IRG Retail Magazine - Fall Issue by tjroberts-inrmcg

RETAIL MAGAZINE ISSUE 2 FALL 2020

LAUNCHING RETAIL

COVIDÂ STYLE 1

Welcome I am so excited to welcome you to our International Retail Group Magazine. We created this magazine for several reasons, but I guess the most important one is that we wanted to be able to give some tips on to be successful and share those tips with all of us. We have been blessed to be able to help launch, test and represent some of the world’s best brands and really make a difference in people’s lives starting with Proactiv Skin Care. Who would have thought that this brand would help us become the Number 1 operator in the world of carts, kiosks, popup stores and automated retail and change the lives of 54 million people? Revlon, One Two Cosmetics, Hess Toy are just a few of the brands that we launched in retail. We tested the first Daymond John popup kiosk selling all the brands that Daymond had invested in on Shark Tank. WOW! That led to me being feature in his New York Times bestselling book, Power of Broke. We worked with Jane Seymour for Crepe Erase. We had an amazing event at Glendale Gallery where Jane participated and even rubbed lotion on participants. I love the event planning part of retail as it is such an important part of a launching a new brand. Over the years, retail and specialty retail has sure changed and along with it, so have we. We have learned that you have to walk before you run. You can’t always open 100 stores in year, like we use too. Start out with a few locations and test, test and test. Test different locations, different product mix and be Omni-channel. The way the consumer buys is not the same as when I started in retail. You hear it all the time and since Amazon came into the market, Ease of Buying is even more important. Listen to your customers as they will tell you how and what they want to buy. You MUST be Omni channel. Do you offer buy online and pickup in store? Do you have the same pricing online as in store? Do you have a rich loyalty program? All of these things are even more important than they were before.

Please let us know if you would like to submit an article to us or advertise in our magazine. With everything changing so rapidly in our industry, helping each other is even more important than ever. ‘Alone we can do so little and together we can do so much”. Please follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram and don’t hesitate to contact me with any suggestions or comments.

We hope that you will glean helpful information in our magazine and some tips to help you whether you are a retailer, developer, wholesaler, franchisee or just plain interested in retail.

Linda Johansen-James 2

Linda Johansen-James CEO/Founder International Retail Group

Retail has changed and progressed over the years with the sophistication of technology and with the evolution of the informed consumer. Successful retailers understand that marketing is a moving target and a focused and flexible strategy is necessary. Linda has over 20 years of retail experience and led American Kiosk Management to amass over 600 staffed locations, 1800 employees and 1000 automated stores throughout North America, Australia and New Zealand. Her and team reached over $1.7b in sales and became the largest owner-operator of the world. In 2006, Linda and her team introduced the world’s first automated kiosk for Proactiv. Introducing new brands through pop-up locations in malls, store-in-store, airports, military bases and other retail distribution, AKM and now, International Retail Management Group, are truly a “One Stop Shop” for any company looking to launch in retail or simple “test” their concept. Linda is a hands-on leader and being out in the field with her team members and loves selling. She loves working directly with the customers and showing her team how success starts with providing great customer service. Linda is most proud of her team and how everyday they “change lives”. In July 2016 , Linda led the wind down of American Kiosk Management, and started International Retail Management and Consulting Group, LLC. IRG is a leading global Retail Management and Consulting Company with a slate of clients worldwide. As a highly sought after international speaker, Linda focuses on Customer Experience, Innovation, and change to drive business. She motivates her audience in the same way she motivates her team... to think on their feet, embrace change and to be bold both in life and in business. Linda is an active member and frequent speaker for industry Associations ICSC and Spree and holds the distinction of Certified Leasing Specialist (CLS) and Certified Retail Executive (CRX). Linda was the Co-Chair of the 2014 and 2015 SPREE-RECON convention and continues to serve on the planning committee of SPREE. Running a retail business can be challenging even in the best of times but consulting with a seasoned professional upfront can minimize your risks, maximize your profits and help you hit the ground running. Linda is a philanthropist and supports multiple charities including the Steve Young Foundation, Alice Coopers Rock Teen Center and has been involved with St Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital for 20 years. Linda is currently in her 12th year of service as a member of the CEO Advisory Board for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Linda believes that “To whom much is given, much is expected”. 10845 Griffith Peak Dr., 2nd Floor Las Vegas, NV 89135

ABOUT LINDA

REINVENTING RETAIL

Contents

WELCOME

EFFECTIVE VISUAL MARKETING

MAKE A GREAT PRESENTATION

POPUP SHOPS THE POTENIAL RETAIL SAVIOR

WHAT IS OMNI CHANNEL?

RETAIL OUTTAKES

WHAT CLIENTS ARE SAYING...

THE QUEEN OF CANVASSING

OPENING A NEW RETAIL STORE IN THE MIDDLE OF A PANDEMIC

[CHAPTER ONE]

Reinventing Retail

An Interview by Jen DeVore Richter with Linda Johansen-James This is a short edited excerpt from a 30-minute interview Jen DeVore Richter conducted on the Boss Women Rock: Success Secrets podcast. To hear the entire episode subscribe on iTunes or Soundcloud.

arketing plays an instrumental role in any business’s success. Understanding what the consumer wants and how to deliver it to them is essential to ensuring your business isn’t one of the millions that fail every year. Author, speaker, coach, and entrepreneur, Jen DeVore Richer sat down with retail marketing genius and serial entrepreneur, Linda JohansenJames for an episode of the Boss Women Rock: Success Secrets

podcast. During the interview, Jen asks Linda for her advice, lessons, and tips for finding success in the retail world. This is a short-edited excerpt from a 30-minute interview. To hear the episode in its entirety, check out Jen’s podcast, Boss Women Rock: Success Secrets, on iTunes or SoundCloud. --Jen: Today, we’re talking about how important it is to constantly be in reinvention mode. So, I would love it if you could kick

things off by sharing your story and how you ended up where you are. Linda: It’s been a really fun and interesting ride. I don’t think I would have considered myself an entrepreneur. Years ago, I owned and operated several businesses, but I guess I never really thought of myself as that term: entrepreneur. When my husband and I represented Proactiv, my husband started the company. I joined him and for 18 years we were the leaders in

specialty retail. We operated the carts and kiosks down the center of shopping centers. We were kind of pioneers in specialty retail.

