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5 Ways to Increase Foot Traffic

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March 7, 2016

Have you ever noticed how many people walk by your store and don’t come in? Does it bother you? Of course it does. No one who has ever managed a retail operation is comfortable with traffic that passes them by. It’s like having a party and no one comes. For stores that are contained within a museum or an institution, it’s easy to feel like you’re doing something wrong if your numbers don’t reflect a sizable portion of the general admissions.

Increasing your foot traffic is one of the primary ways of maximizing profitability for your store. Profitability begins with feet through the door. So let’s look at five ways that you can increase your foot traffic, without breaking the bank. Read more →

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The Hot Seat

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February 29, 2016

For any potential employee, the hiring process can be long, slow, frustrating, and somewhat painful. On the other hand, the person doing the hiring needs to be methodical and strategic. Unfortunately, there’s no simple way of ensuring that the hiring process is both effective and fair – much less painless.

Over the years, I’ve been hired and have hired dozens of people and frankly, neither side of the process is particularly fun. I’m fairly certain that sometimes the person doing the hiring is more uncomfortable than the person hoping to be hired. The hot seat is often hot for both sides of the equation.

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Storytelling

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February 22, 2016

It’s been said that you should write about what you know.  Occasionally, I have been accused that I don’t know what I am talking about, but in truth all of us are experts in some way or another.  If you do your job well, you’re probably an expert.  If you’ve been doing what you do for a while and have developed good methods to do what you do, you’re an expert.  This can be writing, managing people, cleaning, budgeting, working with customers, curating items for your store, and on and on. Read more →

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Life on the Floor

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February 15, 2016

Not long ago, I had the opportunity to visit the great Musical Instrument Museum on the outskirts of Phoenix. This is a fabulous museum and well worth your time if you happen to be visiting Phoenix. For me it was a total surprise. One of the other museum stores I visited recommended that I see it and I’m so glad they did. I expected a modest venue with a small collection of musical instruments. Instead, I got to enjoy a mega museum with musical instruments from around the world and throughout the decades. All of the displays are interactive, with music provided to each patron though headsets as they wander around the museum. Read more →

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10 Ideas You Should Steal

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January 25, 2016

In 1970, the King of the counterculture, Abbie Hoffman, wrote, Steal This Book. It was a guide to survival in time of change. It’s now 2016 and times are a changing. It’s time to steal some ideas.

Every industry has unique ways of doing business. Many of these ideas translate well to the retail business. So here are a few ideas that you can steal to help your store survive in the ever-changing world of noprofit retail. Read more →

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It’s About Marketing

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January 11, 2016,

Pick any industry and you’ll find that marketing is often at the foundation of its success.  If you think about all the marketing you’re exposed to in your everyday life it’s almost overwhelming. Marketing can be subtle or it can in your face.  Some marketing is stealth and sneaks in the back door, while other types just kick the front door open.  The good news, it all works.

Marketing is all around us.  It’s on T-shirts.  It’s on billboards. It saturates all types of media. And, it infiltrates even the most discrete forms of communication.  It’s insidious… but necessary. Think about it.  If you don’t tell people what you are selling (I.e., marketing) then they won’t come to you to buy it. Read more →

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Busy Equals Happy

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In cities all across the country, quality employees are becoming harder to find. So, if you’re having a difficult time retaining your best employees, a good strategy may be to just make them work a little harder.

The retail work environment, particularly in museum and institutional stores, can be laid-back even with a steady stream of customers.  But for some employees, this unique pace may not feel challenging enough for them.
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Looking Back and Ahead

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December 28, 2015

It’s hard to believe that 2015 is quickly sliding into our rear-view mirrors. In many ways, it was yet another year of retail as usual. I’m sure for many museum stores the end of the year looks much like the beginning of the year.  Some stores within museums and institutions can be somewhat protected from seasonal changes with their business rising and falling based on the strength of the attendance of their institutions.

But as we peek around the corner at the new year some of that insulation may wear thin. Every facet of larger institutions could come under review if budgets get tight or if existing business and operating models are overhauled.

Read more →

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5 (or more) Reasons to Go Grey

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December 14, 2015

Depending on what market you’re in, you may be finding that good employees are in short supply. As the economy heats up, the demand for retail-level employees is starting to create problems throughout all industries. To maintain your roster of employees, especially throughout the holiday season, you may have to get creative as you search for the newest member of your team.

Certainly, you can try all the usual avenues for finding new hires. Craigslist, the local want ads, the job board at your local college and referrals. But don’t forget that your best employee may be coming from a different direction. Read more →

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14 Ways to Go from Ordinary to Extraordinary

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November 30, 2015

 Your store isn’t just about what you sell – it’s about how you make your customers feel. People want to spend time in places they enjoy, and customers of specialty retailers have higher expectations around what that experience should be. The way you deliver that experience is through exceptional customer service.

Here are 14 tips you can take advantage of to make every interaction with your store an extraordinary one. Read more →