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Published by the North American Hardware and Paint Association Participate in the 2021 Cost of Doing Business Study

Setting Apart

How Blackhawk Hardware Puts Customers First Page 42

See Page 59 for more

Published by the North American Hardware and Paint Association Participate in the 2021 Cost of Doing Business Study

Setting Apart

How Blackhawk Hardware Puts Customers First Page 42

See Page 59 for more

Introducing Our Full CONSTRUCTION

At

We build for the builders. We make for the makers.

We innovate for the craftsman, those who accept only the very best.

In the recent decade Midwest entered the Construction Fastener business with our Midwest brand and the SaberDrive® brand. We are excited to announce, in 2021 we are re-launching our brands and launching new brands, with new items; Innovation across all construction fasteners.

BuildRight™ Replaces our Midwest brand – Quality products to complete your job, BuildRight™

Recognized and requested high-quality SaberDrive. Our proven construction fastener line. Strong and tough to complete the job.

FASTENER PROGRAM

Better

tter

Tip™ Deck Screw

Cabinet Screws

Truss Wood Screws

Lag Screws

Ledger Screws

Timber Screws

Structural Screws

CONNECTIONS Follow Us Online

HEADQUARTERS

136 N. Delaware St. #200 Indianapolis, Indiana 317-275-9400

NHPA@YourNHPA.org YourNHPA.org

OUR MISSION

The North American Hardware and Paint Association (NHPA) helps independent home improvement and paint and decorating retailers, regardless of affiliations, become better and more profitable retailers.

NHPA BOARD OF DIRECTORS

CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD

Daniel Harris, Palos Ace Hardware, Palos Heights, Illinois; Lemont Ace Hardware, Lemont, Illinois

EXECUTIVE VICE CHAIRMAN

Jared Smith, Jared’s Ace Hardware, Bishopville, South Carolina

DIRECTORS

Craig Bond, Tommy’s Paint Pot, Eugene, Oregon

David Dishke, Grand River Home Hardware, Caledonia, Ontario

Scott Jerousek, Farm and Home Hardware, Wellington, Ohio

Ryan Ringer, Gold Beach Lumber Yard Inc., Gold Beach, Oregon

Jackie Sacks, Round Top Mercantile Co., Round Top, Texas

Matt Woods, Woods Hardware, Cincinnati, Ohio

SECRETARY-TREASURER

Bob Cutter, NHPA President and CEO

STATE & REGIONAL ASSOCIATIONS

MIDWEST HARDWARE ASSOCIATION

Jody Kohl, 201 Frontenac Ave., P.O. Box 8033 Stevens Point, WI 54481-8033

800-888-1817; Fax: 715-341-4080

NHPA CANADA

Michael McLarney, +1 416-489-3396, mike@hardlines.ca 330 Bay Street, Suite 1400 Toronto, ON, Canada M5H 2S8

CIRCULATION, SUBSCRIPTION & LIST RENTAL INQUIRIES

CIRCULATION DIRECTOR

Richard Jarrett, 314-432-7511, Fax: 314-432-7665

COMING IN JUNE

Inventory Management

What long-term effects will the pandemic have on the way retailers manage their inventory? In next month’s webinar, we’ll analyze what about retail inventory management may have changed, what changes are likely to stick and how we can use the lessons from the past year to create better business practices for the future. Then, we’ll continue the conversation in the August issue of Hardware Retailing

Join Us for an Inventory Management Webinar hosted by NHPA Training Manager

Jesse Carleton Wednesday, June 16 Register at YourNHPA.org/webinars

STRATEGIC SERIES

NHPA

LET’S GET GROWING.

From powerful tools to proven expansion strategies, Do it Best is focused on partnering with memberowners to help them grow and achieve their dreams.

FOUR TOOLS FOR CONSISTENT GROWTH

Dating / Discounts

Maximize your cash flow with special deals and programs designed to power-up your inventory.

Preference Shares*

Unleash the value of your preference shares to launch the growth of your business.

Loan Programs*

Expand your inventory or make store improvements with a loan option that fits your business.

Customized Solutions

Share your growth plan with Do it Best and we’ll work with you to make it happen.

Business growth isn’t always easy — Do it Best just makes it look that way. Contact your Territory Sales Manager today or call 888-DOITBEST to learn more.

FOUR STRATEGIES TO GROW YOUR BUSINESS

1.STORE RESET – Enhance your current layout and assortments to maximize your market share.

2.EXPANSION – Expand your sales floor to attract more customers.

