Eight fresh ideas to better your business
Working on the floor an enhance creativity; more.
[componentheading]CHECK FOR SUCCESS[/componentheading]
[contentheading]Call Other Advertisers[/contentheading]
If you’re an infrequent advertiser and are now planning your holiday ad buy, Mary Gillen of IdeaSiteForBusiness.com suggests doing a little research first. If you’re considering a regional or local newspaper, look at the other ads in the section where you may be placing your ads. Call the companies who are already advertising there to find out how their ads are performing.
[componentheading]AIM TO SQUEEZE[/componentheading]
[contentheading]Have A Ball[/contentheading]
This next tip may sound a bit odd, but work with us here, it’s doctor-approved. The nodding doctor is Dr. Allen Bradon, author of Learn Faster and Remember More, who suggests bringing a tennis ball to the office. When reading documents, squeeze the ball in your right hand. This will stimulate the left side of your brain, the side that processes words. If it’s blueprints or instructions with diagrams, switch to your left hand. Stimulating the brain’s right side helps with visualizing and spatial relationships.
[componentheading]HELP DESK[/componentheading]
[contentheading]Get On the Floor[/contentheading]
Ever feel like your desk is caving in on you? That you have dozens of papers, reports, books and folders coming from all directions, reducing your actual workspace to the size of a Post-It Note? If so, marketing consultant Scott Ginsburg suggests going back to your student days and working on the floor. Says Ginsburg: “It works wonders for enhancing your creativity, especially from a visual standpoint. First of all, you’ll have plenty of room to spread out your materials. This will help you more effectively solve problems, come up with new ideas and brainstorm because you’ll see all of the elements involved.”
[componentheading]LEGGO MY LOGO[/componentheading]
[contentheading]Help Is Online[/contentheading]
Got an embarrassingly bad store logo? There’s an easy way to get a better one, and it won’t cost you an arm … or a leg … or any other body parts. Go to www.pixellogo.com and check out their selection of templates for different types of businesses. Or have your own custom logo made.
[componentheading]FASHION VICTIMS[/componentheading]
[contentheading]Share This Site[/contentheading]
Love to discuss fashion with your customers? Is one of your greatest thrills in life the chance to see Bjørk at various award shows in dresses so ugly they make your eyeballs want to scream? Then we’ve got the perfect weblog for you to check out and share with your customers. (Warning: almost-bad language alert!) The blog is called “Go Fug Yourself” (for “fugly”, which means, paraphrased “gosh-darned ugly”) and is available at www.gofugyourself.typepad.com. Sharp, catty, hilarious. If the nearly-raw language doesn’t bother you, check it out!
[componentheading]HIRE AND HIRE[/componentheading]
[contentheading]Prepare To Recruit[/contentheading]
It’s hiring season. And David Geller suggests that you get prepared to help attract the best candidates to your store. Buy a pack of non-perforated business cards. Print up some cards with the following words: “I was very impressed with your sales presentation and service level today when you waited on me. If you’ve considered changing employers, please give me a call. Sincerely, Your Name, Your Store, Your Phone”. If you go shopping or dining, and are served by someone you like, give them the card and walk away.
[componentheading]WATCH YOUR BACK[/componentheading]
[contentheading]Gauge Traffic Flow[/contentheading]
Do you have traffic that goes behind your store? Yes? So, do you have signage behind your store that’s designed to draw that traffic in? No? Mary Gillen of IdeaSiteForBusiness.com suggests you get busy. Check out the traffic flow around your store and place signs strategically to attract the attention of the busiest traffic flow.
[componentheading]TRANSFER STUDENT[/componentheading]
[contentheading]Use This Mantra[/contentheading]
Great sales mantra seen on the website of author and sales expert Jeffrey Gitomer at www.gitomer.com. A reader writes that while he is selling to a customer, he keeps telling himself, “I am transferring enthusiasm, I am transferring enthusiasm.” That’s exactly what you should be doing.
[span class=note]This story is from the September 2005 edition of INSTORE[/span]