When we talk to digital brands, we tell them this is brand activation. This is about getting your product out there. This is a marketing expense. So, let’s not always look at just how much am After much success representing I selling, but how many consumers am I touching and brands like Proactiv, we have how much business am I going to been able to launch other be able to drive to my online products. We had a real business. omnichannel product in retail. We did carts, kiosks, automated retail, and pop up shops. Jen: You have to be able to Jen: As an expert in this arena, change and think about how to what are some of the things you make it a better brand experience for your clients. look for when you partner with What are some of the pitfalls you business owners to bring brands see with brands trying to to launch in the consumer understand their market and space? audience? What are some of the mistakes you see them make? Linda: Testing in retail is an art, not a science. Sometimes you sit down and think you have this Linda: A big mistake businesses incredible brand, but the sales make is signing a long-term aren’t where you want them lease. Developers might be mad to be. There are a lot of other metrics that I suggest looking at. at me for saying that, but let’s test and put a toe in the water. What happens is they commit First of all, it’s about getting themselves to a five- or 10-year the product in front of the lease in a brick-and-mortar consumer. So, think about how location. After six months, they you purchase. Because I’m a retailer, there are few things I buy realize it isn’t working. Now online. I like to touch and feel the what? I tell my clients to test it for six months. product and support retailers in brick and mortar locations. Another common oversight 7

online brands make is failing to recognize that it takes time to build a brand in retail, and the cost is not the same as when you open online. You have to spend a little bit of money, so I recommend adding it to their marketing budget. You’re driving customer acquisition. Even if you test your product for six months and it doesn’t work in brick-and-mortar, you’ve already acquired all those customers that have purchased from you in the physical location. Jen: What are some of the techniques and strategies you use for taking the feedback you’re getting at the kiosk or retail location and making sure it gets applied? Linda: Staffing, staffing, staffing. Training, training, training. We teach our salespeople that we can’t be there all the time, but we expect them to do the right thing all the time. We give them all the tools they need to be successful. We offer continued training, like online training videos. I firmly believe a lot of these retailers are going out of business because their customer service

has changed. Many of these brick-and-mortar retailers would not be in the position they’re in if they would stop for a minute and look at the way their sales team is treating the consumer. People think consumers don’t shop in-store anymore. That’s not true. 80 percent of consumers still shop in brickand-mortar stores. I tell my clients it’s about staffing. We spend a lot of time training and re-training to make sure the employee mirrors the brand they’re representing. We do all the hiring for our clients. We hire, train, and run their location for them. That’s how you drive repeat customers. Lastly, you lead by example. I believe that you have to be out in the field too. So, I’m out there selling the brands with my team. They have to see that you know how to do it and that you practice what you preach. --To hear the entire episode filled with personal stories, experiences, and life lessons, subscribe to Boss Women Rock: Success Secrets podcast on iTunes or SoundCloud. 8

S C O T T S D A L E ' S

P R E M I E R

W W W . E F J E T S . C O M

J E T

C H A R T E R

C O M P A N Y

4 8 0 . 4 7 0 - 5 8 8 - J E T S

( 5 3 8 7 )

THE ONLY WAY TO

TRAVEL...

[CHAPTER TWO]

Effective Visual Marketing: Building Consumer Trust 10

t is no secret that 2020 has changed the retail industry forever. With social distancing practices and limitations, most retailers are looking for ways to successfully reopen and conduct business, particularly ahead of the upcoming holiday season. A critical component of this â&#x20AC;&#x153;new normalâ&#x20AC;? within retail is

building consumer trust to reduce shopper anxiety caused by the current pandemic. As such, signage has become more necessary, taking on a larger purpose in this space. Matt Galgano, the owner of FASTSIGNS of Upper Saddle River, is staying ahead of the curve providing innovative products and services to 11

retailers, developers and brands, while continuing to deliver top results in proven areas of expertise. Galgano started working at FASTSIGNS of Upper Saddle River as a Visual Communications Specialist in 2011. By 2012, he transitioned to an Outside Sales

Representative, noticeably increasing franchise revenue year-over-year. Seeing a void in the retail industry for a customer-centric signage and graphics provider, Galgano and his team successfully spent the last seven years filling that space. By 2018, company sales tripled with Galgano leading the

efforts, and he was 1 of 11 Sales Representatives nationally to achieve the Platinum Sales Award. As of July 21, 2020, Galgano bought the successful franchise he helped build and is developing an infrastructure which further facilitates proactive support of retail businesses. 12

Company Background & Credentials: FASTSIGNS of Upper Saddle River is a veteran in visual communications. The company specializes in, and understands the fast-paced retail environment; the language, solutions, and most importantly, the expectations.

Located at 346 Route 17 North, Saddle River, New Jersey, the center is situated less than 20 miles from Manhattan, and less than 10 miles from Paramus, New Jersey, which is America’s retailing capital. It boasts more retail sales than any other zip code in the country despite Blue Laws requiring that shopping centers and retailers be closed on Sundays. Historied Success & Areas of Expertise: Working directly with developers, brands and retail consultants, FASTSIGNS of Upper Saddle River has established a stellar reputation in areas such as multilocation rollouts, graphic campaigns, pop-up stores and new store openings. • Multi-Location Rollouts: Whether actual new store locations or carts (RMUs), multi-location rollouts require high levels of organization and coordination between Retailer, Mall Management and Installer. The FASTSIGNS of Upper Saddle River team serves as the liaison between all parties while manufacturing all necessary visual communication elements.