3.ADD A LOCATION – Let Do it Best help you find the ideal acquisition or build a new ground-up location to expand your customer base.

4.ECOMMERCE – Leverage the power of Do it Best ecommerce tools to reach your customers wherever and whenever they’re ready to shop.

*Subject to availability, approval, and underwriting.

An Evolving Business

Since 1977, Blackhawk Hardware has been serving customers in Charlotte, North Carolina. In that time, the business has continued to grow and reach new generations by adding unique niches and developing a strong company culture.

CATEGORY SPOTLIGHT

Learning From the Best

From hand and power tools to consumables, these departments shine as category all-stars. Discover best practices and ideas for making these categories work for your business.

OPERATIONS

Building a Brand

When Mike MacKay, co-owner of Vassar Building Center in Michigan moved the business to a much larger location, he used it as an opportunity to solidify his brand. Learn how he honored the company’s history while creating a new shopping experience for customers.

Hit Your Training Goals

Do you have an effective, consistent training program for your staff? With all the resources NHPA has to offer, getting started is easier than you think. 62 OPERATIONS

ON THE WEB

CONNECTIONS Stay Informed

There’s much more to discover from this month’s issue of Hardware Retailing. Visit hardwareretailing.com/may to read these articles and find new ways to drive your business.

Find More Stories Online

RESEARCH

Tracking the Industry

As the pandemic continues to influence pros and consumers, get the latest project data from The Farnsworth Group and the Home Improvement Research Institute.

Among the Stars

Plenty of Reasons to Celebrate

Use this calendar showing over 30 holidays and fun events to create compelling impulse displays in your store all year long. Highlight the products customers need to celebrate events like National Candy Month (June), Relaxation Day (Aug. 15), Fire Prevention Week and more.

Top of the List

We talked to home improvement and lifestyle expert Kathryn Emery to find out what home renovation projects are leading the pack for DIYers. Read the discussion to help your customers prepare to be true trendsetters.

Retailer Insights

On the latest episode of the “Editorially Speaking” podcast, host Melanie Moul talks to Jackie Sacks, co-owner of Roundtop Mercantile in Texas, about her approach to sourcing products and setting her store to serve customers’ needs in a small town.

In March, 2 out of 3 homeowners started a new DIY project .

Source: The Farnsworth Group and HIRI

MARKETING

Website Wonders

As e-commerce gains traction, learn the five must-have elements customers are looking for on businesses’ websites to be sure you’re staying competitive.

INDUSTRY NEWS

Paint

by the Numbers

Paint manufacturer PPG released its first quarter financial results, shedding light on a popular category. Visit Hardware Retailing online to dive into the results.

Head to hardwareretailing.com/subscribe to sign up for newsletters on industry headlines, new products and more.

EDITORIALLY SPEAKING

CONNECTIONS

Send Melanie a Message mmoul@YourNHPA.org

Melanie Moul

YourNHPA.org/es-pod

“I know achieving the holy grail of customer experience isn’t as simple as flipping a light switch and handing your sales associate a mop.”

Experience Within Reach

WE’VE ALL READ STORIES about how customer expectations have changed dramatically over the last year. Offering a holistic customer experience, whether someone is shopping online or browsing your aisles, has been a go-to question for a decade, and the pandemic accelerated the search for a solution.

The retail experience is about the details that few customers will notice individually, but will make a difference in their perception of your operation overall. As a consumer, I’m immediately in a better mood—and more prepared to spend— when I enter a well-lit, clean, fully stocked store. Pair that with a friendly greeting, even if I don’t need assistance right away, and I’m even more inclined to buy.

As someone with a fair bit of retail work experience and having learned this industry over the last five years, I know achieving the holy grail of customer experience isn’t as simple as flipping a light switch and handing your sales associate a mop. So, in the pages of this issue, we have several examples of how you can create a compelling experience for your customers on a sliding scale of possibility.

On Page 32, we feature four operations that have found success in key departments. Whether it’s stocking 150 varieties of soda or a lawnmower-in-the-sky display, these retailers have dug in to what it takes to create all-star categories.

Also in this issue is Vassar Building Center in Michigan. With the help of their wholesaler, they opened a brand new prototype store last year that has appealed to a completely different customer base and has established the store as the place to find something for everyone. Read this story on Page 52.

On the cover, we feature Blackhawk Hardware, a family-operated business in North Carolina that has grown into its space and its niches over the last 40+ years. In addition to stocking core hardware lines, they also specialize in holiday decor. And to really up the experience ante, they’re exploring a unique solution to get customers from the top floor to the basement. Turn to Page 42 to find out what isn’t just for playgrounds anymore.

