the marketing, and how consistently she’s talking about them. You do not need to put a product on a promotion to sell it quickly. You do not need a thorough strategy though.

4. Communication. Now, as each new team member on the sales staff comes in for their shift, Stacy is telling them about the blazer focus, what she’s been doing and how it’s helping them achieve their goals. She sets the expectation for them to do the same, and keeps the focus and enthusiasm going. She explains why consistency is important, and how they cannot skip or neglect the product focus. 

5. Monitor the metrics. Stacy will continue to track her progress, and the success of the blazers sell through. If the team is struggling she will re-evaluate and they will adjust their approach (what they’re doing and saying) until they start to see the results that they want. They cannot get discouraged if the first two shoppers don’t buy blazers, or don’t seem excited about it. They have to keep trying. Consistency is important. It’s important that the team pivots and adjusts based on the customers needs because although blazers are the focus, if the customer truly doesn’t want a blazer, the team should listen and make more appropriate customized suggestions. Knowing what the customer isn’t interested in can be just as helpful. Through a process of elimination you can still use blazers as a great measuring stick and use that information to help the customer find something they really love. 

It’s important to note that all strategies are fluid and you will absolutely have to adjust and pivot in the moment with every customer so we can offer them a customized experience based on their needs. 

6.  Write it all down. Your team can’t read your mind and they might need something to reference, especially when you step away from the sales floor. Make sure you write down the plan, and step by step how you expect everyone to follow it. Build enthusiasm, excitement and energy around the product focus, and test them on the info by asking them to repeat back what you have told them. This is called a run down.

  After reviewing the material I would ask things like:

• So what’s the product focus?  

• And how are we going to bring those to every customer's attention today?

•  How many blazers do you think you can sell before your shift ends? 

• What are you going to sell with the blazers to get every customer over $100? Awesome! Let’s see! 

• Where are you zoned today? 

• What are your responsibilities in that zone? 

This little quiz is meant to check their understanding, and to hold them accountable to the plan. I have now insured that they cannot come back later and tell me they didn’t know something or they didn’t have all the details. Now you’re ready to create your own sales strategy.

Once you have your goal ask yourself the following questions: 

• Which products ( or combo of products) will help us achieve our goals today the fastest and the easiest? And why? 

• What can we do in store (that we have full control over) to bring more attention to this product? 

• Are we skipping anything that could help us provide an incredible shopping experience to the customer? Is there anything we can do to be more thoughtful? 

• Is the store set with signage, marketing, and merchandising to help us support our product focus and sales goals? 

• Is it written down? 

• Has the team been quizzed? 

If you need any help creating a sales strategy, or establishing a routine in your store that helps you get all of this complete quickly each morning, I have tools and resources available. Don’t forget to have fun with it and reach out if you have any questions!

Loving Retail

Earlier this week someone in my Instagram stories jokingly asked me to come run their store, and I excitedly responded because working in stores is THE BEST!  That’s when I got this message from another boutique owner. 

    “ I wish someone would have told me when I started my boutique all about running a store. I had absolutely no retail experience, and no idea it would be so hard. I like the fashion, the buying, the decorating for new seasons, but I don’t like all the other stuff. 

     Sometimes I feel like “this is not what I signed up for.” I don’t know anything about managing a staff or selling to people. I feel really awkward about it most of the time and I think that’s wearing off on my employees. 

    Anyways, I just wanted to ask what exactly you love about working in a store so much, and how can I start to love it too? “

      Wow! What a great question! Let me first tell you why I love it and that might help you understand why you don’t.  

  I didn’t always love retail. At first, it was just a job with a lot of arbitrary rules, and a demanding schedule. My introduction to retail came from a place of not having many employment choices in an economically frustrated town. It took a lot of learning and growing pains for me to really understand it from a business side. I love it now because of my abilities and because I’m good at it, and it’s absolutely possible for you to get there too! 

     It wasn’t until I worked for a company that really cared to take the time to explain to me why things were important, and wanted to invest in empowering me with autonomy to make the best decisions for my own store that I really grew to love retail for all its quirks and challenges. 

     Does this mean I love it all the time in every area? No.  Does this mean there won’t be hard days that suck? No. That’s just part of life and working with the general public. I don’t want to make it sound like you’ll never have a bad day again. You will have bad days. I can promise you though, that you’ll have a lot fewer of them, but let me tell you my story.

    About a year before I started working with the company I mentioned above I had my first ah-ha retail moment, where I got a glimpse of what all this seemingly nonsensical chaos could be. It was like someone lifted the curtain, opened an exclusive door and not only unlocked my potential as a seller and a manager, but it changed my perception of what I thought were stupid rules and demanding requirements. 

    You’re probably wondering what the hell happened, so let me tell you! I was an assistant manager at a small box women’s apparel store. I was 20 years old and we just got a new store manager. It was clear for me the company didn’t feel I was qualified enough to promote and this new manager was clearly trying to get me to quit so she could hire someone she knew from the outside. It was a busy holiday shopping day and this manager, who again, wanted me to fail or quit,  put me in a place where she assumed I’d fail. A place where the work load would be heavy and challenging: the fitting room. 

     The fitting room (for anyone who doesn’t know) isn’t just a lot of work, but it’s kind of the heart of the shopping experience. So, not only did I clean my little ass off and walk dozens of miles running go-backs, I customer serviced the shit out of those shoppers! The fitting rooms are fun when it’s slow, but can be exhausting and chaotic when it’s busy. I decided to make the best of it and have fun any way I could.

     In turn, I opened a record number of store credit cards, I sold a record number of items, and we had a record number of $400 transactions. I was a walking enigmatic coat rack for TEN HOURS that day with pants slung over both shoulders, hangers dangling from my belt loops. I had a blister on the side of my thumb where I hit the button to talk into our headsets. I left my body that day and became the most charismatic air traffic controller on the planet. I was giving near constant updates on who was in each fit, what they had, what I was adding on, how much they were spending, if they had a card, did they want to save 15% today by opening one, what they were specifically shopping for, etc. 

      Then the weirdest thing happened. Everyone fed off my energy, got their own shit together and started talking back and it was like the holy grail of retail where every cog in the bigger system actually ran according to plan. I could see for the first time how it was supposed to be every day, and I remember thinking “oh wow, I actually have not been living up to my potential.” 

     I say it all the time: we are happening to the results. It’s easy to sit back and play the blame game. It’s much harder to look at ourselves and say what are we doing, or not doing that is impacting results? How can we change what we’re doing, the decisions we’re making to do better, and be better?

     I love a good challenge. Retail is one big puzzle. You have to figure out trends, buy and then sell, and each one of those things requires its own set of “figuring out” in order to be successful. I got lucky and figured it out, but a lot of staff in all sorts of stores today are still left without direction and the necessary knowledge to be successful. I truly enjoy helping them figure it out too. 

       I love connecting with customers and motivating a team. I’m a natural leader only because I don’t like when things are left up to chance and not structured. I literally HATE guessing or winging it. It leaves too much uncertainty for my comfort level, and my anxiety requires comfort. In order to make sound and informed decisions, we have to be proactive. It’s kind of like studying. You MIGHT still pass the test without it, but is that a gamble you’re willing to take? And if you do pass, is “just skating by” alright with you? Or do you want to do your best work and get the highest score? Of course owning a boutique is much more serious because we’re not talking about some arbitrary test, we’re talking about making enough sales to not only sustain your business but to propel it forward. 

         In short, I take the day by the balls and I create the day I desire through planning, adjusting, observing, and readjusting. No two days are exactly the same and problem solving is a must-have skill. Does every day go exactly the way I want? No. But I absolutely leave every day knowing I did the absolute best I could, that I was consistent and efficient, and that my customers got the absolute best experience.  I know a lot of owners and managers who feel chained to their desks. You cannot be a successful leader in your office. Leadership requires solid and consistent actions, behaviors, and conversations. Leaders must set the example, communicate their expectations clearly and be constantly learning themselves. 

     Everything I do is intentional. Everything is on purpose. Everything is thoughtful. If something goes wrong it’s my job to fix it. 

      I really feed off of organization, having a plan, implementing structure because that’s how stores are the most successful long term. Nothing gets the energy flowing like having great conversations with customers who leave with their minds blown, and their expectations totally exceeded, which doesn’t happen if I’m running around frantic, or trapped behind mounds of paperwork. 

    It takes discipline and dedication to really create a thriving store, but also a desire for FUN! I desire to work smarter instead of harder, to problem solve instead of complain, to facilitate a work environment my staff love, to take action instead of make excuses. It’s fun to be informed, to be prepared, to have the tools, resources and experience to handle any situation. Its fun to create an experience your customers love and a selling strategy that supports your staff’s efforts! It’s fun to reap the fruits of your labor. It’s fun to meet deadlines, to have everything working like clock work. It’s fun to pump up and motivate a staff, to watch them succeed and light up at the good work they’ve done. It’s fun to help customers find multiple items that they feel incredible in. It’s fun to watch the sales go from $100 to $400, to $4,000, to $40,000. 

      Ultimately, you have to look at what parts of the job you don’t like and ask why? Is it because things are unorganized and needing structure or discipline? Is it because you’re not informed enough and don’t feel confident in your decision making? There’s no rule that says you HAVE to do it all. You can outsource things you don’t love to people who do, you can hire more staff with the experience you lack to take some of the burden and delegate/defer to them. It takes a village. 

      My final point here is that you’re not going to miraculously walk into your store one day and be in love. It’s going to take change and not just change one day or one week. It’s going to take lots of change, ever evolving change and you’re going to have to be dedicated to it. I know that’s probably not what you want to hear, but I didn’t become successful for feeding people bullshit. You can do it, it WILL make you more money, and I’m here when you’re ready. 

Visit my SHOP for programs that are open for enrollment right now.

Increasing Traffic! Busting and confirming the myths around getting people to shop.

I get a lot of questions about traffic- foot traffic and web traffic- and for the most part I understand why people ask, but there’s really no one size fits all solution. That’s not to say that improving traffic is tricky or difficult- it can be as simple and as straightforward as you want to make it, but it does come with a heavy dose of brutal honesty.

 When people ask me about increasing traffic I know what they’re really interested in is increasing sales. They think that increasing foot or web traffic is the solution to all their problems. If they just had a larger pool of people to sell to, they could make their numbers.The same goes with people wanting to increase their social media following. After all, if they only had a bigger following they could convert more of those followers into paying client's. Sorry, but that’s not how it works. Traffic doesn’t automatically guarantee you more sales, and slow traffic doesn’t mean you can’t be successful.

   First if you’re having traffic woes you need to ask why. There are several very different reasons why your traffic isn’t growing, and before you can improve traffic you first have to fix the disconnection between your store and it’s target market. Jumping right into driving traffic without looking around your store for issues first would be like buying a new light bulb when the power is out. The light bulb isn’t going to do much if there’s no electricty.

That’s not to dismiss foot traffic issues or location issues within your store, but if you really honestly think about it. People will pretty much do ANYTHING, and go ANYWHERE if they truly love a place. We’ve seen those food trucks with lines an hour long. We’ve seen wedding shops with wait lists. Traffic is more directly impacted by what YOU are doing, or not doing than you would think.

    I worked almost the entire decade I was in corporate retail in what most large companies called “a low volume shopping mall” which means that, that mall and all of the stores that were in it did a low volume of sales compared to their counterparts in different cities. What does that have to do with traffic? Well, it means on some days there were only a handful ( or less)  of people who came into the store, but we were still expected to make our numbers, and more often than not, we did. We succeeded to sell with fewer customers than any other store in our district because we catered to the customer, put all of our attention on that experience, and we didn’t get down about how few people we had walking in. We just spent time with the people we had. We looked at slower traffic as a blessing instead of a curse because we had the luxury of spending time creating relationships with people and getting to know them.

    In retail we reward higher volume stores, their managers and their staff for really hitting it out of the park in hundreds of thousands of dollars sold, but what is often overlooked is how hard did those stores have to TRY in order to make that money? With hundreds of people walking in each day, if not every hour it probably wasn’t hard at all to make sure everyone bought something. I would argue that it’s much more impressive and difficult for the slower stores because they have to really work and focus for every dollar.

        Here comes to the brutal honesty part; if you have a current traffic issue you, you’re probably putting the blame on all the wrong things.  People will shop where they feel welcome, valued, taken care of, and understood. They will shop at stores that provide an incredible product and a wide range of selections. Now, I’m not implying that you aren’t providing those things, but as you think about the experience you offer your customers and look around your store, is there anything you notice that could be hurting their impression of your business?

   You might very well be providing all of that, but think about this: If you have an issue with your current customers not spending, not spending enough, not returning, referring friends/family then there’s an issue brewing that cannot be solved by an increased number of people. In fact, the problem would most likely snowball under the demands and challenges of more shoppers.

     If you’re thinking to yourself “my store is incredible, I just need more people to see it and they will think it’s incredible too.” that might very well be true. But I also have to be thorough in suggesting that if your business reputation isn’t growing, then people aren’t talking enough about your business. It’s important to ask why aren’t they talking and see how we can remedy that. Is the in store experience, and the merchandise as good as you think it is?

Maybe you aren’t simply shouting loud enough.? Are you blending in, in a sea of shops that look just like you, or carry all the same kinds of products? This is where you’ll really need to put your thinking cap on to seperate yourself in terms of quality and unique product options.