As a member of International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) and of New York New Jersey Council of Shopping Centers, they provide turnkey solutions nationwide, servicing over 250 enclosed shopping centers across the country. “We pride ourselves on customer service and transparency,” says Galgano. “Our goal is not just to sell a sign. Our goal is to build a relationship and act as an extension of our clients’ teams.”

One of the first rollouts the team did was with Linda Johansen-James and her American Kiosk (now IRG) team in 2015, rolling out 100 SolarCity locations in three months. The company seamlessly provided all the signage and installation services as well as built a long-term, successful partnership with IRG. FASTSIGNS of Upper Saddle River has also handled numerous rollouts for other companies like SHOE MGK to rebrand 100+ RMU locations. • Graphic Campaigns: Most retailers require marketing campaign updates monthly. FASTSIGNS of Upper Saddle River offers a turnkey service with one point of contact to 13

manage, produce, and fulfill national graphic campaigns for multi-location stores. They offer user-friendly materials that can be easily installed by local store employees - removing the need for professional installation - putting money back in clients’ budgets.

Saddle River extends local support in conducting site surveys, permitting and execution of scope. For first time tenants, the team simplifies the move-in process using the vast knowledge and experience they’ve gained over the years. Pivoting and Providing Added Value: Since the pandemic, Galgano and his team reevaluated how they can continue to bring the most value to the retail industry. Their mission is/ has been to restore consumer confidence in retail shopping. Deemed an essential business itself, FASTSIGNS of Upper Saddle River has worked with clients nationwide providing the proper tools needed as they reopen – solutions that create a safer environment and keep shoppers informed.

Pop-Up Stores: Pop-up stores are continuing to gain traction in the current retail climate as they allow brands to test products in a given market, without a longterm commitment. FASTSIGNS of Upper Saddle River’s experience lends itself to a speedy design, production and installation process while taking into account suitable answers for shorter-term initiatives. The company has successfully worked with partners like The Lionesque Group in launching numerous pop-ups over the past two years. They’ve also collaborated on award-winning charitable pop-ups with groups such as CS Hudson.

Tailored products for developers and/or brands include social distancing floor graphics, sneeze guards, sanitation stations, best practices/safety signage, curbside pickup products and more. They also offer recommendations on design and location of these new solutions, helping clients make an immediate impact.

For developer-driven holiday markets specifically, FASTSIGNS of Upper Saddle River also provides end-to-end services handling all merchant signage and market graphic décor. Recently, they produced and installed all signage and graphics at The Market, located in the Oculus at Westfield World Trade Center, which was an awardwinning initiative as well.

“Shoppers’ comfort levels are critical,” says Galgano. “If you’re not displaying a safe environment, shoppers most likely won’t come back.” As retailers and developers are gearing up for and/or already executing holiday season plans, incorporating these new tools and methods are essential. Deals are getting signed; marketing campaigns are being launched; in-center decor being implemented – now is the time to ensure you have effective visual marketing.

• New Store Openings: Business owners who are opening new inline stores, mall carts or kiosks have a lot to focus on. As extensions of clients’ teams, FASTSIGNS of Upper 14

Developing leaders. Increasing confidence. Discovering new talent. Inspiring creativity. Learning new skills. Building relationships…. making an everlasting difference in the lives of teens in our community. Alice Cooper’s Solid Rock Teen Centers inspire and challenge teens to embrace excellence and reach their full potential. Maintaining “a teen’s worst enemy is too much time on their hands,” The Rock provides FREE after school training in music, dance, photography and art as well as vocational training in sound/recording, staging/lighting, video production and more, in a cool, supervised facility for teens 12-20 to engage with their peers.

come discover your talent! Visit www.alicecoopersolidrock.com or join our Facebook page at Alice Cooper’s Solid Rock. 13625 N. 32nd St., Phx, AZ 85032 602-522-9200. Coming this fall, Alice Cooper’s The Rock Teen Center in Mesa.

[CHAPTER THREE]

So…You’re Going to Make a Presentation? Make it a Great One! 16

erhaps you’re presenting a concept to retail clients … or making a business proposal to your boss…or teaching a training class…or you’re on the floor representing your product line…chances are you’re going to be making a presentation sometime soon and let’s face it. You’re a little nervous about it. All of us can get nervous about our next presentation. You’re not alone. According to a national poll, 32% of us fear heights; 22% fear insects; 19% fear death; BUT… 41% fear public speaking!

Can you reach the pinnacle of success if you are not a positive, credible, comfortable public speaker? This article (and others to come) are going to give you a little boost. Simple concepts you can easily employ. Today, we’re going to focus on how to be a persuasive speaker and how to prepare your next presentation. Let’s start with the elements of believability. Which is more important, the verbal elements, vocal elements, or visual elements?

Verbal: what you say, the words you use…is estimated to be 7% of successful communication. Vocal: how you say it, how you sound…is 38% of successful communication. Vocal is determined by your tone (speaking with enthusiasm); speed (you might be thinking 750 words per minute but you’re speaking at 150 words per minute); pacing (varying your tone, speed and volume (maintaining a conversational tone, making sure you’re loud enough to be heard and adding variety to your talk…and don’t

forget to pause for effect!) Visual: how you look when you speak…55% Determined by: *Eye contact (connect with your audience with your eyes, I suggest you find friendly faces in the audience to make you more comfortable) *Movement (don’t lean on the

podium; walk around like Oprah; make sure the people in the back see you as much as the people in the front). *Facial expressions: (think positive thoughts and it will show on your face!) . Smiling puts the audience at ease as well as putting you at ease. *Dress and Appearance (for

men and women: choose your dress to be on the conservative side, you shouldn’t be judged by what you wear) *Gestures: (gestures emphasize the high points of your presentation and the proper use of gestures demonstrates your confidence) *Posture: (head up, shoulders

back) Here’s a tip for you: imitation is the highest form of flattery, right? Who would you like to emulate when you present? Who have you seen on a platform that you really admire? What is it about them that captures an audience?