Finally, on Page 62, we’ve outlined all the training resources that are available through the North American Hardware and Paint Association to help you achieve retail experience excellence.

With all of these ideas packed into one issue, I’m optimistic your great reading experience will translate into a stellar shopping experience for your customers.

Melanie Moul Managing Editor

THE SPEED YOU NEED TO CRUSH THE CLOCK

LEAVE THE COMPETITION IN THE DUST

TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS

CONNECTIONS

Send Dan a Message

dant@YourNHPA.org

Dan Tratensek

YourNHPA.org/tcb-pod

“I know independent retailers will not shy away from a fight. We just want to make sure it is a fair one.”

Fighting for a Fair Chance

THIS MIGHT BE a bitter pill to swallow, but I’m just going to come right out and say it: If another retailer can offer customers better value, better service, better selection or better pricing than you can, you deserve to lose business.

While that sounds blunt, I honestly think most of you would agree. After all, it’s kind of the foundation for our concept of business. Competition drives innovation. The person who builds the better mousetrap wins. Right?

Of course, believing in this concept is predicated on the idea that all businesses are operating on a level playing field.

So, let’s say Business A (not that the letter stands for any company in particular) receives millions of dollars in tax incentives that Business B doesn’t get. Let’s say Business A controls the means of delivery, supply and the primary method of conducting commerce within a channel.

Now the idea of innovation through competition and what is “fair” competition gets a bit murkier. In theory, this is why the government has laws and agencies that are designed to ensure that commerce is conducted on a fair playing field. Unfortunately, often these laws go unenforced or the laws and agencies simply haven’t caught up with the fast-changing times we are living in.

That’s why the North American Hardware and Paint Association (NHPA) has signed on to become one of the supporting organizations for Small Business Rising, a coalition of independent businesses and entrepreneurs calling on lawmakers to break up monopoly power and safeguard the right of independent businesses to compete and serve the needs of their communities.

This isn’t a political action committee or a fundraising effort; it is a joint campaign of more than 20 national and local independent business organizations just like NHPA that are trying to marshall support of their members and leverage their combined strengths to push for changes.

We are asking all of you—hardware, home improvement, lumber, paint and decorating retailers—to join us in these efforts, and we can’t let this momentum wane! I know independent retailers will not shy away from a fight. We just want to make sure it is a fair one. To learn more about the efforts of NHPA with Small Business Rising, go to YourNHPA.org/sbr and watch for future communications from NHPA.

Dan M. Tratensek Chief Operations Officer & Publisher

ENGAGE

Register to Attend

Join us as we celebrate the 2021 Young Retailer of the Year honorees in a one-hour virtual event on May 5 at 2 p.m. Visit YourNHPA.org/yroty to reserve your seat.

Meet the 2021 Honorees

EVENTS

Celebrating the Future

ATTEND THE 2021 YOUNG RETAILER OF THE YEAR VIRTUAL EVENT

AFTER THE SUCCESS of last year’s virtual event, the North American Hardware and Paint Association (NHPA) will host its 2021 Young Retailer of the Year ceremony virtually on May 5.

For 25 years, NHPA has highlighted the achievements of independent home improvement retailers 35 years old and younger through its Young Retailer of the Year program. The program honors retailers in three categories: sales under $2 million; sales above $2 million; and multistore operations. This year marks the first time NHPA has included paint retailers in the award program after the organization expanded its membership to include paint and decorating retailers in 2020.

The virtual celebration is an opportunity for the entire independent channel to gather and celebrate the next generation of independent home improvement and paint retailers. Honorees will have the chance to thank their families, communities and co-workers at the virtual event.

The 2021 Young Retailer of the Year virtual ceremony is open to the public, but seats are limited. Visit YourNHPA.org/yroty to learn more and register to attend.

Under $2M in Annual Sales

• Colton and Danielle Hallgren owners of Osage Hardware in Osage City, Kansas

• Alexandria Lavaroni—manager of Treat’s General Store in San Andreas, California

• Tyler Nowochin—owner of Nowco Home Hardware in Lacombe, Alberta, Canada

Over $2M in Annual Sales

• Dani Estenger—purchasing manager of Center Hardware & Supply Co. Inc. in San Francisco

• Robin Smith—president and co-owner of Petersburg Hardware in Petersburg, Indiana

• Jonathan South—store manager of Teghtmeyer Ace Hardware in Columbia City, Indiana

Multiple Stores

• Jay Donnelly—vice president of Flanagan Paint & Supply in St. Louis

• Ryan Rennells—general manager of Home Central in Owego, New York

Thank You to Our Sponsors

This program would not be possible without the support of our sponsors. These companies have invested in the future of the independent home improvement channel.