   Increasing traffic is a slow burn, long term strategy that doesn’t happen overnight, and honestly a lot of shops are just too impatient to stick with something until they start seeing results. Improving your business reputation and brand recognition never ends either. It’s something you’re always working on building and expanding forever, so you have to keep reinventing your strategy in order to keep your customers interested.

   So where do you even begin? Well, let me break down the fundamentals of building traffic, so you can implement them and begin growing!

The next customer: It starts with each and every next customer. The VERY next one. The experience they have shopping in your store or on your website matters. If you deliver an incredibly memorable experience they’ll be thrilled, they’ll return, they’ll tell people. With each and every customer you need to be putting your best foot forward to genuinely provide a thoughtful experience that leaves them really excited and impressed.

Building a base clientele- i.e. your regulars. Repeat customers is a sign that you’re doing something right! Look at your regulars and for similarities between them. Who are they? Do you they fit a demographic? What keeps them coming back? How can you get them to tell more people about your business? How do you show your appreciation for your regulars?

INCLUSION, INCLUSION, INCLUSION: Are you inadvertantly excluding shoppers who don’t find themselves represented on your website or in your social media content? It’s very important that you not only represent shoppers of all sizes, shapes, and colors, but that you celebrate them! Your marketing (which includes your social media content) should look like the world around you!

Building a list- expanding beyond a few dozen regulars you want to build a list of shoppers that WANT to be informed about sales, discounts.  giveaways, and special events. This is a great of turning the one time shopper into a regular. People are busy and need reminders. They usually need more than one. This isn’t license to harass them via email, but it is a great way to stay connected and build a relationship. Think about ways you want to improve that relationship building.

First impressions- What’s the first impression that you’re giving? When people drive by what’s your storefront shouting at them? What’s your window display telling them about your store? What’s your website telling people? What is the impression that your social media gives people? Here’s where it’s going to get difficult. Ask people for their honest opinion. Ask your shop neighbors. Ask your friends and family. You have a biased impression of your business, so this can’t all ride on your opinion alone. You can even ask me! I’ll give you my five minute honest evaluation!

Connecting- Are you connecting with people? Are you getting positive reviews and in store or online compliments? Are you you building a network of support, making new friends even? This is bigger than retail, or fashion or making sales. This is about having a message, and being part of a community! What do you want to say? What do you want to stand for? How are you connecting with people who have those same values?

Cut out the gimmicks- just be a real person, and just offer real genuine opportunities for people to get to know your business and to love it. You don’t have to be pushy or gimmicky. Giveaways, discounts and promos are great, but it’s not just tactic to trick people, and it shouldn’t be used to only serve your bottom line. If you offer these things too often, you’re simply training your customers to never shop without them, to never pay full price, and that won’t help your business grow.

Building Buzz- Getting people talking about your business means you really need a plan for marketing. Getting their attention isn’t the tricky part, it’s KEEPING their attention that requires forethought and intention. You have to come on strong with an impressive message along with a quality product. Create an experience that they want to brag about to all their friends, offer packaging and products they want to snap photos of and share online. Build an experience in store that incentivizes your people to not only come in and shop, but again, snap photos and brag about it to all their friends. Create a place where influencers and bloggers want to hang out! You shouldn’t be begging people to come in, they should be begging you to open your doors!

Join E-Boutique Mentorship! If you’re an online seller E-Boutique Mentorship starts June 9th, and there’s a great pre-sale enrollment price going on right now till next Wednesday! This group educational program is 4 weeks of lessons to help you maximize sales and build your business reputation!! Click HERE for more details!!

Remember traffic isn’t this uncontrollable thing. You can absolutely influence it daily. You have so much more control than you might think you do!

Silent Selling And The Art of Subtle Sales Aggression

  Let’s talk about the art of subtle sales aggression. We’ve all had that icky pushy sales experience, and nearly all of the pushback I get from store owners or managers about sales has to do with that experience. 

   “I don’t want to be pushy” or “I struggle with overcoming objectives because I don’t want to pressure them” to which I say GREAT ! Because being pushy isn’t required! In fact it’s the absolute last thing you should do. 

     BUT you have to do and say SOMETHING! The alternative is NOT sitting back and letting the customer walk all over you OR doing so little that you barely interact with them at all. There are actually quite a few ways you can still sell aggressively with incredible focus and intention without being pushy and I want to talk about what they are and how exactly you can use them to improve your sales results! 

        First- we have to talk about silent sellers. Silent sellers are things like visual merchandising, product displays, ads, social media posts, loyalty programs, and signage. Basically anything that helps grab your customers attention and sells your products without you having to interact with them. 

       Your silent sellers have to be ON POINT and consistently thoughtful (helpful even) because the less intentional your silent sellers are, the harder you have to work to verbally and physically sell each piece of merchandise. This means you have to be vigilant about available opportunities to silently sell and opportunities for keeping those silent sellers fresh and updated. 

       So, look around your store. Look for BIG opportunity to fill and sell your merchandise! Literally! Where is there empty space that could be filled with more product? What are your highest traffic most visible areas of your store and are you selling product there with displays and signage? Where is there opportunity to relocate merchandise to better areas in the store, to unclutter and pull in more focused attention to specific pieces? Where is there opportunity to pair and style complimentary items together so you can sell more than one product at a time? Where is signage missing? Is your signage consistently spaced, placed and made with quality paper and holders? Or is it cheap and devaluing your store experience? 

       Silently selling is simply taking advantage of every space you have to show off your merchandise and the endless options they offer to your customers. It’s a chance to organize your product in a way that makes it super easy for them to shop. So, when you look at your sales floor, the displays, and the windows, you want to ask: is this inviting, or overwhelming? And don’t over think this either. You don’t need to plaster signage everywhere and completely take away from your store’s atmosphere. The atmosphere in itself is a silent seller. Everything from the color of your store front, the awnings, the style of your decor, the cleanliness, and the design should be helping you sell!

       Over complicating the shopping experience with inconsistent silent selling standards is one of the many things things that makes your job harder. You have to step in and answer questions, and fill the customer in with information that wasn’t provided on a sign, in an ad, on a coupon, on a price tag, in a social media caption. Etc. 

       So where does the aggressive part of these sales tactics come in? Well, you have to be aggressively dedicated to filling holes, being proactive, maintaining store standards. That means checking window mannequins daily to make sure every display is properly layered and accessorized, that stacks and racks of product are promptly replenished, not too full or too empty and if they aren’t to the store standard - you’re holding your team accountable! 

        Having standards at all is a good place to start. What are your store standards for displays?! How many inches of negative space on a wall is ok? How much space do you allow between jet rails and shelving? How many pieces of clothing do you want on each mannequin? How many items are you trying to sell to each customer? What’s your policy on clean windows, and updating table signage? What kind of process do you have in place for surveying your sales floor, and checking for these standards and making adjustments when they aren’t met? See what I mean about aggressive? 

        It takes dedication, but these silent sellers are the things that make your job on the sales floor sooo much easier! Store standards, no matter how trivial, save you time and maintain a level of consistent quality. You don’t have to be pushy with the customer, because you’ve already pushed yourself to maximize and optimize the space in your store to sell the best it possibly can without having to say a word. You can now step in as a gentle and friendly service provider, there to answer questions when the customer has them! 

       You can then use your silent sellers as a resource that allows you to talk about your product easily with a great visual aid! You can use your displays to help you point out product or grab extra things to add on at the fitting room easily. It’s completely subtle and genuinely helpful to the customer and that makes all the difference in easy selling! 

        Now, the last part is customer service. It’s the part that requires you to enthusiastically interact with your customers every day! It’s not about prepared speeches and slimy tactics. It’s about asking the right questions and then listening. It’s about using the store displays, and signage that help you sell easier. It’s about committing to a standard of service that is observant, valuable and helpful. Selling is only ever as difficult as you believe it is. Quit psyching yourself out, believing that each customer is difficult to sell to.  Not to mention, being prepared and informed about your product, pricing, and having an optimized store with brilliant silent sellers drastically reduces customer objections, and drastically increases your sales confidence! 

      I know that’s a lot to digest in one sitting, and you’re probably wondering where do I even begin? This is an art, and it takes time, discipline and learning from your experiences to really nail it down consistently, so I made something for you! Brick + Mortar Mentorship, my 6 week retail education program kicks off April 22nd, and I would love to see you there! Come learn how to implement store standards, processes, sales strategies and systems, so you can grow your business and make selling easier on you and your team! 

The Ultimate Guide to Cash Counter Efficiency COLAB with Jenna of Workspacery!

There’s one space on your sales floor that is kind of the cornerstone to all of your retail sales success. This space is something I often see undervalued, taken for granted, abused and mistreated. That space is your cash counter. It doesn’t matter what you call it; the cash wrap, the wrap desk, the sales counter, it is a holy space, and deserves to be treated and organized as such.

  Now, I feel so passionately about this space and all of the opportunity it provides you to be a force on the sales floor with your customer, and as a leader to your team, that I enlisted the help of a work space professional! Her name is Jenna, and she is the owner of Workspacery! Her incredible tips and tricks for running an efficient office space got my mind spinning one day and I invited her to collaborate on organizing the unconventional office space that is the cash counter of brick and mortar shops!

   In our talks I explained to Jenna that I believe a cash counter that functions well should work as a toolbox and an assistant simultaneously. Then we got to work putting together a plan for you to optimize and organize not only a clutter free counter, but an efficient sales floor office that facilitates and expedites tasking and selling; meaning no matter what it is you need to get done, or what tools you need to do it, you can store them, find them quickly, return them, and get back to the most important thing; providing incredible customer service which helps you sell more to each customer.

     Yes, that’s right. The objective might seem to be a clean and organized work space and it is, but the bigger and more important objective is that a clean and organized cash counter provides you with more opportunity to impact and increase sales! Last, the biggest shock of them all is that in order to upkeep your counter you need a rock solid system for maintaining it, and we got you covered there too!

  First, let’s talk about all the stuff you need behind the register, and maybe some of what you don’t. There are four categories of items you need around your counter to be successful. Those four categories are:

Office supplies: Things you need to complete your daily paperwork, take messages, and track your sales goals. Things like staplers, pens, pencils, paper clips, paper, hole punch, phone, garbage can, and clipboards.

Transaction tools/supplies: Things you need to efficiently complete a POS transaction for the customer such as: shopping bags, hanger storage, receipt tape, gift cards, a register, credit card machine, manual transaction paperwork (just in case you lose power or internet), sensor storage (when applicable), sensor remover/machine, business cards.

Sales floor tools/resources: These are things you need to upkeep your sales floor. Having them handy makes the process of completing those necessary tasks more efficient, and having these tools in the same place every single day makes them easier to find, and easier to put away..which means you and your sales team can get back to customer service and selling faster. These are things like: hangers, stickers for markdowns, size separators, hang tags, tagging guns, pricing guns, fishing line for displays, and outfit strips.

Development tools/resources: These are the things you use to keep your team motivated, informed, accountable, and improving. Resources such as a standards of operation binder which include training manuals for every function that goes on, and how you want it to be done step by step. These ensure consistency and make a great reference when someone runs into an issue they don’t know how to do. It’s also your daily paperwork (usually found on a clipboard) where employees get or set their goals for the day and get a run down of important information to conduct business on your sales floor.

What you don’t need: This might be hard to hear, but when we’re working in tight conditions there’s a few things that take up space, create distractions, and could create a very big mess if you have them at the register. These are things like: personal cell phones, handbags, and food. Also, it never surprises me but it seems to be a very common occurrence to have several changes of shoes behind the register. The last thing you should have to deal with while ringing out a customer is tripping over, or juggling someone else’s shoes! Don’t worry we’ve got solutions for you.

Cash Counter Success.

 Now that you know a little bit more about what the cash counter should have, and do for you, let’s dive in to how to set it up for optimal success. As Jenna and I were discussing this, she asked me to name off several of the most common pain points, and then we discussed solutions for them. Below you will find several of the top issues I’ve seen, and how you can fix them in your store.

  As a side note: one of our biggest accomplishments (if I do say so myself) was creating solutions for anyone regardless of the size or shape of their counter. So, if you’re thinking “this won’t be for me — my counter is too small or too unique” — just keep reading, my friend. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.  To get started let me break down the fundamentals of cash counter etiquette and the problems I see while I’m coaching so you can prioritize accordingly for your store.

01. Consistency + Maintenance. When you've got a team and members of that team are working different shifts, you've got anywhere from 3 to 15+ people all organizing and putting things away differently. This causes frustration between team members, it leads to tasks not being done because a person couldn’t find the tool they needed to complete the task, and it’s a huge catalyst for inefficiency, which means it takes a whole lot more time to complete tasks (that don’t directly make you more money) than it should, and that breeds team resentment.

  02. Junk drawers and small spaces! Jenna and I really put our heads together for this one because everyone has space issues when it comes to the cash counter, and prioritizing what should take up prime real estate and what should not. After all, you want to keep the actual counter the customer sees free of most things so that they can lay down their merchandise, you can process the transaction, and move on without incident. Clutter only makes the process take longer and can give the wrong impression to the customer.

 03. Inefficiency. Walking away to go get more bags, boxes, receipt tape etc because your cash counter hasn’t been properly replenished can dramatically impact the time it takes you to cash out a customer, and negatively impact their experience. Looking unprepared and disorganized is completely avoidable. Everything you need with a backup should be within an arm's reach of the space you stand in to complete a transaction, and when it’s not, you take a lot more steps than necessary.