Take what you see from them and make it your own! Now let’s get into planning your presentation. In the prePlanning phase, consider the following: • Who is in the audience? What do you know about them? Are the

people highly experienced in the subject or not? Are there people who are the company’s top decision makers in the audience? Think about planning your presentation from the audience’s point of view as opposed to your point of view. • Develop and always customize your presentation from the audience’s point of view. No two presentations should be exactly the same. And if you are using someone else’s presentation, again…make it your own by adding your stories and examples that make you more comfortable presenting them. • What do you want the audience to remember? (What’s your main message? What will you emphasize?) and…how do YOU want to be remembered? Think about that last point. It could be that you’ll be most remembered for something special you said in the beginning or at the end (getting off to a quick start with an attention-getting opening AND employing a great closing will be really fantastic – make this objective happen for you!) Maybe for you it’s going to be that you’ll be remembered for that positive personality

•

• •

• • •

•

and energetic style of yours that shines through. Prepare your presentation in a logical and orderly sequence. If you bounce around from topic to topic, you won’t be doing your best work. Use an outline if it helps. And by the way, even though I’ve been presenting for about 40 years, I still use cue cards instead of an outline and I tell my audiences if it’s good enough for Robert Merrill, the late famous opera singer, to carry cue cards in order to sing the National Anthem for the 10,000 times he sung it in his life, it’s good enough for me to carry cue cards too! Plan your timing, key subjects covered, and breaks between topics. It’s so much easier the more you practice your presentation. Plan to make revisions and more revisions. You know the line, “How do I get to Carnegie Hall? Practice, practice, practice!” After all, the more you practice, the more you can experiment with different approaches. Allow yourself suitable research, preparation and rehearsal time Be prepared to eliminate material if time runs short Video tape and/or audio tape yourself – watch your body language, mannerisms and energy level. What are you seeing or hearing about yourself? Ask people close to you at home or at work to watch you present and ask for their comments. What do they see that you might not? Do you say “um” and “you know”, for example? Look for 3 positive things you did BEFORE you look for anything negative 20

•

Visualize the audience – put yourself in their position - and what do you think they want to know? • Plan your talk based on the size of your audience, as well as type of audience. Good luck to you!! Madison Gross is Past Director, Ambassador Program and Past Director, Specialty Conferences, for the International Council of Shopping Centers, and previously to that, was Director of Integrated Marketing for the American Management Association. He was an adjunct professor for several colleges over 20 years and has taught presentation skills for over 30 years. Madison loves talking about presentations and would be happy to talk with you as you prepare your next presentation. His email is MadisonG113@aol.com

Madison Gross,

Entrepreneur par excellence, brand builder, social media influencer, style icon, Las Vegas retail industry leader, role model...we also consider Linda “The Queen of The Pop-Up Store” in the commercial real estate industry. I’d listen to anything Linda has to say or read anything she has written! Madison Gross Past Director, The Ambassador Program The International Council of Shopping Centers New York City

WANT TO MAKE YOUR RETAIL EVENT AN EXPERIENCE? Capturing the special moments of your special day.

BOOK RETAIL EXPERT lINDA JOHANSEN-JAMES AS YOUR GO TO KEYNOTE SPEAKER OR PANELIST

TO BOOK LINDA SEND AN EMAIL TOÂ ljohansen-james@inrmcg.com OR CALL 702.927-8740

[CHAPTER FOUR]

The Queen of Canvassing An Interview with Beth Azor

am so excited to interview Beth Azor and share her insight with all of our readers. Beth is known as “The Canvassing Queen”, and is the Founder of Azor Advisory Services, a leading real estate advisory and investment firm based in Southeast Florida. Beth currently owns and manages six shopping centers in Florida. She’s also the founder of Azor Academy, where she trains leasing managers to become, what she calls, “Real Estate Superstars”. She is a mentor, thought leader, boss, consultant, and author. She is the author of Don’t Say No for the Prospect, and just released her second book titled The Retail Leasing Playbook. Beth’s client list is too long to list, but they are the who’s who of C-Suite executives, leasing managers, retailers, and developers. Beth is also a mom to two sons, Mario and Alex, and recently completed riding 496 miles in 31 days. Wow, how impressive is she? Linda: I am so happy to be speaking to you today and appreciate you taking the time out of your busy schedule. I am still trying

to figure out how you do it all. Your career, training, teaching, mentoring, running six shopping centers and you’re a mom as well. How do you do it all? Beth: People ask me this question all the time. We all have the same number of hours as Elon Musk and Mother Teresa, so, it is how you spend that time that is the key. People waste a lot of time. Most people watch TV for three hours per day. If you take one hour of that time and use it for 23

something that you want or need to get accomplished, that would equal seven more hours per week. Every night before I go to sleep, I think of three things I can do tomorrow that will move the ball. Not things that are already on my schedule, but things that will drive my business. If I have 15 things to do and I complete 12 of them that week, that’s great. I time block for all my tasks. I have a morning routine as well where I read three newspapers and have two cups of coffee, and then I go

out and walk for an hour. After that, I do my social media posts, followed by meetings, trainings, interviews, showings, etc. If you manage your time, time will work on your side. Linda: You are known as the “Canvassing Queen”. Tell me why it’s so important for you to canvass and seek new business yourself.

store. They sounded great on the phone, but I went to visit their store on the weekend, I noticed they had a prominently displayed sign in their window that read, “We Buy Rats”. When I went into their store, they only sold SNAKES! That was not the kind of pet store I wanted. Now you can see why it is important that I visited the store. How funny is that?