• Arrow Fastener

• Epicor

• Fluidmaster

• Intertape Polymer Group (IPG)

• Midwest Fastener

• MiTek

• Pony Jorgensen

ASSOCIATION

Check Your Email

Confirm your email preferences by visiting YourNHPA.org/subscribe.

Webinars to Watch

Reserve your seat for upcoming live webinars or view past webinars at YourNHPA.org/webinars

Featured Webinar

Past Webinar

How to Lead Diverse Teams

APRIL

Retailers

Choice Awards

MAY 19 AT 2 P.M.

Celebrate the products that caught retailers’ eyes at the 2020 National Hardware Virtual Show in this presentation of the 2020 Retailers’ Choice Award winners.

Podcasts to Play

Subscribe or listen to podcasts at YourNHPA.org/podcasts

“How people buy is going to be a key to success. There are certainly risks, in particular for builders right now, but access to product is going to be key.”

Taking Care of Business

EPISODE 39

Dan speaks to Dent Johnson, Do it Best’s vice president of merchandising, for an update on the supply chain.

“I’m really proud to be a third-generation owner of my family business. My goal is to leave a legacy and make my mark on the business.”

Tell Me More...

EPISODE 30

Renee chats with Mike Stoddard of West Side Decorating Center about his journey in the paint and decorating industry.

Does your team reflect the diversity of the community you serve? This webinar covers hiring practices and the steps you can take in your business.

Upcoming Webinar

Inventory Management

JUNE 16 AT 2 P.M.

What long-term effects will the pandemic have on the way retailers manage inventory? This webinar will explore how retail inventory management may have changed.

“I’m a very touchy-feely, ‘I’ve got to see it and hold it’ person, so going to markets is my chance to get up close and personal with the products.”

Editorially Speaking

EPISODE 11

Melanie talks to Jackie Sacks about her career path and role on NHPA’s board of directors—and her picks for Category All-Stars.

Dent Johnson Do it Best

Mike Stoddard West Side Decorating Center

Jackie Sacks Roundtop Mercantile

EDUCATION

Explore the Academy for Retail Development

Visit YourNHPA.org/academy for more information on NHPA’s educational offerings.

APPLY TODAY

The deadline to apply for the 2021 class session is July 1.

Enroll in NHPA’s Retail Management Certification Program

Visit YourNHPA.org/rmcp to apply or download the brochure.

NHPA’S RETAIL Management

Certification Program is a six-month long, college-level course that prepares retailers with profit-focused store operations training. It is the industry’s premier management school and provides actionable training to help students and owners see immediate results and a return on investment (ROI).

Retail Management Certification Program students will learn how to

grow sales and profits and will walk away with an understanding of the following key topics.

• Applied business strategy

• Advanced retail operations

• Advertising and marketing

• Finance and accounting

• Budgeting and benchmarking

• Leadership and team building

• Human resources management

• Sales and customer service

“The 2021 Retail Management Certification Program is shaping up to be one of the strongest classes yet, as we will return to our traditional three-visit format with some new course modules and instructors that will be great additions to the program,” says Scott Wright, NHPA’s executive director of advanced retail education programs.

The first program visit will take place in August in Indianapolis.

Develop Category Experts

This NHPA training is available to Premier members. Visit YourNHPA.org/membership to learn more.

AT THIS POINT IN THE YEAR, consumers should be ramping up spring projects and making their to-do lists for the next few months. Now is the time to ensure your staff is equipped to help customers make the right decisions about what products they need to be successful. Refreshing their product knowledge with formal training will be time well spent as you dive into the busy season.

NHPA’s Project PRO series can help refresh your employees’ knowledge of common DIY projects while teaching them the value of add-on sales. The series includes 15 courses covering popular projects around the home, such as deck maintenance, lawn mower repair and replacing a faucet. Here are the key concepts employees will learn through these courses.

• Step-by-step project instructions. By watching PlanItDIY.com videos, employees will learn how to complete the project.

• How to improve customer service. Employees will understand how to recognize their customers’ project needs and answer frequently asked questions.

• Financial implications. Employees will learn how to increase transaction size using add-on sales and upselling techniques. They should also understand the impact that selling the entire project has on your company’s financial success.