04. Messes and clutter. It only takes one big sale and you have a counter full of hangers, or one return and you’ve got a counter full of product. It only takes a few team members not putting their personal belongings away to completely clutter your space. When you have no standard routine for how a space should be cleaned or cleared by the end of every shift, or right after finishing a transaction it unfairly leaves a giant mess for the closing staff to deal with.

   05. Unaware, unprepared, uninformed team members. The cash counter isn’t a hang out. You shouldn’t have chairs back there that encourage employees to congregate and socialize or seek refuge behind the cash counter. It leads sales associates to be anti-social with customers which can impact the customers experience and negatively impact sales. A fully organized and efficient cash counter provided easy access to all necessary tools and resources so a sales associate can be super successful and get back out to the sales floor ASAP. The cash counter provides a home base for all of the training, development, and information a team member needs in order to be successful that day, but it’s important that all of that information is mobile so again, they aren’t hanging out back there for longer than necessary. If your cash counter isn’t optimized to prioritize this information, with a repeatable routine that encourages efficient goal setting and motivation you simply leave money on the table. This is not the fault of the team either. This is your responsibility as the leader to set the expectation, create the routine, and hold them accountable for following it.

OK! YAY! NOW LET’S GET TO THE SOLUTIONS!!!!  

Purge. Unfortunately we can’t get rid of everything that doesn’t give us joy, but Jenna suggests cleaning out your cash counter and being realistic about what you need from day to day and finding new homes for things you don’t use every week. When space is limited you should only be housing things you use frequently under the cash counter.

Give everything a designated home with a label. Don’t leave it up to fate (or hope) that your team will put things back where they belong. When everything has a designated space with a label it’s easy to locate, grab, go, finish, return and get back to the customer. When everything is stored well, it becomes more obvious when supplies of a particular thing are running low, so you can replenish them right away instead of running out mid- day when you really need them.

Establish a routine checklist for opening and closing. The routine ensures that everything including your cash counter is being checked and replenished multiple times a day.

Jenna says: When everyone is on the same page and doing things in the same manner, order, etc., it creates a cohesive system for all involved and makes training new team members a breeze. In addition, having clear and labeled “homes” for all supplies, etc. creates visual clues that are quick and easy to spot, so things don’t get thrown in random places when team members are in a hurry. The easier and more intuitive the organizational system, the more quickly things can be found and put away; the key here is to keep it simple, simple, simple so employees don’t have to think twice about where something is or goes after using it once.

Vertical storage. Hanging supplies vertically rather than laying them flat practically eliminates clutter because each individual thing will have a home and not left piled on top of each other.  Pegboard storage systems are easy to install under your cash counter or inside a back counter cabinet where the customer cannot see. They’re easy to label, and use. I found these metal peg boards in the $5 bin at target, that come with hooks for vertical storage, but you can find other options online.

Back counters! I often see retailers not taking advantage of the extra space their back wall (behind the register) offers to them. Installing a second counter for you and your staff can provide so much extra storage, and you can finally get those shoes off the floor.  If you don’t have a back counter I would strongly suggest thinking about one. You might have to move your current counter out just a few feet.

Whiteboards instead of paper and post it notes. Jenna suggested a whiteboard for daily goal setting, team “check-ins”, and messages as a way to minimize sticky notes and papers. I was so  grateful that Jenna recalled this from her time working in retail. Check ins, hand offs, chat ins, - whatever you call them for your store, are essentially a run down of information and sales numbers that each staff member gets after they clock in, but before they go out on the sales floor. This gives them all the information that they need to be successful.

  I took this whiteboard idea one step further and found dry erase clipboards which make them mobile and handy no matter where you are on the sales floor. It’s entirely your preference, but you could then potentially write most of your daily checklists/open and closing routine (the things that never change) as well as the sales outline in permanent marker (thin tip), so then all the staff needs to do is fill in the whiteboard with the necessary information for each day with a dry erase marker. As Jenna pointed out: a permanent marker outline prevents accidental erasing and eliminates having to write the same thing over and over each day/week!!  We also love, love, love the bonus of SAVING TREEEEES!

Horizontal dowels for gift wrap and hanger storage under the cash counter, or along the side of your cash counter. Having rolling gift wrap and a hanger system under or alongside the cash counter simply makes your job easier by housing things that take up space on the counter. Don’t forget that your counter has sides and they’re an excellent place to stock extra supplies, and or sell product. Don’t leave these spaces empty.

5 minutes a day checklist. If you’ve got time to lean, you’ve got time to clean. If you have five minutes of down time it makes sense that there’s a “five spare minutes” checklist that simply has you taking stock of your counter, and tidying it up.

Personal cubbies. If space allows — having a personal cubby for each person's belongings is much more effective than cluttering the floor, or the counter. The cash counter isn’t the most appropriate place for these things because they’re a distraction, so look for solutions in your back room as well for staff to place their things in secure storage. Lockers or locked cabinets work well.

Small bins and drawer dividers. If you do have to use drawers and cabinets it’s important to separate items and small bins and drawer dividers offer this incredible solution for keeping everything, no matter how small, in its own place.

Snap a photo. Commit to the new standard. Each function of the store should have some kind of standard operating procedure that ensures each person is doing that function consistently. All of these standards with directions are generally housed in a binder for training new employees, but work as a brilliant reference guide when you forget or have questions. Once a store sets their cash counter the way they want it, it’s advantageous to photograph it, make a map of the counter and place that standardized tool in your binder for easy reference and training.

Accountability. Now absolutely none of this is going to matter if you or the leadership team do not hold everyone accountable for following the system. I often find stores will use being busy as an excuse to leave everything for the closing staff. A few hours of busy shopping traffic can leave the cash counter looking like a war zone. There's hangers (sometimes sensors) that were just removed from purchased items. There's pens everywhere, the gift cards and business cards are running low, etc. This is a space where staff will be expected to handle cash with accuracy, balance tills and deposits (sometimes throughout the day) and especially at closing time. They certainly don't need a messy counter complicating that process.  It would be so much easier to maintain it throughout the day if there was a step by step system for cashing each customer out, that includes organizing the space after each customer, as well as holding your staff accountable to restock the counter before they leave for the day no matter the time.

    Sometimes shop owners don't see the immediate connection between an organized and efficient cashwrap and maximizing sales. An efficient cashwrap facilitates and expedites the cash counter experience for the customer, but also so the salesperson can easily maintain it and get back to serving other customers on the sales floor which makes the store more money.

 There it is! An organized and efficient cash counter that helps you keep a tidy store, run a successful sales team, encourage teamwork, and prioritize the customer’s satisfaction!!! A big thank you to Jenna who blew my mind with her knowledge of organization and dedication to this project! You can find more information on Jenna and what she does at Workspacery by clicking these links:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/workspacery/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/workspacery

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/workspacery

Please tell us what you thought in the comments!!!

Power Of The Pop Up!

  Power Of The Pop Up- Retail and Travel.

 As the landscape of retail continues to evolve a lot of retail shop owners are embracing the power of the Pop Up Shop, for which I am a huge advocate! Pop ups offer several advantages including but not limited to:

• Short term leasing!

• Connecting with people in person without a long term commitment.

• Lower upfront costs and investments.

• Opportunity to network and collaborate with other business owners.

• Opportunity to introduce your products to a new audience.

• Time to observe and test foot traffic in a certain location.

• Freedom and Travel!

 Pop up shops are a great alternative for a lot of online sellers, who still need to get out from behind their desk from time to time. This got me thinking about a conversation I have pretty regularly with plenty of client's about how they want to travel but don’t know how to juggle it with the demands of their business.

Online sellers should know that they have a major advantage that brick and mortar shops simply don’t- the freedom to move, and not be tied to an unforgiving schedule. What’s more is that if you’re willing to cart some inventory in your luggage and plan vendor registristration in advance, you could set up a pop up shop literally anywhere you want to go! And if that doesn’t sound like a good time, you can work from your laptop or phone anywhere there’s a wifi connection.

 But that’s where my travel advice begins and ends, which is why I enlisted the help of my travel expert, Lilian! She is a travel agent, a mom, and someone who frequently works on the go. She knows how to grow and sustain her business while traveling and I just knew her advice would be the best for any shop owners who are looking to travel and still continue to work. As it turns out you can absolutely do both, and Lilian broke down her Top 11 Tips for Traveling and Working!

 Working from home is the best decision I’ve ever made. There are so many positives. The one I most love, though, is that I can travel anytime I want. As long I have Internet connection and a computer, I can work!

Traveling nowadays is more affordable than ever. Here are 11 ways that you can save and plan your travel without breaking the bank:

Travel during low season.

In the Caribbean and Mexico, low season is the end of September, October and early November. Summer and winter are usually the most expensive traveling times to the Caribbean. You can find very low prices, though, if you travel in the Fall. But to Mexico there always good deals even during winter.

January-April travel to the Caribbean and some parts of Mexico are high due to the “snow-birds” escaping the winter and all the resorts in sunny destinations are much more expensive...including (or especially) Florida.

Avoid Summer and Holidays - families travel when schools are not in session.

Europe’s low season is winter and Fall— if you are not skiing of course. March, April and October are great months to visit Europe, it’s still a little cool, and there are less tourists. Avoid May to early September, the peak season in Europe.

Greece has been a very popular destination lately, but you can still spend a week there for less than 3k including flights from the east coast of US, during low season!

USA territories in the Caribbean - You can fly to the beautiful islands of St Thomas or St John in the Virgin Islands for about $200. You don’t even need a passport if you’re an American Citizen, because these island are part of the US. The same goes for Puerto Rico. Did you know that a lot of people - who work from home - are moving to Puerto Rico? Apparently there are some huge tax savings, so they say.

All-Inclusive Resorts

 All-inclusive resorts are a great way to save money because all your meals, drinks and entertainment are included in the price. Some even include transfers to and from the airport! Most All-inclusives are in the Caribbean/Mexico.

Travel Agents

 Reaching out to a travel agent is another way to save money. I’m not one of those “Old-fashioned” travel agents, I plan some awesome Honeymoons and vacations around the globe. And yes lots of people use our services! Because we travel a lot and are very familiar with the destinations , we play a roll of match-maker, matching you to a perfect destination/ hotel etc.

 We agents work with wholesalers that offer our clients better prices on resorts and international flights. I can put a package together for you in which you just need to first put a small deposit down ($200) and then the final balance is due 45 days prior your departure (90 days if it’s a cruise) this way you’ll have months to save for your trip. We can also help you decide when or where to go to best utilize your time and money depending on your budget.  

Tips for shopping for your own flights

 Avoid shopping for flights Friday-Monday. That’s when I’ve noticed the airlines prices go up, because most people shop on weekends. The prices go down to normal again by Tuesday, usually.

 If you’ve been shopping for flights on the same device for a few days, before you buy it, try doing a new search for the same flight under a New Private Window (to open a private window click on File then New Private Window in Safari) or in Incognito Mode in Chrome. Based on my experience, if I keep shopping for the same flights for a few days on my home computer I usually get the same price, but if I start the same search under a New Private Window, I usually get an updated lower price. Don’t ask me why, but I’ve noticed the difference in price- for the better.
   Also try shopping for 1 seat at a time, rather than 2 or more. Sometimes the airline still has 1 seat left for lowest price but if you try searching for 2 seats together you’ll get the higher price for both. But if you book them separately, you might get the one seat at the lowest price. It has happened to me!

 If it’s international check with me before booking to see if I have a contract with that flight, if I do, I’ll be able to offer a lower price.

Travel fund/Budget

 Start a Travel fund! You can do this either by opening a savings bank account exclusively for travel, or just find a box/piggy bank at home and start saving money every month or every paycheck. Try to put away what you can, $10 some weeks $50+ others... it adds up! Many couples do this while planning for their wedding/honeymoon. But, always put something away even if it’s only $5. Keep in mind, you’re not using this money to buy new shoes, it’s for travel only! With discipline, it works really well.

 Get a budget app and start cutting costs you don’t need. Things like coffee at Starbucks, dinner out, happy hour, mani & pedis, new shoes, cable tv, new outfit, another new outfit, and another, and- well, you get the idea.

Getting married?

Some resorts offer different ways for guests attending your wedding to contribute to your honeymoon instead giving you plates or pots or pans.

Budget airlines

You can watch prices drop on certain airlines to specific destinations. In certain times of the year, you can fly to Paris or Iceland for $400 round trip! There are some low price airlines, like Spirit, Wow Air or Bee Airlines. Bee is a French airline and flies from the West Coast of the US. Wow Air is from Iceland and flies from the east coast to Europe. No one can beat their prices, and they fly to many awesome destinations. (Be careful with Iceland, everybody wants to go there now and while you can get a very inexpensive flight ...everything else is very expensive, food, car rental, tours and hotels.) Be aware: These airlines prices don’t include seats, luggage or meals- everything is purchased separately, but usually, it’s still the best deal.

Cruises

Cruises can be SUPER AFFORDABLE. If you book in advance, you can find prices as low as $250 per person, going to the Caribbean or Mexico in a cabin without a window. And the great thing about it is that includes all your meals and entertainment. The only problem with cruises is that they’re not very wifi friendly. If you need internet to work, it can get expensive (internet on cruise ships are extra and can be weak at times.

