13 Retail Blogs You Should Follow

Snap Retail

Description: “At SnapRetail, we want to make life easy for local retailers…We want them to have more - more time, more traffic and more sales. That's why we've developed a system that helps them easily engage and sell to customers using email and social media.”

Follow them at: @SnapRetail

Article we recommend: Marketing to Millennials

 

 

BrandSpank

Description: “We are a user experience agency for brick & mortar retailers.”

Follow them at: @BRANDSPANKshop

Article we recommend: Customer Service is Branding

 

 

Flex Receipts

Description: “Unlock the power of a digital receipt that builds your brand,
engages your customers and transforms your business with
valuable analytic insights.”

Follow them at: @flexReceipts

Article we recommend: The Art of Storytelling in a Digital Receipt

 

 

Retail Pro

Description: Our professionally certified business partners provide local training, service, support, and regulatory compliance so you can grow your business no matter where it takes you.

Follow them at: @RetailProNews

Article we recommend: The Key to Increasing Sales? Mobile

 

 

NCR CounterPoint

Description: “NCR Counterpoint includes robust point-of-sale, inventory management software, built-in customer loyalty, automated purchasing, and configurable reporting capabilities.”

Follow them at: @NCRCorporation

Article we recommend: eCommerce: No Longer a Singular Experience

 

 

 

 

Retail TouchPoints

Description: “Retail TouchPoints (RTP) is an online publishing network for retail executives, offering content focused on optimizing the customer experience across all channels.”

Follow them at: @rtouchpoints

Article we recommend: BCBGMaxAzria Maximizes Email Performance With Personalization And Automation

 

 

 

 

Retail Minded

Description: “Retail Minded is a trusted resource for independent retailers and other small business owners.”

Follow them at: @retailminded

Article we recommend: 3 Easy Marketing Tips You Can Start Doing Today

 

 

Smart Retailer

Description: “Smart Retailer covers all of today’s popular styles, including country, traditional, vintage, coastal and more, and it provides new-product previews, trend reports, display ideas, and valuable business advice to help retailers build smart businesses.”

Follow them at: @Smart_Retailer

Article we recommend: Optimize Your Retail Store Design and Increase Sales

 

 

Shopify

Description: “…merchants use our platform to manage every aspect of their business — from products to orders to customers, selling online, in retail stores, and on the go.”

Follow them at: @shopify

Article we recommend: The Real Reasons People Aren’t Buying From You

 

 

Retail Mavens

Description: “I work with retailers just like you who are good at what they do; however, they have never been taught exactly how to run their stores more profitably or more effectively.”

Follow them at: @retailmavens

Article we recommend: 5 Skills EVERY Team Member Must Know Now

 

 

Whizbang Training

Description: “Their complementary skill sets and diverse backgrounds give their company and retail trainers at WhizBang! Training a one-two punch of street-smart independent retail store owner and highly trained retail pro.”

Follow them at: @BobNegen

Article we recommend: 7 Marketing Mistakes

 

 

 

Retail Digest Brought to you by Vend

Description: “Welcome to The Retail Digest – the world’s best site for retail news and information, curated by the top 100 industry thinkers and doers, and upvoted by people like you.”

Follow them at: @theretaildigest

Article we recommend: Selling on Online Marketplaces: A Basic Guide to Setting Up Shop on Amazon, eBay, and Etsy

 

 

National Retail Federation (NRF)

Description: “Our mission is to advance the interests of the retail industry through advocacy, communications and education.”

Follow them at: @NRFnews

Article we recommend: The New Rules of Retail Merchandising

 

Marketing to Millennials

By Hannah West

If your store has been around for a few years, you probably have some loyal customers you know by name. Many of these customers are part of the Baby Boomer generation and respond well to more traditional marketing and advertising.

But there is a new generation in town. When young adults born after the early 1980s reach 18, they are grouped into a category called "Millennials" or "Generation Y." Ten years ago they may have been running around your store asking their parents to purchase items FOR them, but now they have their own disposable income.

Here are some things to keep in mind when trying to get more Millennials in your doors:

1. They grew up with technology

When it comes to technology, it is like second nature to Millennials. They grew up with cell phones, computers in school and some may have even read their college textbooks on a screen rather than a page. They have plenty of ways to access information from anywhere. Millennials are not only accessing information from computers, but laptops, tablets and phones! Some fast solutions to their even faster lifestyles:

• Mention in your emails that discounts will be included if you show the email at the cash register on a cell phone.
• Share your sales, news and promotions on social media sites as well as email and traditional media. Luckily, SnapRetail makes this easy for our subscribers with an option to automatically repurpose an email for social media.