The Project PRO series is available to NHPA Premier members. For more information, visit YourNHPA.org/membership

OPERATIONS

A Solid Foundation

Browse employee management and onboarding guides at hardwareretailing.com/onboarding TRENDS

OPERATIONS

Hiring Hand 3 Ways to Lend a

FINDING THE BEST CANDIDATES FOR YOUR BUSINESS

AFTER BEING DECLARED an essential industry during the earliest days of the pandemic, home improvement is attracting many job seekers. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that compared to the first quarter of 2020, the number of home improvement employees in the first quarter of 2021 has grown 7 percent.

Share what makes you unique.

Identifying what makes your business special is important to attract job seekers. Promoting your operation’s specific culture turns ambivalent candidates into people hungry to land a job. Highlight the perks of working at your operation and the ways your company gives back to the community to stand apart.

Improving your hiring process benefits your entire team. Get three tips from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) on how you can differentiate your business from other prospective employers and find top-tier candidates to fill your vacant positions. For more information, visit shrm.org.

Consider the candidate’s point of view.

Every step of the hiring process is a chance to remind the job seeker of the unique opportunity your company offers. From the initial pre-interview phone call to the new hire’s first day, prioritize their experience. It’s one way to meet a candidate halfway and introduce them to the expectations you have for them.

Keep the hiring process genuine.

Be clear and direct with what the position will entail, how long it will last and how it serves the company’s mission. That transparency gives job seekers the information they need to decide whether the job is a good fit, potentially self-regulating and preventing you from needing to refill the position in a few months.

GET EDGY

NEW PRODUCTS

PRODUCTS

Retailer Recommendations

Send a note to editorial@YourNHPA.org about products you can’t keep on the shelf. Include your name, your business name and reasons why you love them.

Spa Showerhead

Nebia by Moen uses a patented water delivery system that provides more pressure and more coverage while using less water. It includes a magnetically docking handsprayer and all the tools needed for installation.

MOEN moen.com or 800-289-6636

Dryer Exhaust Vent

Deflecto’s Airtight™ Galvanized Pipe with Wide Mouth Plastic Hood and Pest Guard is a 4-inch diameter dryer exhaust vent that features a damper to seal the vent when not in operation to prevent back drafts. It is pre-assembled with vent pipe and collar and includes a removable bird guard to keep birds and other pests from entering homes or nesting in the vent. The vent cover and bird guard are weather-resistant and include a UV inhibitor to prevent sun damage and cracking.

DEFLECTO deflecto.com or 800-428-4328

Anti-Fog Safety Glasses

Brass Knuckle® Spectrum™ safety glasses feature N-FOG™ anti-fog lens protection. It is permanently bonded to the lens and will not wash or wear off. The glasses also feature ratchet rubber temples for a custom fit and a second-generation PivotEase™ nose piece that slides up and down and pivots on a hinge for added secure fit.

BRASS KNUCKLE brassknuckleprotection.com or 770-674-8930

Utility Cart Cladding

KNAACK Cart Armor is designed to wrap around the eight most popular light-duty rolling tool carts used in the construction industry. The recessed lock design accommodates a variety of padlocks while preventing the lock from snagging on doorways, materials or clothing. It assembles with no exposed hardware and provides improved security, deterring thieves.

WERNERCO

knaack.com or 800-456-7865

Brushless Power Cutter

The LXT® Brushless 9-Inch Power Cutter by Makita has the power to cut through concrete, masonry and metal materials with all the benefits and convenience of cordless operation. It has a maximum cutting depth of 3 1⁄2 inches and is ideal for masons, roofers, plumbers, remodelers, construction workers, landscape and hardscape workers, metal fabricators, commercial framers, pipe fitters, vehicle mechanics, firefighters and more. It is powered by the 18V LXT Cordless System and features an integrated water delivery system.

MAKITA USA INC.

makitatools.com or 800-4625482

Double Sided Super Glue Tape

T-Rex® Double Sided Super Glue Tape instantly adheres to surfaces without staining them and will not bond to skin. It bonds to a variety of surfaces, including concrete, metal, wood, tile, glass, plastic, ceramic and fabric. T-Rex Double Sided Super Glue Tape is ideal for permanent mounting, as well as quick repairs.