Consider a group tour

There are lots of tour companies out there that are specially focused on millennials or other specific ages. You travel together with the same age group through Europe, visiting many countries in a very affordable way.

Credit Card Rewards

If you use credit cards to make purchases for your business it’s a good idea to get one that gives you money back or miles that you can use to book free flights on any airline.   Or applying for a credit card by an specific airline that you are thinking about using in the future. We fly to New York quite often so it was worth it to me to get the Jetblue cc, or another example... I was on this American Airlines flight and they had this fantastic offer, they were giving away 4k miles if you applied for it and spend certain amount within 3 months. I knew I wanted to go to Barcelona with my son and AA had the best price to Barcelona so I applied and I got 1 free ticket with the miles. Just make sure you research all your the options out there and pick the one works best for you. And also make sure to pay the cc bill every month, otherwise it doesn’t make sense.

Create a vision board

 If you are a visual person, create a vision board of the destinations you want to visit and put somewhere you can see everyday. This will get you excited about saving for it.  Write everything down, have a plan, list all the countries/cities you want to visit then shop for them once a week or once a month, write your findings down to compare. Make your goals tangible by writing them down.

Having a plan is the way to go! Plan ahead!

A special bonus to Amanda’s readers:
If you’re too busy growing your business and don’t have time to plan an awesome trip, contact me and I’ll be happy to help you plan. Just mention this post and I’ll waive my vacation planning fee. 😊

Follow me on Instagram or Facebook for travel inspiration and specials.
@scenicwaytravel

Happy New Year! And Happy Travels!

How Does Your Shop STAND OUT Online?

I was recently scrolling through Instagram and something caught my eye, and I started backtracking thinking there had been a glitch. I had just seen the same photo twice in a matter of swipes. As it turned out, it was not a glitch at all. It was two images from two different clothing boutiques that looked nearly identical. At first I just thought “What are the odds”, but as I got thinking about it, and how common those two images were to other content I see daily, I realized the odds were actually very high that there were near identical images from shop owners splattered all across social media.

Now, I don’t want to embarrass anyone or call people out without their permission, so I won’t be posting images as example. I’ll leave that to your imagination, because the majority of us have seen them numerous times, but they usually follow the criteria of:

• outside

• single female modeling

• heavily filtered or edited

• posing on a street, sidewalk, in a yard, in a driveway

And there wouldn’t be anything wrong with this if four million other people weren’t also doing the exact same thing, but this is absolutely why you need to stop doing it right now. I figured my knowledge on the matter might not be the only one worth consulting so I asked two respected photographers, who have experience working with business owners to talk all about product photography for marketing. Jenn of Jenn Marie Photography , Julia of Julia Rabkin Photography , and I- retail expert at large…all gave our opinions on why you need to do something different and how exactly to start right away!!

Q: What is your opinion when you see all of these shops on social media posting images that look so similar?

Jenn: For me, I tend to zone out when I'm scrolling and I see something like that over and over again. It's when I see someone showing me something interesting, shocking, or even weird that I actually stop to take a second look or "slow my scroll" as they say. Even then, in order to RETAIN the interest, it has to be aligned with their brand and what they're trying to tell me with it. [ This one kind of image] is something that has been pushed on people so much [and so frequently] that they are immune to it, and it really doesn't speak the truth to what you're trying to do nor [ does it ] draw people in. 

Julia: I think it’s boring, unless the product is really unique and stands out right away. I will scroll past without thinking too much of the content.

My thoughts: This works for influencers because they got on the bandwagon BEFORE everyone was doing it, they’ve become elite at modeling, taking high quality images with professional cameras, they go looking for unique backgrounds, and MOST IMPORTANTLY they aren’t SELLING only product. They’re selling themselves and their life style. When you throw a shop into the mix that doesn’t have the built in influence and is just “trying to be like” someone (or in this case A LOT OF SOMEONES) who have already done it, and done it better, you’re essentially wasting a lot of your time. What’s pushing a consumer to purchase at one shop over the other when you can barely tell them apart? In this case, blending in is not doing you any favors, and trying to look like an influencer is going to have a lot of people passing you by instead of looking at your products.

Q: How do you think product photography can improve this?

Jenn: This is SO HUGE! Product photography does a few things for your imagery. 
1. A good product photographer will do extensive research into your brand, it's philosophy, and really get the to heart of your business. 
2. Having true product photography allows a second set of eyes and influence into your imagery. A new perspective can really amp up your game. Sometimes we get stuck in these rotations and keep doing things the same way, and adding another person into the equation with a new artistic approach will help get attention. 
3. Consistency is KEY! There is nothing more obviously unprofessional than inconsistent imagery. It looks cheap, it doesn't allow people to buy into you brand, and it doesn't tell a story. There's nothing that makes me crazier than a shopfront IG feed with a million cell phone images that don't blend together or carry me along and SCREAM to me what I can get at that store.

Julia: I think product photography can be a huge asset to sell the items and highlight their positive and unique features and downplays any negative features and also makes a true representation of color, scale, etc .

My thoughts: Product photography usually includes creative direction and a theme. It improves consistency and quality control in your images. You can shoot a WHOLE COLLECTION together which helps you sell outfits and makes great marketing campaigns for weeks of social media content. It ensures that you’re showcasing your product in the best possible way. This is about the products, it’s not about the model, or you, or the store, so getting as many quality images is important. If you’re selling online exclusively these are the images that are selling your product. Your customer can’t walk in and feel the fabric, inspect it with their eyes. They can’t hold the details up for a closer look. Your images have to do all of that for them, so they can make a good decision on purchasing. Wouldn’t you like to take the guess work out of it, so you can move the product easily?

Q: How important is it to shoot a collection together?

Jenn: If I am a shopper, and you are there to tell me WHAT to buy, showing things together will naturally draw shoppers to those specific collections as a whole. When they see it together, they need it together, therefore increasing your sales based on the imagery. 

My thoughts: In a time before the internet, catalogs were how stores got their product seen, and fashion houses STILL release a lookbook for each new season of product. Specialty retailers still shoot marketing campaigns and set their floors by the trend, theme of each collection (and season) as it rolls in for consumption. Are there different rules for small privately owned boutiques and retailers? Well, there are no rules because owners can do what they want, but that system has worked for decades and decades. As Jenn said a collection shot together ( with multiple models, styled with props and a location) just help your brand, they uphold consistency and they sell product together!! Yes, it’s more expensive but the ROI is also incredible. If it wasn’t- corporations wouldn’t still do it.

Q: What can a styled shoot do for products?

Jenn: EVERYTHING! This is the biggest service that I provide my clients. A styled shoot allows you to see your products in a real-life way. Every potential shopper can see your products ACTUALLY BEING USED! How many lipstick commercials do you see with a tube of lipstick sitting on a shelf? NONE! It's on a model, she's going to the club, making out with her boyfriend, and then looking back at you and showing you it's still there. People don't want to see a purse. They want to see themselves USING the purse. At a party. Going to work. Riding the train. This is what styled shoots do. They put your product into the ideal world of your shoppers.

Julia: Styled shoots are great because they create polished branding and a cohesive and high end look that represents the brand .

My thoughts: I think there’s a misconception that styled shoots have to be fancy or high end. They can be as casual as you want them to be. It can be as editorial as you want it to be. It’s supposed to add quality, not make your product or brand into something it isn’t. At the end of the day it’s about selling the product, and standing out from all the other shops that are trying to sell similar products. It’s going to come down to how you framed the product, and how you sold the experience people will have in that product.

Q: What do you suggest shops do if they want to take images with their phone or their own camera?

Jenn: Instastory! [ put them in instastory so the lower quality doesn’t disrupt your brand consistency]

Julia: Clean backdrops, nothing too busy. You can get a backdrop and autopole for fairly cheap.

My thoughts: I would be really mindful of what’s predictable, and go in an entirely different direction. Your neighborhood doesn’t make the best professional background. A lot of busy things going in the background can take away from the product. Don’t forget to shoot the product from multiple depths and from multiple angles.

Q: Why do you think we find a lack of creativity in images like this?

Jenn: Because we're all programmed to think people like something, only because it worked for one person. We settle into someone else's success comfort zone, follow all their rules and their path, only to find out that we aren't them (SHOCKER!). We have to forge our own path. 

My thoughts: Honestly, there’s not a lot of direction out there for shop owners telling them not to do this, and without that guidance they see what other shops are doing and they copy. Honestly, it’s a combination of not knowing any better, and cutting corners . I know shop owners might feel offended by that because they work really hard, and taking images (even if it’s from your phone) can be time consuming and a whole lot of work!!! Hiring a photographer and setting up a shoot is even more work AND an extra expense, so they try to do it themselves. Playing it safe comes at a cost. You must challenge yourself to do things different than what everyone else is doing! If you have the results to back up that your images are helping you to sell product that’s one thing, but if they aren’t, and you’re also struggling to get noticed and get followers on social media then you have to know that the content is blending in and it’s time to try something new.

When Everyone Is Leaning In, JUMP the F out!

It only takes a matter of moments for someone to say something inspiring before everyone comes out of the woodwork to collectively ruin it’s originality. “LEAN IN” is one of the many coined phrases that’s been floating around the internet lately, and I’ve gotta say… I’ve heard enough.

Not because I appose leaning in, or that there aren’t hard moments when we all need to lean on others for support, but because the sentiment is now lost in it’s overuse and I’m just plain tired of hearing it.

In fact, I challenge anyone reading this to stop jumping on buzz-word band wagons only because of their trendy popularity, or worse… for likes and online attention. “Lean In” is just an example of how unoriginal we are, and how a mediocre concept can get WAY more love than it really deserves. Is “hang in there” or “ride it out, it’ll get better” really THAT inspiring of a concept?

In a recent poll I offered to my social media followers, they said the number one thing they’re sick of hearing is fauxspiration. It does feel like literally everone out there now is some kind of inspirational guru, and as someone who often tries to rally the troops, I understand. You’re looking for connection, but there are more impactful ways to connect with your audience than to duplicate a thought that was never yours to begin with, especially without SITING YOUR SOURCE! I know inspiration is popular, but that shouldn’t be WHY you’ve now decided to put yourself in that position. Besides, it’s only really worth saying when it a) comes from the heart b) when it’s an original thought.

A while back I hosted a webinar on a particular topic. The words I chose were very specifically my own, and I’d arranged them that way on purpose, because I wanted them to stand out. It took time and dedication to set myself apart from what other people were teaching on the same topic. I took special care to not cross my message and tangle it with anyone elses. Imagine my surprise when a few days after that webinar someone, a professional, within that same industry answered a question in an online forum COMPLETELY plagerizing a piece of my webinar.

At first, I was shocked. This person didn’t say “you know I was just really inspired by Amanda Fleischer’s webinar. She taught me….. “ NO, no, no. She just dropped it as if it were her own thought. I was THRILLED that it spoke to her, and that my words had resinated, but I was confused too. She made absolutely no effort to find her own phrasing, or to change the descriptive words. Of course I had to know for sure, if she’d seen the webinar, so I responded and asked her. To which she said “oh yeah lol” … And there it is. That is how easy words get stolen and everyone starts to sound like each other. HONESTY IS ALWAYS THE BEST POLICY when you’re taking inspiration, words, systems, or strategies that were not your original thought and siting your source. Even if the source is someone unknown to the general public, always give credit.

I didn’t need this woman to thank me, but frankly she was taking the recognition for work she didn’t do by never giving me the credit. Trying to get people to hire you on stolen copy is a recipe for disaster. Not only are you going to burn bridges by taking what isn’t yours and profiting from it, but it’s going to be hard to produce the results you promised on someone else’s knowledge and ability. You’re also telling on yourself. People DO ABSOLUTELY notice when you take their or someone else’s ideas and words, or when they’re hearing a catch phrase for the 20th time.

YOUR OWN THOUGHTS AND IDEAS are incredible! You don’t need someone elses! What you do need is the productivity and ambition to sit down and give it your all. I know it’s much easier and lazier to take something else that’s already trending. It’s not a coinicidence that we have an overwhelming number of clones roaming the internet, and the number one content writing problem people always claim to have is not knowing what to say. I’ll tell you how to fix that right now!

The #1 type of content my followers said they would love to consume more of, is personal stories! So the next time you’re inspired by something someone has ALREADY said, site the source and share how this advice has PERSONALLY impacted your life, how it’s inspired you or triggered you! Everything doesn’t always have to be positive all the time. Stop trying to preach it out and pawn the idea off as your own. Your unique opinion or take away is what will help people get to know you, and ironically it’s a FANTASTIC way to literally LEAN IN, get vulnerable and share things that are close to your heart.

But this isn’t really about leaning in at all, it’s about identifying trends and not letting yourself get caught up in a marketing scheme. When everyone is leaning in, jump the fuck out. This specifically means we were powerfully designed to do so much more than repeat one another! When you notice something is getting a little too common, and everyone is starting to look and sound too similar, you can be the difference maker. We can gently and politely nudge people to be more honest by speaking up when we’ve heard it before! We are strong, indipendent women who are problem solvers. CHALLENGE THE CONVENTIONAL! You are more than a clone of someone else’s thoughts and ideas- no matter how good or trendy they might look or sound.

