How to stay on top of your game
By Gordon Hecht, YSN Contributor
While America’s Favorite Pass Time may be third and long, our national pastime remains the great game of baseball.
That sport has given us great teams. The 1927 New York Yankees, the 1955 Brooklyn Dodgers, the Oakland A’s of the early 1970s. More recent successes by the Houston Astros and Boston Red Sox have etched their place among the greats.
Conversely, fans of the 1962 New York Mets, 2018 Baltimore Orioles and 2019 Detroit Tigers had to suffer through performances that ranged from horrible to miserable. Each team lost almost three times as many games as they won.
Behold a Pale Hose
The record for hopelessness may be exceeded in 2024. The Chicago White Sox (aka Pale Hose) are, at this writing, on a 19-game losing streak and are projected to finish the season at 39 wins and 133 losses. And that’s if they get a couple of lucky breaks.
I feel sorry for the White Sox Nine. It’s gotta be incredibly difficult to give 100% on the field when you know you have a 75% chance of coming out on the short end of the score. Even if a miracle happened and they split their remaining 50 contests, they would still be in last place.
The manager is on the hot seat. They traded their “best” players. They look and play like losers. The skills are still there but the hustle is gone.
Dealer Doldrums
It’s been a couple of rough seasons for the retail world too. Life was pretty good way back in 2019. Then that coronavirus thing happened in 2020. Doors were shut and if you didn’t have e-comm, you ate a lot of beans that year. The next year, everyone had pent-up demand and lots of extra scratch. Except the supply chain was broken into more pieces than a bottle of muscatel hitting the pavement.
We got things moving again just in time for inflation, high home interest rates, $4.50-a-gallon gas and five-digit container shipping rates.
Sure, there are some winners. But there’s been a bunch of big-time losers too. We of the retail world are optimists by nature. It’s all a cycle and happy days are just around the corner. In the meantime, we need to keep our team players and our revenue up.
Here’s how to not lose hustle during the slow patches. And maybe put a few clams in the bank:
Retail is Detail
It’s easy to get down when no shoppers are coming in. In the best and busy times, retail traffic always has a lull period. But just because there are no “ups” coming through the door, that doesn’t mean there’s nothing to do.
Step 1 is getting the shop in shape. Cleaning for sure, but also getting properly tagged and displaying current POP. Toss out anything faded, folded or just plain old.
Step 2 is harvesting that gold mine called prospects and previous customers. These are people who know, trust and like you. They probably have new home furnishings needs. Or know someone who does. Shoot a two-line text to them. Give them a reason to stop by your shop.
Step 3 is reviewing your current undelivered orders. Get the overparked sold orders delivered now. Every day it’s in your warehouse and not the customer’s house is one day closer to cancellation, a total demotivation for your sales staff.
Note: The completion rate on orders over 90 days old is worse than the White Sox record.
Misery Loves Another Company
If business is difficult for you, it’s probably difficult for other retailers in the area. That means it’s a great time for cross promotion.
You could tie in with a local eatery and offer a free dinner or dessert with any test rest. And they can promote a business card drop to win a free product or gift card at your shop. Or bring their restaurant receipt for $100 off a $500 purchase.
Real estate and rental agents can score a sale when they provide a gift card or discount from your store. Imagine if they gave a move-in bonus of a free or discounted mattress. Work it like a Groupon — charge $250 for a $500 gift card.
Local radio stations love trade-out promos. Win a free bed or give one to a DJ so she can yak it up on the air.
Real Friends and Family
Some retailers have burnt out this promo: giving slim discounts while shouting out “Pay what our employees pay.”
Between social media and real social circles, most people are in contact with about 250 friends and family. If you have six employees, that’s 1,500 live and sleepless bodies needing a new mattress. Offer them a real discount, something that will get them out of their Barcalounger and into your shop. Start with $250 off any purchase of $599 or more.
Chances are very good they will spend double or triple that amount.
Special incentive to all your employees: Spiff them $25 for every friend or family member they bring in.
Back in the Saddle
Chicago’s South Side will be happy once again. The Sox will break their losing streak at some point.
Baseball thrives on the belief of “Wait ’til next season.” Retail thrives by getting shoppers in the door. And believe this: Every new shopper will motivate your staff. If you get a lot of people in your store, something good is going to happen. And this will be your winning season.
Gordon Hecht is a business growth and development consultant to the retail home furnishings industry and a regular contributor to YSN. You can reach him at Gordon.Hecht@aol.com.