SHURTAPE TECHNOLOGIES

trextape.com

NEW PRODUCTS

LED Floodlight

Bosch’s cordless, portable floodlight produces up to 10,000 lumens using a rechargeable 18V battery. It features Bluetooth® connectivity for remote operation, checking battery status and controlling the floodlight’s operation. It has three brightness settings: 10,000, 5,000 and 1,000 lumens. The floodlight is built with a solid metal body with two heavy-duty bars to protect the LED from impact and has an adjustable stand.

BOSCH TOOLS boschtools.com or 877-267-2499

Heavy-Duty Drain Pump

The Saniswift Pro from Saniflo USA is a heavy-duty drain pump designed to handle commercial as well as residential drainage applications. It can handle gray water from up to three fixtures and is encased in a robust, corrosion-resistant exterior that can be installed in hard-to-reach spaces. The Saniswift Pro can be serviced without disconnecting any piping and discharges up to 18 gallons per minute.

SANIFLO USA

saniflo.com or 800-571-8191

Smart Alarm Clock

The Sandman Doppler™ Smart Clock features easy-to-read auto-dimming digits with changeable color options, six high-speed USB-A charging ports, a compact footprint and Bluetooth and Alexa connectivity. It supports streaming via Pandora, Amazon Music, TuneIn, iHeartRadio, SiriusXM, Audible and Deezer with support for Spotify and others coming soon. It also has two programmable buttons to integrate with smart home technology.

PALO ALTO INNOVATION LLC sandmanclocks.com

Wood Boring Bit

Spyder STINGER™ Power Bits drill clean holes like Forstner bits and bore deep and straight like auger bits. They feature 1⁄4-inch impact-rated speed hex shanks and a nonthreaded center-point tip with chip relief. For use on wood without nails.

SPYDER PRODUCTS

spyderproducts.com or 888-471-2239

Bidet Seat

The Discovery DLS Bidet Seat by Bemis features a self-cleaning nozzle, built-in UV sterilization, a three-stage warm air dryer and low-profile design. The auto open/close seat has a built-in occupancy sensor and adjustable temperature controls. Discovery DLS fits elongated toilet bowls and includes a wireless remote control.

BEMIS biobidet.com or 847-458-2334

PRODUCTS

See More Products

To stay informed about new innovations and trends, subscribe to the twice monthly Hot Products newsletter at hardwareretailing.com/subscribe

Disinfectant Lighting

Globe Electric’s Near-UV Disinfectant Bulb kills up to 99 percent of germs, bacteria and other harmful pathogens from up to 9 feet away. Its standard (A19) shape and base (E26) allows the bulb to be installed in most fixtures, sockets and lamps. Dual mode allows users to switch between Near-UV disinfecting light and standard white light (3000K). Near-UV light will not fade or damage clothing, fabrics or paint. Near-UV is not effective against viruses.

GLOBE ELECTRIC globe-electric-com

Dual Material Lineman’s Pliers

Crescent Z2 9 ½ inch Dual Material Lineman’s Pliers feature a high leverage joint design that provides up to 35 percent greater cutting power. Laser-hardened cutting edges cut clean and remain sharp up to 50 percent longer. The pliers have cross-hatched jaws for gripping and pulling, ergonomic handles and a fish tape channel for use with flat steel tapes.

APEX TOOL GROUP crescenttool.com or 800-650-8665

Jag Clamps

These clamps are quick and safe to use for vertical and horizontal line holding. They provide secure gripping power, strong enough to hold long courses on brick, block, fencing and more. A string notch holds line in place when maneuvering.

BON®

bontool.com or 800-444-7060

CHECKOUTS

OUTREACH

Share Your Stories

Send your merchandising tips, event recaps, employee morale boosters and other stories to editorial@YourNHPA.org

Traction for Trades

RETAILER ORGANIZES SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

Benson Ace Hardware began offering scholarships in 2020 to local high school students who are either pursuing schooling in skilled trades or learning trades through apprenticeships.

THE NEED IS HIGH for workers who are skilled in construction, small engine repair, plumbing, electrical and HVAC work in Frederic and Webster, Wisconsin, the small towns where Benson Ace Hardware’s two stores are located. Commercial contractors are perpetually trying to find enough employees for careers that require technical skills, according to Zac Benson, general manager of Benson Ace Hardware.

“We wanted to do something to give back to the community,” he says. “Where we see the biggest struggle finding qualified candidates is in the trades.”

The stores promote two $500 trades scholarships for each of the two local high schools in an effort to encourage students to pursue careers in the trades. The students are required to have grade point averages of 2.5 or higher and be able to show proof of attending a trade school or working in an apprenticeship. Recipients are selected through a random drawing of names from all of the applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the scholarships. Winners can spend the scholarships however they choose.