Merchandising Your Store for Maximum Sales

With Holiday shopping well underway I know you’re probably filling and replenishing your store inventory more often than normal. This can be a stressful time trying to keep up with demand, keep the shop clean AND merchandised in a way that maximizes sales. So I’m going to give you my top tips for merchandising your inventory that will help your store look incredible, and help your customers leave happily with a quality purchase.

Merchandising, from my experience is largely misunderstood. Merchandising is especially misunderstood by small business owners who don’t have a background in retail or fashion prior to opening a shop. The general understanding shop owners have is the need to stylize your products for marketing purposes, but that isn’t merchandising’s ONLY responsibility. If you’re surprised, don’t worry. It’s not your fault. The moment you Google or look up merchandising displays on Pinterest, the results show the coolest most creative window and store displays. They’re artistic, thought provoking, and attention getting which is absolutely what you want your displays to do, BUT there’s more to merchandising than looking cool. So one of the first tips I have is to

Understand ALL the things merchandising can do.

One of the biggest objectives to merchandising well is making your store look full and impactful- well stocked with several options, neatly organized for easy browsing.  This eliminates gaps on the sales floor where the customers attention could be pulled away from the products.

That means filling holes on your tables, shelves, and racks where product has sold out or sold down. Keeping everything full keeps people shopping. This means that merchandising, especially during the holidays, becomes a constant task. Displays that are usually “set it and forget it” are being updated daily based on sell through, and it can become a problem that snowballs if you don’t have enough inventory or a good understanding of how or why you should keep things replenished. It only takes a matter of hours for your store to go from looking styled, clean and cohesive to an absolute mess that doesn’t make any sense at all.

Merchandising also requires identifying when and where products sell well and where things aren’t performing as well as you’d like, then moving those items around to see if they’ll sell better somewhere else in the store. Maybe an area that gets better traffic, or can catch the eye differently. Maybe it would be a great complimentary item to something that sells well, or the perfect add on at the register. Survey your inventory as you clean and sell so that you can make adjustments as the day goes on.

The last responsibility that’s often overlooked with merchandising is knowing your customer, what they like, and where they like to shop from. Do they often shop the table before the rack as retail statistics often show? Do they pay better attention to the mannequins in the window or next to the fitting room? Weight your decision to place certain products in certain areas based on what actually moves the products out the door versus just catching attention because selling the item is obviously the end goal.

Maintaining inventory levels.

Now, as I mentioned all of this is hard to do if you don’t have the inventory to pack things out and make the sales floor look as full as you’d like! It can also mean missed sales opportunities if you don’t keep tabs on which sizes or colors are available on the floor. It’s easy to overlook pulling surplus stock from the back for sizes or colors that have sold through or sold down. That can be solved in a number of ways;

• Make sure your back stock inventory is minimized through the holiday rush. You can represent several size, style or color runs in various places throughout the store. You might not start out with enough room for it all, but as things loosen up, pull out the remaining inventory to your sales floor. You can’t sell it if it’s sitting in your back room.

• Keep track of what you’re selling, so you can replenish accordingly. This is also a great way to be aware of what is selling well and what isn’t, so you can make floor adjustments accordingly.

• Order more product if you don’t have enough to stock the store well. I know that is easier said than done with buying seasons, trend forecasting, and projected sales, but there are always vendors and designers out there looking to work with stores who need more inventory. You might have to reach out to local makers or wholesalers that you haven’t worked with before. As long as you do your research on them, there’s no need to worry.

• Eliminate some racks and tables to cluster more product together. Rearrange racks and wall displays to fill empty space without the need for more product. This should only happen if you do not have any remaining inventory to restock your sales floor. There are merchandising tricks that will give the appearance of fullness when product is selling out.

• The best solution, however, is to be proactive and have the product. It’s much easier to keep a floor beautifully merchandised for maximum sales when you have lots of options to play with.

Placing product by price and shopping habits.

  I already mentioned paying close attention to the shopping habits of your customers, but there’s a few more variables that can maximize sales and that’s why it’s important to always know what areas in your store sell the best.

   First, it’s definitely advantageous to put items at a higher price point in the areas of your store that sell the best. There are statistics that support table displays sell the best. It doesn’t matter if you sell apparel or soap or crafts. Tables can sell it all. With that knowledge in hand corporate retailers have been making table displays a focal priority for years.

   But it’s not enough to just slap your most expensive product on a few tables and call it a day. You’ll want to:  

• Maximize the full space on that table, so choose the products you want represented there carefully.

• Be aware that tables are easy to shoplift from. Take extra precautions with security tags and table placement.

• Add complimentary products in order to sell a collection of items that work well together. Example: I was recently looking at home interior store. They had a fabulous round table near the front of the store with some beautiful chairs pushed in around it. The table was filled with center pieces. Further back in the store there were plates, drinking glasses, and other decorative items. I thought there was a missed opportunity to set the table as it would appear in someone’s home. They had enough pieces to set a beautiful table, and certainly a set table with all the stylish details would sell much better together than a bunch of centerpieces? It was hard to see the potential the table had with it buried under all the centerpieces, and so customers weren’t even looking at it as a piece they could potentially purchase, and that is a loss to store.

                 This kind of thoughtful merchandising helps you build the sale without having to say a word. It showcases the items together and helps the customer see how well they work together. Which is a great for…

Maximizing sales by pairing complimentary items together.

The objective is to never sell a solo item, but to surround the feature item with complimentary items so that the customer wants to buy it all together. Using my example from earlier: would you rather sell a centerpiece or sell the table, chairs, and the entire dining set?

  This works perfectly for clothing stores too. By layering displays with a top, a bottom, a jacket, and a handbag you suddenly have a whole outfit, not just one piece. The customer might not buy the display exactly how it’s represented, but it opens their mind to the versatility of each piece and how they can make their own outfits while shopping. And all of that simply means…

Creating an experience with displays that help the customer see your products in their life.

   Visual tools such as the examples I’ve given above are incredibly useful in helping a customer make a quick decision. You’re helping them see themselves using or gifting that product, and. you’ve taken the time to make an entire atmosphere for them. It helps them piece together an enhanced version of the gift they were planning to purchase, and who doesn’t love when shopping takes less time than expected?

Ease of motion through your store is also worth mentioning. You want a merchandising plan that pulls your customers through an experience, that draws them into the store to look at all the items. I know I just said STOCK THE FLOOR FULL, and now I’m going to say do that without cramping your customers personal space. If the racks are so full customers can’t walk around without knocking things over, if it infringes on wheelchair and stroller accessibility, or if there’s product in the way of reaching other product then you’ve gotta rethink product placement. If the racks are so full that customers can’t look at a garment on the rack then it’s time to loosen things up. You’ll have to get creative, but there’s lots of options for moving product up and out so that you can fill in the floor with lots of inventory without interfering in the customers positive experience with your business.

To take this one step further we need to consider the one bottom line, make-it-or-break-it-variable; PRICE. You want to make pricing clear and straightforward. If you want to run a promotion, I strongly suggest a promotion that incentivizes and rewards customers for buying multiple items.

   Most people statistically will not ask for a price if they cannot locate it quickly, or if they’re confused by a convoluted promotion/discount. The biggest merchandising tool in all the land can help with this and it’s called SIGNAGE. Clear and straightforward signage helps your customers understand discounts, and special offers, and if done well, helps the store look more brand consistent and full.

   This can be done as tastefully and unobtrusively as you’d like. Window signs especially help with attracting new customers. They work as silent sellers, and it’s pretty cost effective way to market your holiday promotions without breaking the bank.

THERE YOU HAVE IT. Merchandising for the holidays can feel like a daunting task. Especially with so many sets, resets and updates, but I promise if you keep these rules in mind and combine them with a winning customer service experience you will sell more than you have ever sold.

BUSINESS MANAGEMENT 101 : Knowing When To Ask, Demand, Do It yourself.

  [THE COMPLEXITY AND THE NUANCES OF BUSINESS + LIFE]

I was just in a situation where someone said "Give me one of those..." and to summarize I felt like "could you please hand me...." would have been a more respectful way to ask. I got to thinking about this. Am I the type of person who would extend the same courtesy? I would most certainly ask instead of demand in that situation, and then I thought, "I probably wouldn't ask at all. I'd just go and do it myself".

Now this was just a personal interaction. It had nothing to do with business, but (as I tend to do) I started thinking how I could apply it to business. There's so many people taking the DIY route these days, and hell I've been a part of the dialogue that says if you're doing everything yourself, you're doing it wrong. BUT there’s good in all of it: asking, demanding, doing it yourself, and I want to break down the positives and the negatives of each!

Do you know:

>> when to ask?

>> when to demand?

>> and when to do it yourself?

I believe it starts by understanding management, leadership and what kind of leader would you like to be? I want to be the type of leader that's approachable, energetic, passionate, encouraging, empowering, motivating, knowledgeable, and makes everyone around me better. What kind of leader do you want to be?

I think the thing most people get wrong is that they let the “power” go to their head and lose track of how they make others feel. So let’s talk about it, and how to make a better effort to lead in the right way.

WHEN TO DO IT YOURSELF!

There’s that age old saying “if you want it done right, you’ve gotta do it yourself”, and I’ll admit there’s lots of truth to that. No one is going to do something exactly how you would do it, and someone new to a process needs time to make their mistakes and learn from them as you did. My shop girl days taught me quite a bit about this and I’ll break them down here.

TRUST- you have to trust others. You can’t do EVERYTHING yourself. If you have a team of employees all you can do is  train them to the best of your abilities and then you have to set them free to mess up and learn. It’s your job to step in during teachable moments and encourage their development, but you don’t want to do their job for them, or show them that you’ll fix their mistakes for them all the time.

On the other hand you want to be a fair leader that never asks someone to do something you wouldn’t be willing to do yourself. Leadership is about team building and it’s important to not make your people feel like you’re taking advantage, and asking them to do something you could easily do yourself. Delegating tasks is a delicate balance. You want to jump in and help when you see the need for it. You want to make sure your people see you out there getting your hands dirty with them. You don’t want to take advantage of your role as a leader. That’s a very quick way to piss people off and upset morale in the workplace. Then you also have to know when it’s ok to pass things off, so you can focus on responsibilities that are completely yours.

If you’re thinking “Amanda I don’t have employees. It’s just me. I HAVE to do everything myself” I would argue that you still need to work on TRUSTING other professionals to come in and help you. There’s gotta be something you could outsource, no? And I could certainly challenge any excuse you could give me about why doing it yourself isn’t the ONLY option. Let’s explore:

   Excuse: I can’t afford to outsource anything.

   This is only a fair statement if your business is less than six months old. If your business is any older than that and you still don’t have a morsel of a budget to outsource  even the least expensive of business assistance there’s a bigger issue at hand. Why isn’t your business turning enough profit for you to budget in that help? It doesn’t have to be ongoing help. It can be over the duration of a project, or over a couple days to help with something you don’t know enough about.

What this usually comes down to, when people throw around the “I can’t afford it”,  is that they CHOOSE not to budget for those kinds of expenses and take a bigger payday, OR they’ve invested in THINGS rather than people (that don’t have an ROI) because there’s too many unknowns around hiring someone else rather than having complete control and doing it yourself.

And here’s the bigger issue with this:

YOUR BUSINESS IS GOING TO HAVE TO HIRE A STAFF SOME DAY! So you might want to get used to trusting people now. At some point your business is going to have to hire an entire staff and you’re going to have to manage them, or at the very least manage the people who manage them. It’s in your best interest to work out how you want to lead now while things are small, so you aren’t blindsided later on.

Excuse: I had a bad experience hiring someone. I got completely taken advantage of.

  I’m sorry. Unfortunately this does happen, but it’s still not a great excuse for why you won’t hire someone EVER again. Please re-read the above paragraph on hiring a staff . You’re just avoiding the inevitable and you’re keeping your business from growing by not allowing yourself to get back out there and trust again.

 This is a great place where DEMANDING actually comes in handy! Because it’s the trifecta of these three parts and knowing when to use each that makes you a magical leader!

 Ok, so you’ve got someone you want to hire! You need to VET them appropriately. Most bad hires (even if it’s just a temporary outsource)  are a side effect of not having properly done your research on them. The price was too good to be true. You didn’t check references, or referrals, or testimonials. You didn’t take a good look at their portfolio. You didn’t sign a contract. Etc. Etc. You MUST protect yourself, and that is why it’s absolutely necessary to have non negotiables. To set boundaries. To come prepared with CLEAR expectation on communication and deadlines. Of course, this isn’t license to be a rude asshole about it, but it’s perfectly acceptable to know what you want, and be willing to cut ties with that person if they don’t deliver...which is a great segway into….

WHEN TO DEMAND

   Demanding sounds really rude and uninspiring, but demanding has a lot to do with accountability and holding YOURSELF and others to a high standard of communication, execution, and development. Demanding doesn’t actually involve being rude at all. It means setting expectation for what you want and how you want it (in fairness) to protect yourself and others from being taken advantage of. It’s about RESPECT. Respecting yourself and others with policies and requirements. Demanding certain things for your business, your week, your month, your internal brand culture and staffing morale sets you up for success! The most productive work environments are those that make sure everyone is clear on the objectives and how to conduct themselves.

   Of course setting all of this in place means nothing if you aren’t willing to follow up and hold people to their agreements. When standards and expectations aren’t met, you will have to have accountability conversations around the non-negotiables and how you can help them work through their understanding of the regulations put in place. This is an opportunity for growth and improvement, NOT to be looked at as an opportunity to belittle and discipline.

