Marketing Your Retail Store in the Internet

If you own and operate a small retail business, this guide will give you a proven system for marketing your store, allowing you to compete with online merchants and big-box stores alike. Full of fresh and innovative ideas for promoting small stores, it will show you how to create a great in-store experience and build loyal, long-lasting relationships with customers.

BOB NEGEN founded WhizBang! Training after owning an award-winning chain of kite stores for more than two decades. He has spent the last six years teaching other store owners and managers the nuts-and-bolts skills they need to run successful retail businesses. In his work as a speaker, author, and consultant, Bob shares the hard-earned lessons he learned along the way.

SUSAN NEGEN is cofounder of WhizBang! Training, where she takes the best of what she learned as an executive for department store giants Bloomingdale's and Macy's and applies it to the independent retail store.

Acknowledgments

ix

Introduction

1

(18)

Who Should Read This Book

2

(1)

Who Are Bob and Susan Negen and Why Should You Listen to Them?

3

(1)

The Bad News

4

(2)

The Good News

6

(1)

The New Millennium Merchant

7

(5)

The WhizBang! Marketing System: Four Steps to Higher Sales and Happier Customers

12

(2)

How to Use This Book

14

(5)

Step One: How to Get New Customers without Going Broke

19

(76)

Five Key Concepts for Getting New Customers

19

(11)

Key Concept #1: Be Willing to Pay to Get New Customers

19

(3)

Key Concept #2: Understand the Lifetime Value of a Customer

22

(1)

Key Concept #3: Break Even on the Front End, Break the Bank on the Back End

23

(1)

Key Concept #4: Apply the "Rule of Reciprocity"

24

(1)

Key Concept #5: Leverage the Power of Affinity Marketing

25

(5)

Six Low-Tech Tactics to Get New Customers without Going Broke

30

(34)

New Customer Tactic #1: Give Away Gift Certificates

30

(5)

New Customer Tactic #2: Send Endorsed Mailings

35

(2)

New Customer Tactic #3: Partner with a Charitable Cause

37

(11)

New Customer Tactic #4: Create a Referral System

48

(5)

New Customer Tactic #5: Engage in "Donut Marketing"

53

(1)

New Customer Tactic #6: Generate Publicity

54

(10)

Six High-Tech Tactics to Get New Customers

64

(31)

New Customer Tactic #7: Have a Great Website

64

(16)

New Customer Tactic #8: Seek Out Reciprocal Links

80

(2)

New Customer Tactic #9: Set Up Email Endorsements

82

(2)

New Customer Tactic #10: Ask Customers to Forward to a Friend

84

(2)

New Customer Tactic #11: Online User Groups and Chat Rooms

86

(2)

New Customer Tactic #12: Get Good Search Engine Placement

88

(7)

Special Section: The Traditional Media

95

(9)

Why Advertising Doesn't Usually Work for Independent Retailers and What You Can Do About It

95

(9)

Special Section: Copywriting for Retailers

104

(23)

Killer Copy: How to Write Messages That Sell

104

(21)

The Ten Commandments of Copywriting for Retailers

125

(2)

Step Two: Turn a First-Time Buyer into a Regular Customer

127

(28)

Two Key Concepts for Turning a First-Time Buyer into a Regular Customer

127

(4)

Key Concept #1: Lifetime Value of a Customer

127

(1)

Key Concept #2: The Big Switch

128

(3)

Three Low-Tech Tactics for Turning a First-Time Buyer into a Regular Customer

131

(15)

Turn Them into a Regular Customer Tactic #1: Give a Great First Experience in Your Store

131

(10)

Turn Them into a Regular Customer Tactic #2: Ask For Their Contact Information

141

(2)

Turn Them into a Regular Customer Tactic #3: Follow Up Immediately

143

(3)

Two High-Tech Tactics for Turning a First-Time Buyer into a Regular Customer

146

(9)

Turn Them into a Regular Customer Tactic #4: Have a Newsletter Sign-Up on Your Website

147

(2)

Turn Them into a Regular Customer Tactic #5: Create Automatic Welcome Emails

149

(6)

Step Three: Get Your Customers to Shop More Often

155

(70)

Two Key Concepts to Get Your Customers to Shop More Often

156

(6)

Key Concept #1: It's Your Responsibility to Be Remembered, Not Your Customer's Responsibility to Remember You

157

(2)

Key Concept #2: The Secret Strategy: Become a Broader Resource

159

(3)

Four Low-Tech Tactics to Get Your Customers to Shop More Often

162

(30)

Shop More Often Tactic #1: Have Lots of Promotions

162

(14)

Shop More Often Tactic #2: Have a Big, Bold, Preferred Customer Club

176

(10)

Shop More Often Tactic #3: Send Snail Mail

186

(4)

Shop More Often Tactic #4: Use Bag Stuffers and Bounce Backs

190

(2)

Four High-Tech Tactics to Get Your Customers to Shop More Often

192

(33)

Shop More Often Tactic #5: Manage Your Customer Database

192

(6)

Shop More Often Tactic #6: Use Email Marketing to Stay in Touch with Your Customers

198

(18)

Shop More Often Tactic #7: Make Your Website a Resource for Your Customers

216

(6)

Shop More Often Tactic #8: Use Email Campaigns to Sell Related Products

222

(3)

Step Four: Keep Your Customers for Life

225

(14)

Six Key Concepts to Keep Customers for Life

225

(7)

Key Concept #1: Keep Your Customers for as Many Years as Possible

225

(1)

Key Concept #2: Never Take Your Customers for Granted

226

(1)

Key Concept #3: Be Constant

227

(1)

Key Concept #4: Be Consistent

227

(1)

Key Concept #5: Keep Your Approach to Your Business Fresh and Exciting

228

(1)

Key Concept #6: What's a Customer Worth? Show Me the Money!

229

(3)

Three Terrific Tactics to Keep Customers for Life

232

(7)

Terrific Tactic #1: Build a Marketing Plan

232

(4)

Terrific Tactic #2: Track the Effectiveness of Your Marketing Efforts

236

(2)

Terrific Tactic #3: Fight "Perceived Indifference" Tooth and Nail

238

(1)

Conclusion

239

(2)

Index

241

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Marketing Your Retail Store in the Internet Age

Summary

Author Biography

Table of Contents

Supplemental Materials

FREE SHIPPING

Rent More, Save More! Use code: BBRENTAL

5% off 1 book, 7% off 2 books, 10% off 3+ books

Marketing Your Retail Store in the Internet Age

Summary

Author Biography

Table of Contents

Supplemental Materials

Digital License