From left: Students Adam Dreier and Tate Ovik received scholarships from Zac Benson and Stefan Benson of Benson Ace Hardware for pursuing careers in skilled trades.

Introducing the Experts

Orme Hardware in Ohio is using social media not only to promote its seven stores’ products and services, but also to introduce customers to the staff. Employees write brief video scripts to guide their content, then record themselves doing DIY projects.

The goal is to introduce customers to the experts who can help them at their local stores, and the videos are doing just that. After two employees created a video demonstrating how to apply wood stain to a deck, customers came to the store specifically asking for their help because they saw the staffers in the video.

Recycling for Good

Ashland General Hardware in Ashland, Oregon, offers a recycling program to help customers dispose of items that might otherwise be difficult to recycle. For small fees, the store recycles paint, light bulbs, water heaters, old grills, ink cartridges and batteries. The store donates the cost of labor for managing the recycling program, but charges what the store pays to have the items recycled at various recycling centers, which specialize in specific products.

“We wanted to provide an avenue for people to get rid of their waste ethically.”

—Jill

Emard Ashland General Hardware

“We wanted the kids to feel like rock stars.”

—Jason Haley Ace Hardware of Clarkston

Honoring New Grads

When parents of graduating high school seniors in Clarkston, Michigan, asked local people to find special ways to honor their grads who were missing out on prom and graduation ceremonies, a business owner joined in. Jason Haley, owner of Ace Hardware of Clarkston, decided his business would sponsor a few seniors, including some who work for him.

Haley compiled gifts from the store valued at about $200 each that included custom engraved stainless steel cups and delivered them in person. He also posted their photos on the store’s Facebook page to honor each student.

“We did it because we thought it was a wonderful idea the parents came up with,” Haley says. “We wanted the kids to feel like rock stars.”

Jason Haley of Ace Hardware of Clarkston delivers a gift to a local high school student.

The extensive line up of STIHL battery products features four tiers of performance — providing your customers with product offerings as diverse as their yard care needs. STIHL battery tools offer the same legendary quality and performance you’ve come to expect from STIHL in a lightweight and easy to use package.

CATEGORY ALL-STARS 2021

TRAINING

Become a PRO

Learn the basics of 15 common DIY projects with NHPA’s Project PRO training module, available with a Premier Membership. Sign up today at YourNHPA.org/membership

How 4 Retailers Have Built Success in Core Categories

BY LINDSEY THOMPSON & MELANIE MOUL

While there’s no one-size-fits-all strategy for success, home improvement retailers can look to their peers in the industry for ideas on developing basic core categories into destination-worthy all-star categories.

Hardware Retailing spoke to four retailers who have found success in categories that are considered to be necessary for a complete operation or meet unique needs in their communities and beyond: impulse; outdoor power equipment; hand and power tools; and housewares.

These retailers have developed their departments into category all-stars by focusing on eye-catching merchandising, having a broad product assortment and stocking unique items that customers can’t find anywhere else.

On the following pages, discover how these retailers got started in growing their all-stars, and get key tips for turning an opportunity category in your operation from basic to booming.

• Larson’s Hardware Hank

With its colorful and delicious selection of gourmet sodas, Larson’s Hardware Hank has drawn in customers and created a successful impulse niche.

• Peter’s True Value

Already having a solid professional customer base in its outdoor categories set up Peter’s True Value to build on its success on the DIY side with a wide variety of outdoor power equipment products.

• Trading Post Hardware

By utilizing creative merchandising and displays, Trading Post Hardware revitalized its hand and power tool categories, making it easier for DIY customers to shop.

• Lehman’s

With its roots firmly planted in helping people get back to a simpler lifestyle, Lehman’s stocks a broad selection of housewares products that attracts customers from throughout the country.

Featuring national brands and specialty sodas from around the country, the drink cooler at Larson’s Hardware Hank is a customer favorite with more than 150 varieties of fizzy refreshments. SUPER SELECTION

Impulse

Satisfying Customers With Super Selection

Boasting over 150 varieties, the soda selection at Larson’s Hardware Hank in Osage, Iowa, offers a colorful impulse opportunity that catches customers’ attention as soon as they walk through the door. Steve Bremer and his wife Carrie, owners of Larson’s Hardware Hank, decided to sell gourmet soda four years ago after seeing a similar display at their wholesaler market.

Bremer started with 60 unusual brands of soda in the store, stocking the product on existing shelves. When a local grocery store sold all of its coolers, Bremer purchased an 8-foot section of coolers as another spot to display soda.