Linda: Beth: Sounds like you practice what You build relationships in person. you preach. You need to get that one-toone connection. I like to build Beth: relationships. What better way Yes, I do. Like I said before, I to do it than in-person? I also love canvassing and meeting like to see first-hand what their new people. store looks like and meet them. It is important to see how they Linda: conduct business, how they You can sure tell. You always treat their customers, and how have a smile on your face and their store is merchandised. You are always filled with energy. can only get that sense of their business if you visit their store Linda: in person. I also love to canvass With everything that we just and find new business for my spoke about, it seems you have shopping centers and my client’s more than a full-time job. Not properties as well. I’ll share just to mention your social media one canvassing story with you. presence, including Facebook, I had been looking for a pet YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, store for one of my centers and LinkedIn. Tell us about when a potential client called your client’s avatar and how and wanted to be in one of my you directly market to them on centers. It happened to be a pet social media. I listened to your 24

story about acquiring the bike shop in less than 7 days from a conversation on Facebook. That is remarkable. How much business have you developed from social media? Beth: I have closed two deals from messaging potential leads on Facebook messenger. I look for big ads in newspapers, magazines, community magazines, periodicals, etc. Big ads are not cheap. I assume they have money to spend. That’s how I found the last deal I recently signed. They had a big ad in our local home improvement community magazine selling billiards and pool tables. I had been looking for this use for one of our centers. I found the owner on Facebook and sent him a simple message on Facebook Messenger. I asked, “would you be interested in more locations?”. He responded and we booked a meeting. I went to visit him at his store, and we scheduled a time for him to meet me at the potential space. He took a 6000 square foot space. He signed a oneyear deal at a lower rent with a one-year option. I publish 100 percent of the posts on

parents that have to work can drop them off to study. They have to come with all their supplies. This is an incubator idea, and I’m not completely sure how it will work, but we’re filling a market demand. Millions of people underestimated the free babysitting we received when our kids went to school. Kids were educated and taken care of while we work. I guess we all see that now. Not only do the kids miss going to school, but it is a strain on the parents that have to work but can’t. We fill that void with The Study Hub at Weston Town Center.

Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and LinkedIn. You can tell it’s me if the post doesn’t look polished. If the post looks polished, then someone in my team did the post. I have many stories like this. So, my point is, you never know where you are going to find potential new business. If you don’t cold call, cold message, and follow up, you will never know.

Beth: I launched The Study Hub at Weston Town Center to offer parents a safe space for their kids to study. I have 42 cubicles in a 10,000 square foot space in one of my centers. I looked up mom groups on Facebook and I ran ads to about the Study Hall. I have a teacher and marketer partners and we have qualified staff there all day, so

Linda: During COVID-19, you spent time interviewing small businesses, either in-person or by Zoom, and you called it the Small Business Series. What did you learn was impacting small business owners, and what was their outlook for their business and retail in general? Beth: I found that, depending on their industry, what they said was all different. I did, however, sign a lease after 13 interviews, so, again, you never know where the next deal will come from. Each industry is different. Most

business owners are optimistic and have hope for their business. One filed bankruptcy, which was sad, but he could not hold on. Nail salons are optimistic, but I found that hair salons are suffering. A lot of them stated they would operate their business from home. A big trend is going into salon suites. That segment was the least hopeful. Everyone said when they did open, the customers came and were spending money. Hope was the most common word used by retailers. I even had a window covering company expand into another location.

You have to be flexible in your negotiations, and work with the retailers to put together a deal that makes sense for you, the developer, and the potential tenant. I have 10 letters of intent out now. Linda: Tell us about Azor Academy and why your client avatar should attend these sessions?

Beth: I hosted a lot of free webinars on many platforms during COVID. I started Freshman Forum to help any professionals with less than five years in the retail real Linda: estate business. I was going Beth, when we spoke last time, to double-down on offering you said you were still going out value. I was investing in the and canvassing and signing deals long run to help. On our first during COVID-19. Tell us about Virtual Leasing Bootcamp, we how you were able to close sales had 13 people attend. It was an during these uncertain times. intimate group discussing the I am sure this is a big issue for challenges of leasing two hours leasing managers who think no a day for two days. We had one will be signing deals now. some great conversations and they walked away with real tools Beth: to help. The Rookie Training There are still businesses looking Program is a new two-week to expand their retail presence. program. We also have Retail I have signed several deals for Leasing Meetings which they my centers and other clients. play for their meeting. They are Retail is here to stay. Whether it rah-rah meetings and I have 12 is short-term, long-term, or pop pre-filmed meetings they can up, retail isn’t going anywhere. use. These are just the tip of 26

the iceberg for what we have. You can visit us at https://www. azoracademy.com/ for more information. Linda: So, I have one more question for you. What one piece of advice would give retailers, developers, or leasing managers as we continue navigating through this unprecedented time in our economy. Beth: Prospect, prospect, and prospect. Canvass and prospect. Go speak to business owners and entrepreneurs. You will find that some businesses want to expand. You’ll never know if you don’t’ ask. Work! Get on the phone. I have 10 letters of intent in hand and have signed four new deals during COVID. If that doesn’t tell you that retail is still alive, you are missing the boat. Linda: Beth, thank you again, and thank you for sharing your best practices with us.

