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Making the most of
Autumn As the leaves start to fall and the days begin to close in, the hazy afterglow of a surprisingly good British summer will have left many businesses buoyant and full of hope for a successful close to the year. But now is not the time to rest on your laurels. Autumn is the perfect period not only for reflection, but also to take charge of your business and give it the shake-up it will need to avoid the dreaded preChristmas slump. Here we look at a few seasonal ways to maximise your presence on the high street and ensure you make a strong start to 2014. Take Stock: Take some time to look through your inventory and assess which products have been the big sellers for you over the summer months. Be sure to think about why they sold, and if they would still be as popular in other seasons. Adjust your purchasing strategy to suit. Remember – too little stock may lose you sales, but too much will be simply money down the drain. Rely on the facts and figures from your stock taking records, not on your instinct. For items that haven’t sold very well, consider how they can be marketed differently. Rethink their position in your store, or maybe how they are displayed. Read Eve Reid’s article on (page 13) for further ideas. Could they be sold as a package along with other items or services? Up-selling and duelproduct marketing are great tools for disposing of excess stock. Colour Me Happy: What are your windows saying to customers at the moment? Autumn encapsulates the warm rich tones of the colour spectrum. Show passers-by just how fabulous these earthy shades look in a room-setting. Get them thinking about how they can be sprucing their interior décor in the run-up to winter with aspirational window settings inspired by beautiful autumnal themes.
Did you know..? In the final Back to the Future trilogy they fill the flux capacitor and Doc puts in the date 21.10.2013. Marty says ‘Doc we havent got enough road’. Doc replies, ‘Where we’re going we don’t need roads’.
An Education: The end of summer saw children return to school or take their first steps into the classroom, marking an important milestone for families across the country. Help commemorate this day for loving parents by providing a keepsake service. Whether it’s asking local artists to take hand-prints which can be framed for the future or partnering with school photographers, there is an opportunity to tap into the proud parent pound. Alternatively, think about the older children out there – those heading into further education, or flying the nest to go to university. With exam results, certificates and graduation photographs among a host of sentimental mementos, it’s a good opportunity for you to showcase how these precious items can either be stored away for posterity or transformed into a commemorative piece of wall art. Consider building displays showing either conservation framing, or acid-free storage boxes to maximise the sale of concessionary items. Festive Feeling: Finally, don’t be afraid to be a little adventurous with your creative marketing in the run up to Christmas. Use this festive time of year as a hook to draw people in to an in-store event. Consider linking with a school to hold Christmas craft activities or run a competition for the best tree decoration or snowflake. Use their artwork to decorate your shop window or host an exhibition where families can view their children’s creations. Be sure to display a host of suitable items for purchase to tempt these new customers into spending with you during their visit – or to return with items to be framed.