WHEN TO ASK

 Asking is hard, isn’t it? It’s hard to ask for help, but this is very much when asking is absolutely the most important. To be honest, I’m soooo sick of the word “struggle”, because far too many people are using it to sell something. BUT if you are in fact struggling with anything it’s ok to ask for help! I like to think of my business friends as my ask task force! These are the people I trust more than anything to bounce ideas off of, to ask for business referrals and to ask for HELP!

 The best kinds of leaders know when they’re too swamped in work and when to throw up the white flag and get some help. It’s ok to reach out and ask someone that doesn’t typically handle certain responsibilities to lend a hand. It’s ok to ask when you don’t know enough about something. It’s ok to ask lots and lots and lots of questions.

Asking questions is the most underrated development tool on the planet. Asking makes you a great leader! Asking vs telling is one of the most invaluable tools to my entire coaching program, and my success as a manager. Here’s what I know! Asking someone a question vs telling them the answer helps in numerous ways. It helps me identify what the person knows, and what they don’t. It gives me a look inside how they process information, which can help me better coach them.  

  In my shop girl days we would always follow up training with questions because the question helps people remember, and knowing I’m going to come back and ask again would help employees get prepared.  When someone has to speak vs just listen, and answer it keeps them INVOLVED, and much more aware of what’s going on.

If you were under the impression that there was only one way to be, or that the way you talk and interact with people didn’t matter, I hope this helped you understand that it DOES matter a whole lot, and that all three actions are good for different reasons in different situations. Your leadership style is the glue that will hold your team together, no matter how big or small.  Personal and professional development never stops, even for incredible leaders, so start now! Ask yourself how do you want to inspire others and dedicate yourself to that growth.

Getting Back To Fun! How to refresh your business with a new perspective!

I have often looked for, but never quite found an opportunity to write about two of my favorite things: business + basketball, but tonight that ALL changes!

On Thursday, the Boston Celtics played their fifth game of the season against the Oklahoma City Thunder in OKC and it was miserably ugly. The C’s struggled hard in the first half, much the same way they struggled through preseason and the first four games of regular season. I don’t want to say that the media and fans were in an all out panic because Month 1 is a weird space for any kind of prediction to stick, but it was a bit confusing.

  On paper the Celtics are an elite team with bench loads of talent. Most of the players now have deep playoff experience,  and incredible hype lingering from last years eastern conference finals run in spite of injuries that sidelined some of their best players.

 Now, with everyone healthy and with more experience the expectation for instant greatness was ridiculously, (some might argue) unrealistically high. Well, it turns out coming back from injury takes some finesse, and those few guys need time to find their rhythm, not to mention how to contribute to a team jam packed full of talent. It’s an odd problem to have. To put it simply, for any non-basketball person, a team usually has one or two great players and those players know their role is to dominate, but the Celtics have a whole roster of talent and they’re trying to find the best way to share.

The answer early on in OKC was clear: The Celtics still did not have their shit together regardless of who was on the team. They scored only 34 points before half time and trailed OKC by 16.

If you’re wondering when and where I’m going to talk about business- it’s coming real soon.

At half time Brad Stevens (basketball guru) and head coach needed to get his guys back on track, but what do you say to a team full of guys with all the talent in the world that are obviously a bit disappointed in themselves? The two words he chose changed the entire game. He told the team to do something very simple.

He told them to have fun.

The guys looked stiff, disconnected, and frustrated, so his suggestion makes a ton of sense!  Brad essentially gave them permission to relax and enjoy themselves, which took lots of pressure off the outcome! The unnecessary pressure they were putting on themselves was obviously hindering not only their their moods and minds, but their production.

From a fan perspective it was fucking brilliant because not only did they find fun, and look worlds better, they also WON. Talk about flipping a switch.

From my business perspective there’s nothing more right in the world than to spread this message that you  ABSOLUTELY can be, do, have allll of the things in fun if you’re willing. I might not know much about coaching basketball, but I’d say this is pretty rock solid coaching advice on any level and with any challenge.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying life and/or business is all butterflies and rainbows 24/7, but we do a pretty good job of making things more miserable and dramatic than they have to be. We also tend to heap on loads of responsibility and unnecessary pressure, and we look for validation in all the wrong places which can derail the fun-train rather quickly.

So if you’re still here wondering why fun is the magic ingredient here’s my short answer:

It drastically impacts and changes your critical thinking, and it radically improves your mood! Once you have permission to enjoy yourself- you’ve become unavailable for anything that isn’t enjoyable, which allows your decision making to be more about trusting your abilities, than questioning them, and it removes your attachment to the end result. Working in fun makes things easier with higher energy and focus, and easily dismisses anything that doesn’t serve you. The reward shifts from looking ahead to a certain pay off in either a win, or a sale, to just embracing and enjoying the present moment. This is why we so often say “don’t forget why you started”. You do this thing because you love it, and at one point it loved you too, right?!

So now is as good a time as any to ask: are you having fun?!

And if the answer is no, why not?!

Small business owners, just like basketball players tend to put a lot of pressure on themselves to produce, and when that production doesn’t show up instantly we tend to overthink, over act, and suddenly things are very not fun at all. The craziest part of this whole thing is that we hold the power to change that, and sometimes we lose track of the real pleasures that drove us to open up a business to begin with!

As a Celtics fan I hope this defines the season early in theory and in execution. I hope it stimulates and revives their spirit that seemed pretty defeated early on, and of course I hope it helps them win. This is a perfect example of why obsessing about how can derail even your most straight forward plans, and I hope fun helps each player spend less time worrying about “figuring things out” and more time trusting their talents.  

  I’ll try not to make this sound any more dramatic than I already have, so my point is “The fun season” could redefine their entire outlook which in turn could drastically improve their production while teaching us all to lighten the hell up a bit.

As a business coach I say go easy on yourself. I have often asked my clients is your business soul filling or soul draining? It’s been a long running joke among online business professionals that there’s this unavoidable emotional roller coaster that owning your own business can bring about, and it’s about time we address the elephant in the room that IS actually more avoidable than implied. It is our CHOICE to sit in self pity and negativity, and make things less fun than they already are. The option to rise above and transcend is always available. Part of owning a soul filling business is deliberately seeking fun even when we have every reason to curl up in the fetal position. Have more fun, allow the enjoyment and your love of it to be enough, and see all the different ideas and opportunities become more possible than ever before!

MONDAY MONEY MOTIVATION- jump start your busy week with high vibe energy work!

  Now that you’ve got your sales goals in place with The Goal Setting Sunday Worksheet,  you can now move on to the energy work!

Energy work is my favorite because no things are bad things inside this mind space. I know a lot of different people would describe energy work numerous ways, but for me it’s simply getting my mindset, confidence, and beliefs inline with what I desire to make a reality this week. I align with my soul filling purpose and the passion that drives everything I will do and say for the week. It’s a fantastic way to be present with yourself, to check in throughout the day or week on how you’re feeling, to upkeep your mental wellness, AND above all it gets you super jazzed to get to work!

Since Monday is officially the day we all start to come out of hibernation on social media it’s the PERFECT DAY to boost your frequency, and get fucking motivated ESPECIALLY around all the money you will make this week. I understand that not everyone feels incredible about Monday and that is first mindset shift that needs to change. Mondays have always been gold for me. They’re a clean slate, they’re a brand new opportunity, they’re filled with potential, and it’s important you set yourself on the right track from the very first moments of the week so that you carry that through to work you do, and the life you want to live.

 You’re going to make a heaping pile of money this week, what’s not to love about Monday?  You have more control than you think and you’re in the driver's seat of your reality what’s not to love about Monday?

So if you’re not a big fan of Monday’s lets start there!

• Why ? If you’re a business owner who has fully committed to your purpose and stepped into your passion you should absolutely be OBSESSED with Monday!

• If the things you don’t love about Monday could be fundamentally changed to make you more a productive and positive person on this day- what would you do differently?

• Would you rather take Monday off and work on a weekend day?

• Would you consider outsourcing things that you despise doing on Monday?

• What things could you incorporate into your schedule to make Monday more enjoyable?

• What about your environment could change to make Mondays more desirable?

If you already love Monday and everything I said above then let’s move on to the energy work!

Your passion and purpose are the core of everything you do and that is what we will focus on today!

•    What kind of difference do you want to make today in people's lives?

•    What kind of difference do you want to make in yours?

•    What amount of money do you decide to make today?

•    What do you decide happens right now for the rest of day to make that happen?

See, sales and the energy/positivity to create those sales come from your purpose and passion. It comes from you honoring the quality of service you have to provide others. It comes from deciding you will have it, from believing you already do and feeling the feelings of that truth.

Imagine a Monday where you get to have everything you want! What would the perfect Monday look like for you?

• How would you serve your passion and purpose?

• How much money would you make?

• How would you make it?

• What would your message be to all your humans?

• What would you have for lunch?

• Where would you go?

• What would you do?

• Who would you do it with?
  Why would this make you the most unstoppable, successful, abundant, and happy human on earth?

• Where would you choose to work from?
  How would you serve your humans?

• How would you make sure you delivered some of your good vibes onto them?

• How would you pay it forward?

• How would you give back?

• What would you wear?

• What music is on this epic days playlist?

• Who is owning their shit today?

Now go out there and make this your Monday!!  There is absolutely no reason I can think of if you are a healthy business owning person why you cannot get in on these vibes and raise that energy from the time you roll out of bed in the morning to the time you get back into it at night!

If you’re all ‘but, but’ with some excuses as to why this isn’t practical, I really want to challenge you to rethink practical. If this is what serves your soul and facilitates your highest frequency of soul filling work and soul filling joy, then why can’t it be this way? What can you do now to go into the week making sure more of this is actually happening, not just on Monday but every day.

Now, go out there and crush it! Sell more than you’ve ever sold and live your best life! Period!

THE GIFT CARD STRATEGY!

It’s September which means Holiday shopping season is fast approaching. It’s time to get READY! If you think this doesn’t apply to you I’m about to let you in on something the retail world has been practicing for YEARS AND YEARS especially now that online shopping is so popular! This is a strategy that you can make work for your business as well, even if you sell services instead of products.

First, you have to understand the value of a gift card. Not just the amount on it but what a gift card represents to your business.

If an existing customer buys a gift card for someone else that means someone new is coming to shop with you! YAY! It’s like a referral, but better because the person has the cash incentive right in hand to come check you out- no strings attached on their end.  

If someone wants to spend money with you but doesn’t have it handy they can ask for a gift!

You have someone who loves your products/ services and now that you’re offering gift cards they can introduce a number of friends or family to your business, and you get the opportunity to take that sale from what it was to something more. So, yeah gift cards make a great upsell/ add on item that increases your dollars sold.

HELLO INCREASED TRAFFIC. Now that you’ve got all those gift cards floating around, all those new people will be coming to check you out. It doesn’t matter if they have a $10 stocking-stuffer card or a $1200 service paid in full from their mom. They’re coming in and they’re going to SPEND!

Sales opportunities. Most people don’t come in with a gift card thinking about spending more than exactly what is on the card, but this is a fantastic opportunity to not only make a sale out of more than what they have on the card, BUT turn them into a loyal client who will come back, and maybe even buy gift cards for the people they know!

THE BIG CATCH- is you have to have this PLAN in PLACE long before Holiday shopping begins. STOCK UP NOW. Not only on gift cards, but on gift card envelopes!  You can offer e-cards, but most people prefer to have something that can be opened.

If you’re a brick and mortar store you’ll have to invest in gift card marketing signage and time to train your people well. They should be offering a gift card to every single person that cashes out. It doesn’t have to be much to make a big difference! It matters more that each person leaves with at least one gift card than it does the amount on the gift card.

Take Note: While you’re shopping at the mall or in your favorite retailers this year, look at just how much gift card marketing, signage and selling efforts these corporations have invested in! There’s a method to the madness and reason for it. January- February is probably the slowest sales months of the year, but they don’t have to be if you’ve been strategic. Gift Cards can keep the traffic coming in for you, even after the rush of holiday season has burnt out.

If you’re an online seller. It’s time to get those graphics out there now. It’s time to remind people before they check out. It’s time to spread the word among your email list so they can put your business on their wish list!

And there you have it- gift cards are good for sales now and traffic later, and who wouldn’t like more of those things?

How To: Leave Facebook Groups and Elevate your Business

   I just did something mindbogglingly adventurous, a little sad, and to be honest a lot uncomfortable! Leaving comfort zones - especially when you base jump spontaneously out of said comfort zones without too much thought (because you know you'll change your mind)- is always an experience.  

What did I do? 

 I LEFT a ton of Facebook business groups- groups I thoroughly enjoyed being a part of! Groups that made me laugh and cry and even sometimes helped me find clients! 

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So why did I leave? 

 When you’re trying to take massive, bold, fearless, faithful action to uplevel and elevate your shit- you have to do things that get you out of your routine! 

As much as I enjoyed these groups there was a lot to be desired: 

1.  the honest truth is they were a GIANT distraction.  I could have gone on, business as usual in some of those hamster wheels forever. It was hard to leave, but necessary. I don’t want to be in a hamster wheel- I don’t want a cycle of same old, same old. I’m destined for more! 

2. A lot of these groups have  become a breeding ground for the bottom feeding and desperate to look for leads and there are so many of them fishing and preying on the uninformed that it’s just a glorified mess calling itself networking. 