[CHAPTER FIVE]

What is OMNI CHANNEL and why is it important in todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s selling environment? 28

ulti-channel retailing means a company sells in multiple online channels (e.g. a web store, marketplaces, and social media). Omni-channel refers to retailers with both a physical and digital presence. It is, in essence, a modern approach to commerce that focuses on designing a cohesive user experience for customers at every touchpoint. This differs from traditional marketing, where individual channels were optimized without necessarily taking the whole experience into mind.

Our firm, Global Beauty Brands Connection, llc. has also been referencing the importance of listing your product wherever consumers are already spending their time. This is increasingly known as contextual commerce, a more strategic take on the overarching omni-channel term. Typically, omni-channel retailers are not startups. They also are not web-only shops, which means they have the capital to put some feet on the ground. That much is clear. What isn’t, is the idea of seamlessness and retailer 29

sophistication. From that perspective, few retailers today are successfully executing on all of their omni-channel initiatives. This is because with the momentum toward integrating commerce across channels, there is one big piece of the puzzle missing: what the consumer wants. Many retailers are just guessing. Sure, they have proprietary data on how consumers are using their own channels, but ‘omni’ has Latin roots in the omniscient realm, meaning perceiving all things — not just what is happening on your own channel.

Omni-channel marketing, then, becomes more about providing an experience — the omnichannel customer experience — transcending any one medium and simply providing shoppers what they want, when they want. To date, no one has decoded exactly how, when and why the modern American makes a purchase. What we do know though is that nobody today shops exclusively through a single medium. Consumers of all generations buy online, in store and on marketplaces, from legacy retailers and independent brands alike. One consequence of this — albeit a happy one — is that cash flows in from different sources and different devices. Keys to Implement an OmniChannel Retail Strategy: 1. Capture Data, Track Conversions & Target Messaging for MultiChannel 2. User Experience and Customer Experience are Priority #1 3. Automate to Save Your Sanity

4. Omni-Channel: Different Channels Means Different Devices (Including Your Feet) 5. Allocate the Resources, and Use Helpful Technology 6. Conversion is Only the First Step; Now You Must Deliver

your customers’ expectations including speed and cost, of course, but consider other options like in-store pickup, same day delivery, or alternate delivery locations to really stand out. You also must make sure that you can literally deliver on your promises!

Remember that the buyer’s journey doesn’t end when the customer places their order, it continues to the point they’ve happily received their order on time and in good condition. Make sure you offer delivery services that meet, or exceed,

Think about the message your packaging sends, the customer experience provided by the shipping services you offer, and make sure your customer success team has the resources to help customers at every step of fulfillment.

[CHAPTER SIX]

PopUp Shops the Potenial Retail Savior 31

he retail world was already looking to pop-up shops as the “new retail”. Now, with the impact of the COVID-19 virus, the availability of Pop Up space is greater than ever. It is predicted that as many as 25,000 retailers will be go out of business in the next year and vacancies in shopping centers will skyrocket. According to WWD, “ Popup shops may once again be seen as a potential savior”. However, while pop-up shops currently have even greater benefits for both brands and spaces, brands looking to do pop-up shops, are now more careful and elusive than ever. Popupshops.io is the answer. popupshops.io is unique digital marketplace, a “ match.com” if you will, that matches brands looking to do pop-up shops with spaces specifically available for pop-up shops. The platform has many unique and proprietary features. The most significant of which, is it’s exclusive Recommendation Engine. This proprietary software scans the entire site of potentially 1000’s of brand and space listings and then, based on filters, recommends the perfect match for each.

A huge advantage of popupshops.io verses other matching platforms is the ability for both brands and spaces to proactively find each other. All other matching sites are one way only, a limited communication with listed spaces only. popupshops io is the only matching site that allows the landlord to be proactive in searching out qualified brands that have an expressed desire to do a popup shop without waiting for brands to contact them. Once identified, landlords can review the listing and see important information including location, size required, dates required, product category, product offerings, price point, demographics, annual sales, website quality, social media posts, just a name a few... all displayed in one place. Brands as well can easily review pictures of the space, dates available, site plans, location, size, demographics, tenant mix, costs, lease requirements and a direct contact link to the landlord decision maker...just to name a few… again, all in one place, making the vetting process

This is accomplished through an automated email system where by the recipient will receive frequent emails recommending the perfect matches including a direct communication link to each decision-maker. The site does the work. With less time and staff available today, productivity is more important than ever. popupshops.io strives to be the right hand, the virtual assistant to every specialty leasing agent and popup shop proprietor. 32

• Take advantage of only high traffic opportunities including weekends and or seasonal events • Keep rent costs low without long term commitment • Generate additional sales • Generate buzz and brand awareness • Connect with customers on a personal level, a dimension that cannot be experienced online • Test pricing and merchandising ideas • Move aged inventory • Educate the consumer on benefits of products

easy.

• Sample products

ADVANTAGES FOR LANDLORDS, there are also tremendous benefits of doing a pop up shop.

With everything that’s currently going on, matchmaking in the popup shop world is more important today than ever. While temporary leasing was already on the increase and considered to be the retail of the future, now for obvious reason, the trend has been magnified. However, many retailers are reluctant at the moment and those committed are few and far between. Efficiently finding the right match is crucial. Popup shops will continue to be the salvation for both tenants and landlords With many advantages to each as listed below.

• Create revenue • Eliminate the eyesore of a vacancy • Create buzz and vibrancy and generate traffic to otherwise vacant space and center in general • Create traffic for other tenants in the center • Increase exposure of the center • Create possibilities of converting from temporary to perm • Increase lease inquiries • Serve the community by giving local businesses a chance to thrive • Increase the value of the center

ADVANTAGES FOR BRANDS, there are tremendous advantages to doing a POP-UP SHOP especially during these trying times. Popup shops can actually be the savior when the risk of signing a long-term lease is absolutely not feasible.

