A number of years ago a retailer friend asked what was in store for his business now that the country looked like it was in a recession. At the time, he was worried that he might not even be able to stay in business, much less expand, and he wanted some help and guidance on what he could do to weather the bad times. Below, updated to today’s problems, is what I suggested. It worked for him then, and it may work for you now.

First, understand that the traditional cookie-cutter business is in trouble. Many will not survive the next few years. A cookie-cutter business physically looks the same as others in its general category, provides the same merchandise at comparable prices, is located in similar areas, offers the same service, and in general, appears as if it were stamped out by a cookie cutter. If you travel at all these days you know what I mean. Magically transported to a shopping mall anywhere in the United States, you wouldn't be able to tell whether you were in Peoria, Atlanta, San Francisco, Dallas, Albuquerque, or Philadelphia. Not from the stores…they all look alike.

“Yes, but I’m not in a Mall.” you say. Okay, but chances are your store looks the same as that store on the other side of town selling similar merchandise to similar customers. The point is, if you want to be the survivor, you absolutely must do something different, something that causes your business to stand-out in the eyes of customers and prospects, and that takes effort on your part. Do you want to increase your chances of success? Here are some tips on how to be different on a shoestring budget!

Greet Your Customer
Start talking to your customers. To begin with, when a customer walks in don’t ask, “May I help you?” Ask, “Is this your first time visiting our store?” Watch the difference in response; it will blow your mind! Next, try actually using your customer’s name in conversation, even if you have to get it off their charge slip or check. Dale Carnegie said, "Remember that a person's name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language." Try it, it works.

Offer Real Service
No one believes you will offer service to them until you actually offer service to them; then they will tell everyone they meet that you actually did what you said you would do, and you will have gained a customer for life. For example, if you don't have an item or cannot provide a service, offer to find that service or item for your customer--RIGHT NOW! Call your competitor if necessary, but solve the problem. Offer other services as needed, and make them real customer services, not just another way to charge the customer.

Make Friends
After making a sale ask, “Do you often purchase XYZ like this?” Then ask if they would like to be included on one of your private mailing lists. For example, you could inform customers when a certain kind, size, color, or price of merchandise becomes available. You could even notify them when a sale is coming so they can come down and reserve an item in advance! This task becomes almost easy with the proliferation of low-cost computerized mailing lists. Remember, a name in your hand could be a sale in the future.

Provide a Catalog
It is not necessary nor is it important to have a forty page full color glossy catalog. What is important is to actually have some kind of a catalog. For example, a modified flyer with an included price list makes an inexpensive and effective sales tool that will keep your customer informed on what’s new, different, changing, or whatever. Just about anyone under 16 can work up a terrific catalog in an hour or two on today’s computers, so there’s no excuse to not have one. Have a stack next to the cash register, and include a simple sign-up form for the next issue.

Start a Newsletter
Keep it simple. Your newsletter doesn't have to come out monthly or even bi-monthly; quarterly is sufficient. Make it a chatty, customer-oriented publication where you talk with the customer, not to them. You could even highlight a customer who has achieved some measure of success in the community. It's not necessary to become a community newspaper, but a little PR goes a long way.

Solicit New Customers
Your customer base grows, shrinks, changes focus, ages or moves. This means you need a marketing campaign to continually bring in new customers. Your annual goal should be to replace the oldest 15% of your regular customer base with new young buyers. So get busy and figure out how to do that. One of the saddest business closings I've seen was a Women's shop that provided absolutely fabulous services to a select group of women cultivated thirty years ago. As the customers grew older, so did the style of merchandise the shop offered. Human frailty finally reduced the customer base to almost nothing, and there were no new customers to attract. If you don’t believe it can happen today, ask yourself why Ford Motors is dropping the Lincoln Continental. Don’t let it happen to you.

(NOTE TO EDITORS: PLEASE INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING.)
Paul Tulenko is a Small Business Success Consultant based in New Mexico. Additional tips and suggestions are available at www.tulenko.com or call (toll-free) 1-866-TULENKO.