In short: THIS lady, right here, is raising her mf-ing vibration into uncharted territory with uncapped growth potential- and that vibration -in those groups- pan handling- just ain’t it! 

3. These groups weren’t designed to promote the members, but the facilitators of each group! So to promote oneself you have to be in this grey not promoting but still super involved and kinda promoting space and if we’re being really honest- it's never well received!

4. I don’t want to be in places where I feel like I need to beg for attention, that I'm overlooked because I don't fit into one of two extremes: a super huge seven figure success story with tens of thousands of email subscribes OR because my pricing isn't $0.  UMMM VALUE! I HAVE LOTS OF FUCKING VALUABLE THINGS TO SAY AND A DECADE OF EXPERIENCE. Literally not one of these two parties cares what you have to say,  what you offer, what you bring to the table and most of them will take it and regurgitate it into their own content to make themselves look better. 

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5. I’m all for giving, but I want to do it on my terms and I’m over giving quadruple the amount I’m getting back, and let's not even discuss the frustration, the competition, the weirdness of it all. 

6. It's about 20% promotion and looking for leads and 80% other non work related BS. Fun BS that's easy to get sucked into, cool games, or personal advice columns, name my baby, identify this rash,  but uhhh you're working, right? 

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Sometimes cutting cords of comfort is necessary. There was lots of fear that held me back from leaving these groups weeks ago when I first intuitively felt a call to change! I was all

“how will I ever find leads if I leave” ,

“how will I grow my social media following and make business buddies”

 “what if I miss a job opportunity?” 

  "HOW TF will I do this all ALONE?" --- dramatic much? 

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I couldn’t see or think of any other way to do these things besides the way that had haphazardly worked for me in the past, and that’s how I KNEW I had to go and have faith that the something more and something new would find me! 

Because what if letting go of this low vibration of desperate businesses, link dropping threads, and literally thousands of owners clambering for attention allows something MUCH better, consistent, and business enhancing to take its place? 

What if leaving these groups freed  up time in my schedule and allowed me to concentrate on new opportunities, spend a lot more time focused and in the flow of my new vibration instead of pulled back to frequencies of lack and doubt? 

What if my faith that something MAJOR is happening lifts my vibration so high that I’m finally brave enough to cut the cord once and for all on my dependence for Facebook groups and that new vibration attracts dozens of new clients + opportunities?! 

OKAY! Now, I'm all YASSSS. What's facebook? 

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Being a six or seven figure coach means upscale marketing. Do you know why those coaches aren’t pan handling in fb groups? Because they’re busy! Busy running paid ads,  and busy with clients who can afford to hire them which is (on average) not the same demographic hanging out in a business fb group trying to get all the advice and guidance they can for free. 

It feels a lot like I’ve cut the umbilical cord to networking and business conversations, but it also feels like I’ve taken back so much more control! 

Again, my humans- my dear, loving, amazing humans- the fearless yet frustrated lady bosses that I so passionately want to serve and guide aren’t usually brand new business owners, they have a budget, which means they too are not usually hanging out on fb groups! I’ve learned this from experience! 

This doesn’t mean all fb business groups are evil, or even bad for your business. I didn’t leave every single group I was a part of. I just left the ones that were doing me the most harm by either distracting me from what I really needed to focus on, or had me promo barking up the wrong tree, at the wrong vibration, with the wrong mindset for true consistent and sustainable growth! 

Sometimes we convince ourselves that the potential for opportunity is more valuable than it really is. Or that the potential for opportunity is somehow more precious than opportunity itself. Would you hang out in a hair salon every day talking babies, pregnancy, sharing amazon products, taco recipes ..FOR MONTHS - waiting for the right opportunity to pitch your (non hair or beauty related) business to someone who really needs it? See, that sounds crazy! Because it feking is!!! And yet so many of us (maybe not to this extreme) are ultimately screwing ourselves in this exact same way on Facebook! 

Put your efforts where the numbers really matter, and you have the most control!  Your own group would be a great place to start,  or somewhere other than Facebook entirely.  A membership, a course, YouTube- something you can monetize and measure progress from! 

I get the allure of Facebook- I really do. I may or may not be still pretty sad about leaving some of it.  There’s so much potential there to cross paths with new people every single moment with so many available active users each day, but the song and dance isn’t required. The singers and dancers actually need not apply.

All you need to do is decide you’re leveling the fuck up and then show up however you feel inspired to!  You don’t need to go looking, or searching, or desperately pitching anything- unless you feel called to do so. It also matters if you’re doing so out of a place of fear,  lack , desperation and need for validation OR if you’re working in the flow of high vibration abundance and confidence to deliver your natural gifts to your humans.  Because hint: when you work with those energies and vibes the people at similar energy or those aspiring to be at your energy will seek you out, like a moth to a flame, and you don’t have to do much looking at all. 

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I guess you can consider this your motivational speech for leaving bad habits and old cycles to uplevel your success TODAY! If Facebook is getting in the way of you doing that maybe it's time to purge some groups like I did. Maybe it's time for a new mindset or strategy, or maybe it's something else entirely. You have all the control, and now it's time to claim it and use it! The best thing to do is to really practice self awareness and being in touch and in tune with how you feel when you're doing anything online with business and what is actually motivating you to take action! Be careful with your time, your thoughts and your intentions. 

Brand Planning + Business Reputation

Why I'm Deleting My Instagram Followers!

Why I’m DELETING  my Instagram Followers.

I know this is going to sound crazy, but I want LESS followers on Instagram. I HAD 3,630 the other day and it fluctuates by at least fifty followers every 12 hours. But this isn’t unusual and it doesn’t drive me nearly as crazy as it used to. Instagram is a weird space and I have no idea how it works even when I have a pretty SOLID understanding of the “algorithm” and creating super valuable content. This follow/unfollow bullshit is just one of the MANY reasons I want less followers, and I’ll break down my reasons for the change so you can decide if you’d like to do something similar. 

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First, this isn’t the first account I have grown to over 3,000 plus followers, but growing a following is nothing like it used to be. Something MOST people who have a crazy large following won’t  tell you. They grew their account in a different time and on a different planet. REALLY. It’s totally different and MUCH HARDER now. Anyone who is growing rapidly right now is getting featured left and right and leveraging the influence from the people featuring them, which solidifies my stance on our need for COMMUNITY and collaboration. 

Second, my business has evolved in a variety of ways over the last three years when I started growing my current following.  The biggest and most important brand values I have are community and helping business owners grow into leaders. What kind of leader am I  if I’m sending the message that superficial or misleading follower counts matter.? They don’t, and I suspect it’s probably hurting me from getting seen by the people who really do want to see my content, so it’s hurting my ability to help people. To get there I will have to go backwards. For having over 3,000 followers my engagement should be MUCH BETTER, and since it doesn’t matter what that number SAYS - it only matters what it actually DOES- I have no reservations about clearing these followers out.

Sure, the algorithm smalgorithm has a bit to do with it, but people are also just CHECKING OUT left and right. They’re getting more and more (desperate) focused on (hoarding)  growing their own followers, that they’re losing track of the super valuable connection that hold us all together AND helps each of us grow together.

Your people matter! Especifically the people who really are invested in your business which are usually the people who are benefiting or entertained by the content you’re producing. My focus is on using a collective voice rather than trying to  shout over top of my people. That means I want my followers to be a controlled intimate collection of business owners who share the same values, and will show up for me in the same way I show up for them which also means I need to weed out the people that just don’t align with my values anymore.  I don’t know about you, but I didn’t get on Instagram to talk to myself. And if they all of sudden realize they aren’t seeing my content anymore or that want to prioritize interaction and conversation with a willingness to put the community before themself they might come back. If not that’s ok too.

To be clear: I’m NOT deleting people who actually do engage and participate, but everyone else? Sorry, but bye. .

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Honestly, I’d rather have 200 followers that are SUPER FUCKING ECSTATIC- over the moon,  and super engaged who don’t just want to read my free content and skip away, but who truly want to support me, hire me, collaborate with me etc. etc. Who want to answer my polls on stories, who want to comment on my photos, who want to PARTICIPATE in true CONVERSATIONS. I know this is all crazy but it could happen, if we all just started giving a little bit more of a shit about the people we interact with instead of being all about ourselves 24/7 we could make a MASSIVE shift in how many businesses are getting seen, heard and enjoying success!

Three, I think it’s a good practice to take an inventory of who is following you from time to time and just weed out the inactive accounts, the nameless/faceless profiles, the bots, and the spam accounts. Again, it’s not about the number. It’s about having a solid following of real people - a true community. I know everyone dreams of the day they can work two hours a week from their phone posting from instagram with endless amounts of minions ready to gobble up whatever they’re peddling, but it’s time to get real. It’s time to realize you need to SHOW UP for those people if you want them to support you, and not on automation. Here's a live look at how I regularly show up for my people: 

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I’m sure there are people out there thinking I’m making a huge mistake or that I’m ungrateful because they would kill to have that many followers, but if those "followers" aren’t actually DOING anything I don’t really “have” a thing.

I’m sure there are people out there that are a lot more emotionally invested in their follower count too- but, you are a magnificent person running an incredible business PERIOD. Your follower count won’t validate you. I’m sure it feels like it will, but there are plenty of people out there with massive followings and worse engagement than I have, converting less traffic to their website too. It is not a mark of success. My validation comes from within and from the people who have actually hired me to improve their business. THEIR success is my success, but that’s more than any follower count will tell you! If people want to judge my success by the number of followers I have rather than really reading the captions and consuming the content- that’s on them, and I already have enough followers who aren’t reading the captions anyways, so if followers is all you care about just keep it moving.  

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SO HOW AM I DOING THIS?

Well, I’m removing slowly and with consideration. I’m not going to worry too much about removing someone who WAS genuinely interested in my content months ago because I have to work in the here and now. I’m not going to worry about deleting people who I see frequently in my Instagram stories list but that I never hear from. Lurkers don’t pay the bills, and honestly if you can’t be bothered to answer ONE poll question in the last 8 months- why are you even still following me? Let me make it easy for you.

As I mentioned before I am about community which is a TWO way relationship. Community doesn’t have to be touchy feely. Sometimes it means parting ways because someone can’t see beyond their own self interest. I’ve said this before, but I’ll share it here too:  No one likes that friend that just shows up when they want something- and we can’t be those kinds of business owners.

To get more specific here’s a step by step of my process:

1. Pull up your followers.

2. Scroll to the bottom- my list came up in chronological order so the people following me the longest are at the bottom.

3. As I scrolled up I removed anyone without a profile photo, any personal accounts ( I had a lot of random teenagers in my followers), spam + bot accounts ( it usually says something about followers in their profile name) and then people I hadn’t heard from in as many years as they had been following me. BYE.

4. The next step takes more time- I am currently looking through semi- targeted followers, that I haven’t seen or heard from in months upon months and I’m checking if they’re still alive, still active, and making decisions to remove or re-engage.

5. Removing is different than blocking. Removing gives them the ability to follow you again. To remove someone you click on the three dots on the right. The remove option will pop up. Boom. done.

So with all of that I will leave you with a few parting ideas:

•         It’s frustrating that people are out there STILL following and unfollowing to build their numbers. That tatic is outdated and really ineffective in actually getting people to INTERACT on your profile- which is what you will want them to do if you’re trying to sell literally anything.

•     NURTURE THE FOLLOWING YOU ALREADY HAVE! Especially if that following is less than 1000. You don’t know what a valuable gift you are sitting on- a little nest egg of followers that you can really touch each day. Remember each of those people knows at least ten more on Instagram and if you take care of them they will help you grow. The most ungrateful people are those that are looking at the number as just a number instead of seeing the faces, beating hearts, stories and POTENTIAL behind it. You have all you need right now. Stop wasting time wanting more when you aren’t even serving the following you have right now.

•   The landscape is changing. We need each other more than ever.

•   The algorithm isn’t all that bad. It’s there to help you if you know how to work the system. Try this:

1. Go to your explore page. The page with the magnifying glass.

2. Scroll a bit.

3. Pick any video or photo.

4. Scroll to the bottom of that image or video.

5. Instagram is LITERALLY telling you WHY it’s showing you that content. Now, if that content has nothing to do with your business whatsoever you might want to change how you're spending your time. For example: I watched one Cardi B. video and now she's ALL OVER my damn explore page. No complaints, but she  has nothing to do with my business. 

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• Yes, depending on what you’re liking, who you’re following and what you’re looking at on Instagram matters and you will see more and more of it.  Make sure you're putting the explore to work for you.  It should be introducing you to new people and getting access to accounts that help you co-work, collaborate, network, and socialize within your business space. 

 At the end of the day I guess this is all a matter of opinion, and we all need to do what’s best for our own business, but there’s one repeating theme here: more isn’t always the solution.

Branding Beyond The Superficial Bullshit

I love the pretty part of branding and business marketing!! YES! I die for a good visual strategy, creative direction, brand shoot and marketing campaign!! Literally lose my fucking mind over it!! BUUTTT there’s a much more important piece to branding and business development that most people don’t talk about altogether- the unglamorous side- which is getting FOCUSED and ORGANIZED about your business, what it does, who it’s for, why it’s important and how it’s going to bring MASSIVE value to your people...AND to YOU!