The whole key to success is to easily find qualified matches of brands and spaces. The popup shops. io platform, with the exclusive Recommendation Engine, is the Key.

• Test a location without signing a long-term lease

BIOGRAPHY M r .

Goldware is in accomplished entrepreneur with more than 40 years of retail experience, having founded, successfully run and grown several retail businesses. His most significant venture, Sun and Ski Sports, includes 30 retail stores in 13 states, various popup shop temporary locations plus an ecommerce website, sunandski.com. After selling Sun and Ski, Goldware founded PopUp Shops, a website similar to a match.com that matches brands that want to do pop-up shops with spaces that are available for popup shops including information so each party can vet each other before making direct contact. The national website is popupshops.io

[CHAPTER SEVEN]

Opening up a New Retail during the Covid Pandemic 35

ick up any magazine, or turn on mainstream news, you will hear the Portends of Doom for retail. The popularity for these gloomy headlines started in 2008 and picked up steam over the next decade as a sea change took place and some retailers lacked the agility to keep pace with advances in technology and changes in buying habits. Enter 2020 and a pandemic that ravaged the world economy. Those same voices grew in volume as the decried this final “nail in the coffin” for shopping centers, seemingly reinforced by the dozens of retailers who shuttered their doors for good amid the fallout. You probably caught from the tone with which I described these events that I believe, and in fact have evidence to show, that retail is not dead, it isn’t irrelevant and those retailers who shuttered their doors did so through lack of ability innovate and move. The challenges brought on by shifting consumer behavior, amplified by a recession and a pandemic, may be the end for stores who refuse to evolve, but as you will see, stores with innovative business models, omnichannel integration and marketing that finds the customer where they are, not only survive, but thrive. It may be that gone are the days of new stores opening and occupying

large footprints inside of shopping malls for 10 or 15 years. Along with it, the ability for a brand to saturate a market with 5 or 10 of the same stores, carrying the same inventory in different malls in one city. Step into any shopping center with tenancy over 80%, and you will find a mix of pop-up style, in-line tenants who opened on a budget, with shorter lease options and the niche environment their customers are shopping. Pop-ups are nothing new, we have been “popping-up” in shopping centers with our clients for over 20 years. Along with all the other changes taking place in the world, the dynamics of the foot traffic in a shopping center can shift over time. The right lease term and smart, modular merchandising hardware allow retailers to follow the shopper across the mall or 36

across town. Pop-ups aren’t just a craze, they aren’t a fad, they are the future and if you are considering a retail store, that is the format. Shoppers are savvy. If you have an app, a website or an amazon store, they have already looked at it before they show up in your brick-and-mortar location. They expect to find the same price and offer in the store they saw online. If they don’t find it, do not expect them to buy in the store or online. Shoppers want to feel valued and they want an easy shopping experience. If you make it difficult for them to save yourself a handful of change in margin, they will walk down the hallway to a retailer who has innovated and found methods of efficiency that allow a seamless omnichannel experience. Don’t be

People matter. There are no assets in your store that can overcome the cost of having the wrong employees working. They define the customer experience. At Pop-Up Staffing, we craft detailed hiring profiles that we hire against, valuing attitude above all. We can upskill, but technique can’t overcome a poor disposition. Hiring is more of an art than a science, but with the right profile in mind, it is easier to narrow down the all-star potential; just be sure to cut your losses early if the attitude you saw in their interview disappears on the sales floor.

PPE requirements are essential. There are extra steps to almost everything in the store, but the discipline and training you provide your employees in this will bleed over into other areas of their job and lift their performance and attention to detail. Procedures make the process less of a headache, checklists help to ensure compliance and remember that people don’t respect what you don’t inspect. With the thinning of the crowd of stores in the mall, you can stand out by finding creative ways to use the marketing around protecting your customers to draw their attention or create a sense of urgency. Limit store capacity? No customer wants to be stuck in a line, when they walk by and see that only 15 people are allowed in at a time, and the store is empty, they will leap on the opportunity to hop in an take advantage of the hassle free shopping experience. Look for those opportunities, be creative and stand out.

Opening a store in a pandemic presents a new challenge. Protecting not only the employees in the store, but also the shoppers, with minimal inconvenience. Customers need to have confidence when they came into your store that they are safe. Signs throughout the store detailing your cleaning procedures, social distancing markers for checkout, and a staff at 100% compliance on

These are troubling times. Despite that, there are limitless opportunities. We worked with a client to open their store at a fraction the original budget. We came up with creative solutions in partnership with the mall management team. First, we eliminated the cost of fixtures in the store, saving thousands of dollars, while still delivering a breathtaking visual presentation

left behind. Gone are the days of charging more in stores to cover overhead or offering “online only” specials. Smaller stores, fewer stores and greater efficiency allows for a win/win that leaves customers coming back for more. They don’t want to be manipulated or told where or when to buy, meet them where they are or someone else will.

that aligns with the brand. Also, we set a store schedule that followed peak shopping times and reduced excess labor by closing the store when there was no traffic. This reduced the labor budget by over $10,000 in the first month. With all those savings, the store still delivered 400% of projected sales in the first month. The brand did a brilliant job of marketing the store to their digital audience and our sales staff consistently delivers world class service that brings customers back for more of the top-notch product. We look forward to opening more pop-up locations across the US, further defeating the theory that brickand-mortar retail is outdated. If you have thought about starting a business, or you have a digital footprint and have considered making the leap into brick-andmortar, but are unsure if the time is right, now is the perfect time, but if I haven’t convinced you, consider this quote from billionaire Mark Cuban from INC Magazine: “Five to 10 years from now, we’ll look back and there will be 30 businesses that were created where we’ll say ‘Da**, why didn’t I think of that? It makes so much sense now,”. If you still aren’t convinced that you can open a pop-up in the middle of this pandemic all by yourself, reach out to us today at International Retail Group and Pop-Up Staffing.