• Run Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest-exclusive promotions or contests.

• Invest in offering a smartphone app.

2. They have different priorities than older generations

Since Millennials cover a wide span of ages, your customers can range anywhere from an 18-year-old girl looking for dorm accessories to a 27-year-old father looking for a gift for his young son. Every customer is different, but Forbes.com had this to say about the spending priorities of young adult consumers: "Whereas older adults prioritized family-focused expenditures… today's Millennials spend their money on themselves, primarily on technology and travel."

 

There IS good news when it comes to Millennial shopping habits. According to a study done by Edelman Digital, 40% of Millennials claimed to prefer buying local. Appeal to Millennials' preferences by:

• Emphasizing the "shop local" movement in your marketing messages. Take note of important events such as Independent Retailer Month (July) and Small Business Saturday (November).

   

• Focusing on what products can do for individual customers in your messaging. How will this benefit them and their busy lives?

3. They love "sharable" purchases

When a Millennial loves a product, everyone knows. And if they hate it, the same rule applies. Millennials love to share their product feedback on Facebook, Twitter, blogs and any other medium possible. As much as they love telling others what to buy, they also look to the web to make their own buying decisions. Another Edelman study revealed that 42% of Millennials check four or more sources when they are trying to decide whether to pay for a product or service. This may be due to the way Millennials connect to products and what purchasing these products says about them. According to casualliving.com, "Sharability of the experience and 'association' are twice as important to Millennials as to Boomers. Millennials don't only think about how they should share their thoughts on a product, they think of how associating themselves with the product will make them look. Give them something to talk about by:

• Claim online listings on sites such as Yelp, Foursquare and Facebook places and encourage customers to check in and review.
• Encourage customers to add photos of themselves using purchases or tweet at your store to let you know how much they love their purchase or experience.

Marketing to Millennials is crucial since they are largest age group of consumers in the world. In addition to the size of this market, they are highly educated and racially diverse. The qualities of this age group in conjunction with their increasing buying power makes them worth the adjustments in your marketing.

 

To view the original article visit: http://www.snapretail.com/posts/2014/marketing-to-millennials.aspx

The Key to Event Marketing Success

From our friends at SnapRetail

 

A successful in-store event is the perfect way to drive traffic, get to know your customers and have a great time doing it! Follow these tips to host a store event that will be one for the books.

 

Choose a theme

In the beginning stages of planning for your event, first choose a theme. The possibilities are endless, but could be based off of a holiday or special occasion - like your store's anniversary. To make an even bigger impact with your event, consider pairing up with a charity. Any avenue you choose when selecting a theme will make promoting your event easier and more enticing for your customers.

Choose a time and date

Plan your event far in advance to allow you enough time to promote your event and gather all necessary materials for the big day. If you're planning your event around a holiday or special occasion, choose a date and time that is most convenient, not only for your store, but for those attending as well. You could host events during store hours, but also have the option to stay open late with an "after hours" event. To determine which option is best for your event, take everyone's preferences into consideration.

 

Develop your marketing plan

Promoting your event is one of the most important parts of the planning process and is a huge reason why choosing a date far enough in advance is important. Rushing a promotion will make it less likely to be successful. Plan out enough time to allow you to draw in and hook your audience.

Tease your audience on social media, email and in-store to generate excitement. Make statements and ask questions that get customers interested. Consider using messages like, "Something big is happening at our store! Want to know more? Stay tuned!" or "Sign up for our email list if you want to be the first to know about our big surprise!"

 

Invite your customers in every way possible. Tap into social media, email, traditional advertising, print advertising and any other way your creativity takes you, to spread the word. This step in your marketing plan is crucial to make sure your event is well-attended. Inviting your customers and their friends goes hand-in-hand with teasing your audience. You will be adding to the excitement by providing the details they have been waiting for.

Another way to invite customers is to utilize Facebook. Create a Facebook event page to bring everyone invited together before your event. This will serve the purpose of sharing updates and all details in a centralized place for those attending.

 

Remind your customers of your event. After generating all of the excitement and releasing the details of your event, you need to seal the deal with reminders. You can remind your customers by sending out an email and scheduling posts to your social networks at several different times of the day to reach as many people as possible. Remind your customers on social media five, three and one day(s) prior to your event.

 

 

Pull out all of the stops

There is a lot that needs to go into making your event successful. Don't leave any stone unturned when making your store event the best of the year. Add elements that take your efforts above and beyond.

Provide live updates by uploading photos and videos in real time for your social media following who were unable to attend. This is an easy way to encourage them to come to your next event!