Today is day 2 of #thebizfluence challenge and we are talking about our slogan. Mine is: Business Makeover Magic BUT the graphic above is a close second!

That’s because a lot of business owners get so focused on the “fun” parts of business identity that they completely overlook: systems and processes, service, value, showing up as a human, and eventually they’re so stressed about looking a certain way and upholding that “image” , or so focused on selling like a robot that they lose their inspiration and passion. AND this is exactly why I prefer to reverse engineer brands!

🙌🏼What makes you come alive? 
🙌🏼What makes you light up inside and out?
🙌🏼What gets you excited to get to work?
🙌🏼What gives you a thrill to talk about?
🙌🏼What do you look forward to posting about /creating content for?

NONE of this should be hard. If it is, you are 1000% overthinking it.

We’ve talked about providing value to your people plenty of times, but value works both ways! Your business and brand should serve you and fill you up as much as it does your clients. I actually might get more excited about my work than my clients do, but I look forward to watching those lightbulb moments and watching it get easier for them!

I love watching their clarity and focus improve.

I love watching their strategy and content improve.

I love watching their internal systems and processes change so they have more free time and less stress.

I love watching their brand experience and reputation improve.

I love watching their website traffic and income improve!

ALL from branding BEYOND the superficial bullshit MOST people think of when they think about their business identity. Does your brand identity matter? ABSOLUTELY, but not before you set an incredibly clear and intentional business foundation and reputation!!

Businesses need routine maintenance just like a car! Let’s get you an inspection, let’s rotate the tires, let’s clean that sucker out and get you back to feeling excited to get in the driver seat again!

This is exactly why I created The Bizfluence Membership which officially launches August 1st. It’s a place where business owners can get clear and focused, amplify their impact, influence, and income with community and an incredible business reputation! Now I’ll let you in on a secret...I have decided to open the doors to the membership EARLY!!! If you want to be part of this new movement leave me a comment below and then visit the link: www.hoorayhousestudio.com/bizfluence

The Bizfluence Blueprints!

 When it comes to running a business online, building an audience is probably one of the most frustrating parts. There doesn’t seem to be any easy formula for finding your people and converting them from a one time looker to a loyal client. Well TODAY we are going to break the cycle of constant search and never ending wonder. It’s time to cut your stress in half and double down on your results. Here are the Bizfluence Blueprints for building a  community of loyal clients and followers NOW. Literally, you can start TODAY!

Let’s start by seeing if you have Bizfluence! Since it’s  a made up word I'll break it down.

• Do you influence people through your business?

• Do you desire to inspire on the daily through your leadership and charisma?

• Do you have a message you want to spread, and a product or service that is making a difference?

• Do your future goals include speaking, teaching and influencing?

• Do you wish to be part of a movement bigger than yourself?

Then you have the first part of bizfluence: passion and vision! That's super important. However the second part of Bizfluence is more complicated because it involves connection. It’s the #1 reason people seeking bizfluence struggle to grow their brand awareness, their following, and their business reputation.

No need to panic! I have the solutions right here!

1. Fix the relationship with your current people. It doesn’t matter if that’s five repeat customers and 100 social media followers or hundreds of thousands- how you treat people matters. They should be RUNNING to tell other people about the experience they’re having with your business, and if they’re not this is a warning sign that something isn’t working. It’s time to ask WHY- why aren’t they remembering to talk about your business and HOW can you change that TODAY?

Maybe you’ve just hit a rut and your presence online is predictable- that’s an easy fix! Maybe you haven’t really connected with your followers in a way that stands out to them. One of the most common mistakes business owners make is ignoring their people when they reach out. Remember to acknowledge and appreciate them for showing up for you.

    2. Start being a human again . I see it all day errrrry damn day. Desperation does ugly things to people and one of the worst side effects is losing your humanity. Here’s a few ways to tell if you’ve been more robot than human:

• Are you spending lots of time posting and link dropping without connecting and conversing with people?

• Is all of your content saying “look at me”.

• Are you focused on how you want to make people feel or just trying to convince them to purchase something from you?

• Have you been sending one cold and impersonal email pitch after another?

I mentioned connecting with your audience already, but I cannot stress enough how this MUST be woven into the fabric of your brand going forward. You have to take REALLY good care of your people, and even your potential people. Do you know how much power they have to bring you more business? Do you know how INVALUABLE friendships can be in business? You are a human- not a robot. It’s time to start conversing and interacting with people like one. If you are struggling to gain and sustain momentum- now is not the time to worry about making a sale. It’s time to build rapport. It’s time to get to know people beyond their social media handle. You can’t expect people to show up for you if you have never shown up for them or shown the slightest bit of interest in what they’re doing.

         3. Have a plan.  You will have to stop winging it.  I don’t know what to say” is one of the most common social media, blogging, and video creation problems I hear. But instead of figuring it out most people spin themselves in frustrated circles, and then just start improvising. This is how you lose consistency and quality in your content and in your brand clarity. It’s a huge waste of time if you aren’t posting with any kind of purpose. You need to know what your posting and why EVERY TIME  you create a piece a content. Posting just to post something can do a lot more harm than good when it comes to connecting with your audience and being clear with your message and value. Every time you post a blog, or a piece of social media content you are giving more context to your business, so it’s really important that it helps you add value to that experience for your people to keep them coming back.

          4. Know what you stand for. Speaking of message and value- what are they exactly? Every business wants to be known for something- and NEEDS to be known for something in order to build brand awareness, so it’s time to get clear on what exactly that is.  Let me break it down for you.

A. There’s the thing you do or provide (product or service).

B. The problem that product or service solves.

C. Then  there’s the actual takeaway you want people to have. What’s your big picture message you want everyone to walk away with?

Here’s an example: Hooray House Studio provides branding and business development- I help my client's get crystal clear on their mission, message and vision. However, my big message is that businesses should feel as good on the inside as they look on the outside. That means talking about branding quite a lot, but it also means taking the time to break down and compartmentalize topics, so that you- my people- understand that the  internal structure of your business is just as important to your brand reputation as the flashy exterior. Sound familiar? You’re basically chopping up the same idea and serving it on repeat over and over again in different ways. Sometimes you get specific- like right now- I’m specifically helping you build your community, but it still circles back around to the same single message that your business’ branding is important both inside and out.

Now let’s talk about value. Value is the reason people show up. What are you giving out? What are you serving up that keeps people hanging around and interested in your business? Without being really clear on what you are trying to build a brand reputation around it will be hard to create content AND attract an audience that needs those things. These are the principles in which building a community rest upon. This is one case where “build it and they will come” actually does mean something.

       5. How many things do you have going on? How many different products and services are you currently offering? What’s your specialty? What’s your top seller? Are you a jack of all trades and master of none? That can be a death sentence to your brand clarity. I know “millionaires have seven streams of income”. Easy.  First, very few millionaires birthed all seven streams of income in one sitting. And I’m pretty sure every self made millionaire out there would tell you to be SMART with your time and your money. Let’s just focus on the time portion of this for a moment. When you take time to add more and more products or services to your list of offerings you lose the specialize factor. In order to do one thing extraordinarily well you have to focus on just that ONE thing.  Fill in this blank: I specialize in ……….

Sometimes we get too money hungry and put the cart before the horse. Just because you CAN make money at something doesn’t mean it makes any damn sense with the rest of your business.  We all pivot in our business and we all evolve, but that requires cutting things out and letting go when it doesn’t work for us anymore. I like to suggest having one signature service or product and then a few supporting cast services or products and then finally a few smaller add on products or services, but just ONE signature specialty focus. When you have a signature product or service it’s much easier to build a community around that clearly and quickly. Then you can take all that time you were using stretching yourself over dozens and dozens of things and focus on less- but doing less better than ever.

     As you get more specific about what you’re offering you will also get more specific about who you are attracting which helps that niche specific community grow quicker. They will become easier to target and find, and it will be easier to create content for them that they will love and want to talk about!  

         6. Join the Bizflluence community!  If you want to be an influential business owner you have to find that extra special something that takes your business to new places and establishes you as a leader in your area of expertise. You have to find your super power and take on a position of leadership. You have to thrive in the face of adversity with an innovative and  powerful focus that helps you find new passion to reimagine your future. If you want to use your experience to influence and inspire others and grow a community of dream client's you will need to follow these Bizfluence Blueprints and this list is just a FRACTION of what we will work on inside THE BIZFLUENCE Mixer! Click the pink highlight to learn more and JOIN this amazing community!

Is It Time To Rebrand?

Is It Time To Rebrand?

 Are you thinking about rebranding?  Your business identity is responsible for so much; marketing, making a good first impression, growing your business just to name a few. It’s important to raise this question from time to time so that you can make adjustments quickly and avoid confusing your target audience. As a brand strategist who literally fields this question all day long I know it’s a tough call, a big decision, and sometimes an even bigger investment.  That’s why I’ve created this list. Not only so you can really gauge where you’re at in your brand and business development, but so you can get the absolute most out of your future rebrand which will help you earn back that investment quickly. Here are 7 signs that it’s time to rebrand.

INEFFECTIVE CONNECTION AND COMMUNICATION

Your brand is responsible for connecting and communicating with people on the daily. Your website, social media content, blog content, video content, etc. etc are all there to essentially market and silently sell for you even when you’re not online. If your business has plateaued and doesn’t seem to be connecting or communicating anymore it might be time for a change. Maybe your audience has changed? Maybe the industry is evolving in a different direction? Sometimes our business grows and we start offering different products or services than we used to, but our brand doesn’t really reflect those changes which can be confusing to the audience, and if they’re confused they tend to check out.

Which leads me to….

INCONSISTENCY

Sometimes, as business owners we get complacent in maintaining a cohesive brand experience that makes sense.  This can really hurt the impression and the reputation we’re trying to build. Every visual element: color, font, textures, graphics, shapes, photos, etc should all be contributing to ONE cohesive brand experience and ONE digital atmosphere. You’ve heard the phrase “build it and they will come”, and that’s semi true for branding. If you build something super consistent and thoughtful that allows your audience to feel understood and well taken care of, not only will they come but they will tell everyone they know, bring their friends and return over and over again.

GROWTH

Like I mentioned before business evolution happens, and sometimes we just outgrow our branding. Usually our business takes on a life of its own. It can turn into something we weren’t necessarily planning for if we aren’t maintaining it with a plan. Sometimes our audience changes. It’s very common to build a brand for the wrong audience in the beginning. Who we thought we’d be selling to in the beginning is not always who we’re selling to today.

QUALITY

As our business evolves so do our high expectations. It is very common to see a small business owner sacrifice quality branding in the beginning and opt to do it themselves to save money, or to skip branding altogether because they’re just not sure of the direction they want to go. That’s totally okay. You didn’t know what you didn’t know!  BUT NOW, that lower quality brand identity (or lack of an identity at all) just won’t do. If you find yourself enjoying success and are about niche down or increase your prices, it’s the perfect time to rebrand. A high quality brand identity will help you build buzz around your business, relaunch with impact and convert more lookers into buyers and followers.

USELESS DESIGN

 The branding industry is evolving itself and small business branding isn’t done the same as it was even a few years ago. It used to be very common to select design elements for a business because you liked them, because that was a popular style, or that’s what your designer suggested. Well that’s just not good enough anymore. Everyone has a site these days and yours has to be special in order to stick out in the minds of your audience. That special experience makes all the difference when it comes time for someone to tell people about your business.

 Design elements that don’t help:

• grab attention

• make a lasting impression

• help your audience feel incredible

• serve a purpose beyond looking nice

are just useless.  That’s where brand strategy comes in to help you pick elements with purpose. Let’s figure out what you’re trying to say and how you want to make people feel and we can make creative decisions that help you serve that purpose and grow your business.

PREDICTABLE CONTENT

Branding isn't just your logo and your website, it's EVERYTHING. That means even your social media content, blog, newsletter, you tube videos, Facebook lives, Instagram Stories etc are all contributing to your brand's recognition and reputation. If the content isn't clear or it just becomes flat and predictable you will have a harder time building buzz and excitement around your business. Show me the value! Show me why I need to follow you, support you, and do business with you. A rebrand will not only help you reestablish your objectives, goals, and message, but it will help you create and maintain content across all platforms. Content that is exciting, super high in value for your audience, and helps convert clicks and funnel sales. 

BLENDING IN

The whole point of branding is to create a business identity that helps you stand out, so creating a brand that follows the trends instead of sets them can have you really struggling to be seen and heard. Your business  doesn’t stick out in a memorable way when it looks like dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of others. This is one area where you do not want to look like everyone else. The rebranding process (specifically brand development and discovery) can help you find an original style through creative direction, and get clear on what visual elements will help your audience feel that connection with your business. That connection is what keeps them coming back and supporting you.

So now that I’ve got your wheels spinning on rebranding I want to be clear about a few things. Rebranding first and foremost can be a number of things. Most often it’s just making adjustments to your current brand as your business evolves and outgrows certain things. But rebranding can also be a massive overhaul, and completely change the identity of your business to better fit the new direction it’s going in. Both are completely normal, so don’t get nervous. It’s actually a really good sign that your business is headed in a successful direction. If you’re ready for a rebrand but don’t know how to get started I suggest contacting a brand strategist for an assessment, so they can validate or rebuff your concerns. I know a really good one! Wink, wink.  Then, you can make a super informed decision about the future of your business, how to take really good care of it’s identity, AND your audience as you move forward.