Retail Out Takes

by the “Queen of Pop-Up, Linda Johansen-James I have to be honest; I have not repeated this story in years. To be exact, it has been 20 years. I was totally embarrassed by what happened to me and I swore I would never say anything to anyone. However, I was speaking with a friend the other day and she told me that something similar had happened to her when she was out canvassing. I am sure by now you are asking yourself, what could be so bad that Linda, would not repeat it? Well, let’s go back 18 years and I will tell you. I was opening a new location in a shopping mall and it was a few days before the opening and like we all use to do back then, I was recruiting in the mall. Which meant I I was walking through the mall handing out “now hiring” cards to see if I could find employees. It was before Indeed, Facebook Ads, Zip Recruiter so, we could place ads in the Customer Service book at the mall, place an ad in the newspaper or go out and recruit, which is what

I did. had been in the mall for about 2 hours, walking around and handing out cards and I was taking a break because I had heels on, and my feet were tired. I was sitting on a bench when guess who showed up? MALL SECURITY. He never asked me exactly what I was doing, but he said, you cannot solicit in this mall and I need to ask you to leave immediately. I was so embarrassed. I said, I am not soliciting. I am and he interrupted me. He said, listen lady, I know what you are doing, and you have to leave right now. We do not allow soliciting in this mall so, please get up and I will escort you out. All the while I am trying to tell him that I was in fact, I was speaking to people about a job opportunity.in the mall. He would not listen, and you can image how I felt. He thought I was SOLICITING, not soliciting for employees. So, I left and thought to myself, you were just kicked out of a mall for soliciting. No one would believe me. So, two days later 38

I showed up in the mall to open our store and guess who came walking by, the same security guard. He did not look happy to see me and said, I thought I told you that you could not come back to this mall. I said, well if you would have listened to me then, I was trying to tell you that I was looking for employees for our new location, not soliciting! I showed him the store and he was so embarrassed. You can only image, right. He was just doing his job at the time. He apologized porously and we both had a bit of a laugh. He watched out for our location after that and become a good friend of the team. Who would have thought? So, how many of you have similar stories? Have you been kicked out of a mall for soliciting new business or canvassing? If so, I I would love to hear your story. Send your stories to ljohansenjames@inrmcg.com and we will share in our next publication.

FOR MEDIA INQUIRIES OR ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITIES CONTACTÂ LJOHANSENJAMES@INRMCG.COM OR CALL 702-927-8740

[CHAPTER EIGHT]

What clients are saying... 40

“

I have had the pleasure of working with Linda and her team for the past several years. Simply put, nothing short of amazing!

Genuine Retail Expert is the phase that comes to mind when I think about Linda Johansen-James. When it comes to Product Development, Marketing, Product Management and Alternative Revenue Programs for retail environments, Linda and her company, International Retail Management and Consulting Group, LLC have no equal. She is forward thinking, honest, realistic and diligent and her hands-on approach and her commitment to the success of the company, her employees and the mall development teams while she served as the CEO for American Kiosk Management won her respect for all that had to opportunity to work with her.

Linda has tremendous energy, intelligence, market insight along with enthusiasm, back by the hard facts as to what will work in the marketplace, not only for and in the retail environment, but also spotting trends and finding product that is “trendon”. Linda and her team foster a trusting partnership on a continual basis to any and all brands I have had the opportunity to work with her on over the last few years- IF you are thinking of launching a product into the retail arena and are reluctant to do so with a 1000+ store chain and all of the intricate details that are part of that environment, Linda will provide you with a better alternative.

Loyal, insightful and independent, Linda is continuously looking for new opportunities while adapting to the shifting retail environment. She consistently demonstrates exceptional expertise in brand development, visual presentation. leadership, coaching, salesmanship, motivational speaking and most importantly revenue generation. Linda leads by example and many in the real estate industry find her enthusiasm and dedication both inspiring and motivating. Her passion, dedication, and unique capacity for empathy has made working with her for the 20 years truly a pleasure.

I highly recommend her/the IRG team for any “new product launch” you are considering to obtain a true feel of the marketplace and to see what it’s like with dedicated, well trained staffers to support your business/products/brand recognition/launch! Christopher Jennings President, Global Beauty Brands Connection LLC

Anita M. Blackford Regional Specialty Leasing Director National Account Manager PREIT 41

“

Opening a brick-and-mortar store is essential to growing our brand, getting in front of new customers, expanding the lifetime value of shoppers online, and converting our online “window shoppers”. After years of dreaming and months of planning, a pandemic struck our country and derailed our plan to open the flagship location. Our partners at IRG worked tirelessly to make opening the store possible and manageable in the uncertainty of an economy that has not yet started to recover. They reduced our costs, finding creative ways to bring the store to life without a heavy investment in fixtures. We also adjusted our hours of operations to mimic when people shopped and fit our labor model to patterns of shopping volume, saving thousands of dollars in planned payroll expenses. On top of that, we increased sales every day the first month of operations, exceeding 400% of the sales forecast we planned prior to opening. Working with IRG has been a pleasure, and we look forward to a long relationship. Barbell

“

Entrepreneur par excellence, brand builder, social media influencer, style icon, Las Vegas retail industry leader, role model...we also consider Linda “The Queen of The Pop-Up Store” in the commercial real estate industry. I’d listen to anything Linda has to say or read anything she has written! Madison GrossPast Director, The Ambassador ProgramThe International Council of Shopping CentersNew York City Madison Gross

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