Holiday Buying

With summer in full swing, fall and the holidays are not far behind. It’s time to start thinking and planning on what to do for your store as the year winds down because, just like every year it seems, it will be here before you know it.

With Halloween, the home decorating scene is looking a little more spooky as opposed to years past of cute pumpkins and ghosts with happy smiley faces on them. It doesn’t have to be the out and out blood and guts type of Halloween decorations, but more people are having parties specifically for their adult friends meaning they will tend to lean for a more adult oriented style of décor.

General Fall décor is going to be awash with gold, copper, and warm color tones as is traditional, but added to the scheme will be accents of worn metal and antique finishes. Many will be looking to emulate the style and feeling of the traditional holiday spirit of family and togetherness. The charm and warmth of times past will meld with items that have a hand crafted quality to them and a vintage look.

The Christmas holiday is going to bring about all things shiny and bright. Metallics in every color, not just gold and silver, will be prevalent, again with traditional styles that convey the sense of holiday seasons of the past. Victorian inspiration will also become a major part of this year’s Christmas, accented with rich colors in reds, purples, and royal blues.

And since summer will be over all too soon, be sure to be ready. Visit your local trade shows and check out what is new from your vendors in time for the bustling days of the holiday season.

Summer Season Selling

Officially summer is only a week away, but many have already emerged from their homes to enjoy the warmer weather and that means they are going to need supplies. With the Fourth of July headed our way, all things Americana are going to be an attraction to customers as well as blankets, to sit on as they watch the fireworks, outdoor utensils and grilling items, plus hats, gardening gloves and all around outdoor items.

And as the warmer months continue people are going to be looking to update and decorate their outdoor spaces. Birds, butterflies, fairies, and angels or “Things with Wings” is a trend that seems to stand the test of time not only for outdoor space, but inside as well. Though styles or colors may change, the iconic imagery of these uplifting items will always be a draw to customers no matter what the world around us is doing. People see such product as a representation of freedom, hope, or comfort and who doesn’t need a bit of that in their everyday life.

Sell Yourself Cheap

What good is a business if no one knows you exist? Marketing yourself is an important part of getting business to your store and there are quite a few ways to do it for little to no money.

Write a press release: If you’re having an event or opening a new store you can send an article to your local newspaper. Most newspapers will even be able to tell you what to send and how to send it if you contact the editor directly. You may even be able to send a picture along with the article. One word of caution though is to not write about just anything. You may have a wonderfully written press release, but the newspaper is in no way required to publish what you wrote. Including info on special sales or seasonal events, or if you team up with a charity is more likely to get published than something mundane like your most recent haircut.

Team up with your neighbors: If your store is located in a shopping plaza many times it can be beneficial to team up with other stores around you to share the cost of advertising. Working with other stores to hold a special event can draw a greater crowd than just going it alone. You can even print out coupons to put in another store and in return get coupons from their store to hand out to your customers.

Donate to a community theater: If there is a community theater in your area you may be able to donate props to one of their productions in return for a free ad in their program. Community theaters are always trying to put on productions as cheaply as possible and you may be able to provide set dressings like art work, books, and even furniture. Plus after the run of the play has ended you can usually get the donated props back.

Go online: There are many places online to help you promote your business. YellowPages.com is one of them and putting your company info on their site is free for the most basic listing. Yahoo Local and Google Places are both sites that can list your company info for free and will display your information based on geographical location.

Get it printed: Printing out business cards and simple coupons or flyers can be relatively inexpensive from your local print shop or office supply store. You can even go online to find companies that will professionally print out flyers or postcards for you. Vistaprint.com is just one of the companies out there that can help out with your printing needs and they even offer some free services to help small businesses, you just pay the shipping fee.

Get a graphic designer: You may have a great idea or a great sale coming up, but not necessarily the time to put it together or are looking for a more professional look. Contact your local university or community college and see if they will be willing to offer your job to one of their graphic design students. Many times you can offer your design job to a student for little money and the student has an additional project to add to their portfolio.

Set the Mood

A warm inviting environment is crucial when trying to drum up sales in your store, and one of the things that independent stores can do that big-box stores can’t. Scent and music play an important role in your store’s atmosphere which in turn will help keep your customers shopping. Scented candles, reed diffusers, tart warmers, flameless scented candles… there are almost countless ways to bring in a seasonal scent into the store and create a warm inviting place to shop. Soft or up tempo music can create a fun or relaxing atmosphere too. And who doesn’t like to savor a treat or two while browsing for gifts. Many stores are offering gourmet coffees and teas for customers to sample while they shop, plus the smell of brewing coffee creates an instant home-like atmosphere. The best part of it all is that when a customer asks what that great smell is or how they love the song that is playing you can tell them you sell it right there in your store. A great way to add sales in a simple and subtle way.

Let There be Light

Every item in your store needs light. Without it, not only does the store appear dark and dreary, but your merchandise will look bland an unappealing as well. Proper lighting can enhance colors and textures and help attract customers to the product. Setting up well-lit displays isn’t hard, however, and there are almost endless ways to do it.

What is the cheapest way to set up lighting? Sell the lights themselves! Decorative table lamps and floor lamps will help brighten up a display, accent the items nearby and best of all you can sell them to your customers!

Want a little more control? Using small under cabinet lights can bring in some accent lighting and are usually easy to install and are relatively inexpensive. Even clip lights can help add directional lighting, just be sure to consider that clip lights can look a little industrial and may not fit into your store’s overall look.

Need great overall lighting? If you have a little more in your budget be sure to invest in some good track lighting. Track lighting is adjustable and allows you to create ambient light as well as highlight certain items. Combing flood bulbs and spot lights can add depth too.

Some other things to consider… Don’t block the natural lighting. While not everyone is blessed with a store front that has large windows, if you have even a little natural light coming into your store be sure not to block out too much of it. While putting up displays in the windows will help interest potential customers, covering too much of the window will work against you by making the inside of the store darker and sunlight is by far much brighter than any light bulb. Plus, when the sun is shining it creates a cheery atmosphere.

Florescent lighting is good for an office but is a poor choice for your store. Florescent lights create glare, you can’t use them to spotlight any of your product, and they can create a cold and sterile atmosphere. When selling home decor a more subtle approach works best to give a sense of home as your customers walk through the store.

Did You Know?

Many wholesalers in the industry will allow you to use their product shots on your own website or in your advertising. It’s an easy way to show off some of your best products and save time without having to take your own pictures. If you’re looking for a way to help in your sales, just ask your supplier if they will supply images to you. Usually it’s a completely free process.

Find that perfect color

Can’t find the perfect color for a display or wall or just about anything? You are not alone! Choosing colors is not always easy but there is a great website that can help out. Try this website developed by Adobe. It allows you to pick up to five colors based on certain rules, be it complementary, monochromatic or custom. You can even search for color schemes that others have created. Plus the best part is that it’s loads of fun. Try it out for yourself!