Encourage customers who have attended to also upload photos, tag your store and use your hashtag to their own personal social networks. This will allow your awesome event to reach an even broader audience and create (free) buzz.

 

Document your event

In addition to live updates, document photos and videos that you can upload to social and send in an email at a later date. Documenting your event will serve multiple purposes. You will be able to show off what a wonderful time you had with your customers, and bring more customers to your next event. Additionally, updates serve as a way to reflect on your event and aid in planning/improving your next event.

 

Give thanks and follow up

After all that has gone into planning this spectacular event of yours, it wouldn't have been possible without your customers who have attended. Once your event has passed, thank your customers who have attended in addition to those who didn't, but have been supporting your brand all along. A little thanks goes a long way and customer appreciation should become a habit.

 

 Despite the planning and effort that goes into hosting a successful event, it will be well worth your while. Events give you the opportunity to get to know and interact with your customers, while giving them a chance to appreciate all that you do. For everything you need to know to make your event the talk of the town, download our Event Marketing Success Bundle!

 

To view the original article visit: http://www.snapretail.com/posts/2014/the-key-to-event-marketing-success.aspx

The Small Biz Suggestion Box

 

Your store may not have a physical "suggestion box," but there are many new ways to find helpful feedback that may not be so obvious. The more you know your audience, the better you can tailor your messaging to resonate with their interests and needs. Owning and/or operating an independent business is hard work, and sometimes it's easy to be too close to the project to see the bigger picture.

Customer feedback is the key to a successful business. In the age of social media, chances are if a customer has a bad experience, you can say goodbye to that customer AND their friends. That's why embracing customer feedback is the key to keeping your business alive and well. A cardboard box sitting on your retail counter can't always get the job done. Here are some suggestions on getting productive feedback:

1. Use Email Marketing. Send regular emails to customers about sales, new products and store updates to keep them involved. You can simply send out an email campaign that says, "Tell us what you think!" for an open-ended approach. Depending on your mailing list size, you can prompt your customers to reply back with feedback or an answer to your open-ended question. Another option is to provide a small survey for customers to fill out online using a free tool such as Survey Monkey. Asking for feedback through email gives customers the time to think through their answer rather than putting them on the spot.
2. Include Incentives. When asking customers to give feedback, try to incorporate an incentive, "Please take the time to fill out this customer survey and automatically be entered to win 50% off of your next purchase." This way people who may not have thought about giving their feedback initially, may reconsider. You can give away prizes such as gift cards or a basket filled with some of your most popular products. These incentives can help boost online engagement and drive more customers into your store. Incentives can be used for more than just feedback. If you're gathering donations for a charity or hosting a contest; be creative!
   
3. Ask Your Employees. More often than not, employees have great suggestions but aren't sure if it's their place to speak up. Encourage your employees to submit any ideas they might have to boost sales or improve business. Have a "brainstorming" meeting with your employees and encourage everyone to speak freely about their new ideas.
4. Use Facebook and Twitter. Facebook and Twitter are the perfect ways to reach a massive audience in one or two simple sentences. Update your social media sites with a status or tweet reading, "We want to hear from you! Comment below (or tweet us) your favorite product that we carry. Those who comment will be entered to win our latest giveaway!" Give a deadline to create a sense of urgency and encourage more people to participate. On a Facebook Page, there is an exclusive tab for customer reviews built into the profile. Customers can give your business a rating based on a five star scale as well as write a brief testimonial. First time visitors to your Facebook Page will see your business's average rating on the left-hand side of the page.
   
5. Let customers stock the shelves. There is always a chance that there are great products out there that you have never even heard of. Have a "Stock Our Shelves!" event, where customers come and submit their ideas about products they believe would be a good fit for your store. Take these new products into serious consideration because it's a great way to keep customers coming back if you are the only store in the area that carries their favorite brand.
6. Build a presence on review platforms. There are websites that serve the purpose of an online suggestion box. Add your business's information to websites such as Yelp, Google Places, Truelocal and more. Refer to our roundup below and update your listings.

Google Plus
Google My Business
Yelp
TrueLocal
YP
City Search

 

Encourage customers to give your business a review. Include links to these sites in your monthly newsletter or in-store signage. The more reviews and traffic you receive, the more likely you are to appear in search results. This is a great way to gain new customers through the feedback and loyalty of existing ones.

 

Try out a few different ways to get customer feedback to figure out what works best for your store. Whether you host contests, develop email campaigns or build your presence on review platforms, you'll be sure to hear a lot of suggestions to implement into your marketing.  

 

To view the original article visit: The Small Biz Suggestion Box