The Challenge of Retail Today:Surviving Tougher TimesDebra Templar: Retail Check ups, Tune Ups & Makeovers....It’s in the bag! 1

Only TWO Reasons to Go Into Business:2

#Win1To offer a Product or ServiceTo make a Profit3

2 #Win3 Ways to Build a Business4

5Attract more customersMARKETINGIncrease your average sale to each customerSALESHave customers return more oftenSERVICE

The trick is:3 #Win6

NOT TO GET THEM OUT OF ORDER:What if:You have brilliant marketing but dismal sales + service?What if you have brilliant sales but dismal marketing?What if you have brilliant service but dismal sales?7

Operational8

Know Your Performance FiguresConversion RateAverage SaleItems/Services Per CustomerItems/Services Per HourCustomers Per HourBreak Even MarginMark UpStock Turns9

Marketing10

11MarketingImage including Letterhead, Business Cards, LogosVisual MerchandisingMarketing Plan + CalendarAll Marketing EndeavoursMeasurement ToolsWebsite Database

Sales&Service12

13Sales + ServiceSales + Service StandardsGender SellingMeasurement of StandardsMeasurement of Performance Figures

7 Focal Points14

Reinvent Your BusinessContact Former CustomersContact Competitors of Present or Former CustomersCall Former ProspectsWork Your DatabaseTeam Up with Other Vendors for Joint SalesDevelop Multiple Revenue Streams

1. Reinvention16

The smaller + leaner your business is, the faster you can shift gears and zoom back into action.Sit back and take a cold hard look at your strengths + weaknesses and possible markets.If you’ve been selling products online, could you sell offline too? If you’re not selling online, why aren’t you?Do you need to develop new products or services? Don’t guess. Analyse your existing sales and talk to living, breathing people. What do they need? What can you provide? What’s the best way to deliver solutions to them? What’s going to bring in the most profit?Put it all down in black and white and look at the numbers. What are the easiest ways to make the most profit quickly? What should you be doing on a longer term basis to ensure your business continues to grow and prosper?Revise your business plan based on your answers, then start to work your plan!

2. Work Your Database18

Statistics show people entering the workforce today are likely to change jobs 7-10 times in their careers. You can position yourself for new sales just by keeping in touch with people as they change jobs.If a contact at a client company tells you they are leaving the company, ask them for new contact information.

3. Team Up with Other Vendors for Joint Sales20

Recommendations and referrals are among the leading sources of new business for small businesses. An easy way to get more referrals is to team up with other businesses who sell to the same market but don’t directly compete with you. Agree to refer business to one another and link to each other’s website. Look at possibilities for joint sales as well. Doing so may allow you to bid on and win bigger projects than either of you could on your own.

4. Sell More toExisting Customers22

Sell additional products/services to existing customers. Often the easiest way to bring in new business is to sell more to your existing customers.Keep your eyes and ears open for new opportunities and be sure your customers are aware of all of your capabilities.

5. Contact Competitors of Present or FormerCustomers24

If a company needs what you sell, there’s a good chance their competitors do too. Industry groups you belong to, trade shows, seminars, and friends in the industry can all help you identify likely prospects. If the people you meet don’t need your services, ask if they can put you in touch with someone at their company who could.

6. Contact Former Customers26

Don’t assume that a customer who stopped buying from you in the past will never buy from you again. Customers’ needs and circumstances change, just as yours do.The customer who went with a lower-priced competitor may be dissatisfied with the quality or service and be receptive to a call from you today.Or the manager who had given the work to his best friend may no longer be with the company.

7. Develop Multiple Revenue Streams28

That’s corporate speak for a concept that’s as old as the hills: find more ways to make money.

Plan Your Time30

Key to successful business is:MAXIMISE your PRIME TIMEPlanningPreparationPrimePersonalWaste31

One of Australia’s leading retailing experts, Debra Templar just hates bad customer service and stupid business practices. So… she’s on a mission to change them – one slideshow, presentation, book, or training session at a time:"I don't just want to improve how we do business for the customer’s sake but also that we, as business owners, sell more stuff, make lots more profit, and love our businesses back to life!“E: debra@thetemplargroup.com.auMobile: 0417 532383Skype: debra.templarwww.thetemplargroup.com.auwww.twitter.com/DebraTemplarPics by www.istockphoto.com and http://shoppologist.blogspot.com32