‘Community’ is one of your taglines. You are the ‘Community Paint Store’, aren’t you? Well, make yourself more visible in the community by making more connections.
You do not have to invest in ‘charity’ to make more connections in your community. Have you joined any networking organisations? If there is a branch of Business Network International, contact them (or send me your name and e-mail and I shall put them on to you). BNI is a referral organisation. It works very well. Remember, your objectives must be twofold if you really want more, quality, business – meet more people and keep in touch with them so when they need paint or hardware, they come looking for you rather than one of your competitors.
If you would like to know more about attracting referrals, go here to see an article I published for financial planning professionals – the information will work just as well for you.
One last thing. You need to keep your credit customers to a minimum, too. Go here to see details of my book, “Zero Debtors”.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Your People Are Your Power
‘Your’ people include – the people who work in your store, your existing customers, your immediate community and everybody you meet, anywhere at all. They might not all want to buy from you today, but every one of them knows somebody who will need what you sell, at some stage. Help them to view life with the bright colours of optimism.
Make powerful connections and spread positive thoughts everywhere. You have no idea how many people’s lives you can affect by means of a simple positive message, or how much harm you can do by uttering a negative message.
If you read the paper on a daily basis, listen to the radio or watch television you will absorb plenty of bad news – the media unfortunately rely on bad news to sell their material. Look for the bright side of everything and spread that. A cheerful “Hello – this rain is really welcome, isn’t it? Our gardens and our farmers will be delighted!” is a far better message than a complaint about the weather, politics or latest crime story.
Paint your world with the bright colours of optimism – and make sure that people connect you with Jacks Paint!
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Connect With, and Colour Your Community
Most of your business will come from the immediate community in which your store is situated. Make sure that you are known and well connected there!
Amazingly, I have been to shopping centres looking for particular shops on a number of occasions, only to find that the people in the other shops – the people who work there – do not always know the tenants in their own shopping centre or mall.
Make a point of doing the rounds of your area, greeting the owners and attendants in other stores. Make sure that they know who you are and where your store is situated. Perhaps you could hand out a small map with a colourful ad for your store – don’t try to say too much, and add a positive statement. People remember something different, especially if it is cheerful.
Consider having a notice board in front of your store. Add a new cheerful comment every day – people will begin to stop by just to read the ‘joke’ or positive comment of the day!
There are plenty of other ways of making you and your store well known in your community – they do not all cost money, but they will all bring people to your store providing you make the right impression on people. Watch this page for lots of effective, inexpensive ways of attracting customers from your community and even further afield.
Amazingly, I have been to shopping centres looking for particular shops on a number of occasions, only to find that the people in the other shops – the people who work there – do not always know the tenants in their own shopping centre or mall.
Make a point of doing the rounds of your area, greeting the owners and attendants in other stores. Make sure that they know who you are and where your store is situated. Perhaps you could hand out a small map with a colourful ad for your store – don’t try to say too much, and add a positive statement. People remember something different, especially if it is cheerful.
Consider having a notice board in front of your store. Add a new cheerful comment every day – people will begin to stop by just to read the ‘joke’ or positive comment of the day!
There are plenty of other ways of making you and your store well known in your community – they do not all cost money, but they will all bring people to your store providing you make the right impression on people. Watch this page for lots of effective, inexpensive ways of attracting customers from your community and even further afield.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Get More Business with Connection Skills and Networking
Attract more visitors to your store because they want to do business with you! By concentrating on your ‘people skills’ and expanding your networks, you can ensure a constant flow of business. In fact, you can plan to increase your profit in these challenging times.
The purpose of this Blog is to add to the value of the presentation I gave at your conference, to add some new ideas and to encourage you all to share ideas with other owners of Jacks Paints stores.
We can all benefit by learning how to connect and network with our own people, our customers and our communities, so watch this space (check it weekly) and don’t hesitate to add your own ideas to help others. Every good idea implemented at a Jacks Hardware store strengthens the brand and makes more money for you.
Added Bonus – Feature Your Store!
Send me a good idea plus a photo of you, in front of your store and we’ll add both the contribution and the photo to this Blog!
Sign up for ‘Connections’ e-mail newsletter
If you would like to receive my regular networking newsletter ‘Connections’, send an e-mail to me at roger@rogerk.co.za I’ll send you regular networking and ‘connection’ advice and news.
The purpose of this Blog is to add to the value of the presentation I gave at your conference, to add some new ideas and to encourage you all to share ideas with other owners of Jacks Paints stores.
We can all benefit by learning how to connect and network with our own people, our customers and our communities, so watch this space (check it weekly) and don’t hesitate to add your own ideas to help others. Every good idea implemented at a Jacks Hardware store strengthens the brand and makes more money for you.
Added Bonus – Feature Your Store!
Send me a good idea plus a photo of you, in front of your store and we’ll add both the contribution and the photo to this Blog!
Sign up for ‘Connections’ e-mail newsletter
If you would like to receive my regular networking newsletter ‘Connections’, send an e-mail to me at roger@rogerk.co.za I’ll send you regular networking and ‘connection’ advice and news.
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