“Thanks to that cooler, we now have over 120 varieties of soda that customers can buy cold and 150 types of soda in all,” he says.

Even with the wide variety the store currently stocks, Bremer is always looking for new sodas to add to the mix. He still works with the vendor he discovered at the wholesaler market, and

that company does the legwork to find new soda varieties to sell in the store. Bremer purchases primarily based on what the vendor recommends.

“The soda moves quite well for us,” he says. “We order by the pallet several times a year, which helps keep our inventory rotated and gives us a chance to try new flavors without a large investment.”

Bremer says he also uses a nearby soda distributor to bring in as many local flavors as he can find.

Customers love the eye-catching display and being able to find sodas that remind them of other places they’ve lived or visited. Bremer says it’s easy to spot new customers because their eyes light up when they see the soda coolers for the first time.

“We also have many repeat customers and always try to keep their favorites on hand,” Bremer says. “If their favorites aren’t available, they ask our staff for recommendations, so we have to keep up on our sampling.”

SELLING LOCAL

Larson’s Hardware Hank also focuses its impulse consumables on products made in Iowa, selling a locally made bug spray and local barbecue sauces and salsas.

Bremer advertises the soda in flyers and on the store’s Facebook page, and he says they see many repeat customers after an initial soda purchase. He also runs contests geared toward kids, giving away soda-for-a-year cards in random drawings.

“We are always looking to increase foot traffic, so if the kids bring their parents in, we have that opportunity for add-on sales,” says Bremer.

Next to the soda cooler, the store provides cardboard bottle holders for customers to create their own four-packs.

“We have customers who give away the four-packs as birthday gifts or purchase them for themselves to enjoy at family movie nights,” says Bremer.

Along with soda, Larson’s also stocks other impulse products near the registers. Bremer says he loves selling Iowa-made products and currently has a locally made bug repellent and a local barbecue sauce, which is one of the store’s biggest sellers.

Impulse 3 TIPS FOR SELLING

GO FOR NOSTALGIA

Tug on customers’ heart strings and focus on the familiar and well-loved when marketing impulse buys. At Larson’s Hardware Hank, customers love the selection of sodas from around the country, and they enjoy finding sodas they drank as kids or a local drink from a vacation spot or their hometown.

CREATE A CONTEST

Larson runs a contest where kids can enter a random drawing for soda-for-a-year cards. The punch cards are good for 52 sodas, and the winning kids are allowed to redeem multiple sodas in one visit so they can share with their siblings. The punch cards are kept at the register so parents don’t have to keep track of them.

MIX AND MATCH

Customers can build their own four packs of soda with the provided carriers at Larson’s. Even if you don’t have such a broad soda selection, you can follow Larson’s lead by offering promotions, like a buy 2, get 1 free deal on all products in your checkout lane or a drink for $1 with every purchase of a local snack item.

Outdoor Equipment

Feeling Fine Outside

From outdoor living to outdoor power equipment, Peter Grebeck, owner of three Peter’s True Value in Michigan, has embraced several outdoor-related categories to offer something for all his customers.

The company has built a reputation for its selection of large outdoor power equipment (OPE), in addition to carrying parts for all the brands the store stocks. Grebeck not only maintains a large inventory of parts, but also offers them at competitive prices. Each store also has full maintenance and repair services, making Peter’s True Value a one-stop shop for power equipment.

While commercial sales is a big focus for Grebeck, because of the pandemic, he has seen more homeowners doing large outdoor projects on their own and renting or buying equipment he typically rents and sells to professional contractors.

“Because of COVID-19, we’re seeing a lot more people doing things on their own,” Grebeck says. “We have a lot more DIYers renting rototillers from us to do their gardens or getting chainsaws for yard work.”

Grebeck has added digital road signs to the stores and displays rental equipment and large power equipment outside, both of which have drawn more attention to these items and brought in more customers.

“Because of COVID-19, we’re seeing a lot more people doing things on their own.”

—Peter Grebeck

Peter’s True Value

Each of the three locations of Peter’s True Value utilizes large, eye-catching outdoor displays and electronic signs to grab customers’ attention. DAZZLING DISPLAYS

TRAINING

Selling the Outdoors

Discover the add-on products you can sell to customers purchasing patio furniture to help make their outdoor living spaces more comfortable at YourNHPA.org/selling-skills

The employees at Peter’s True Value are equipped to sell all of these outdoor items thanks to in-store training and virtual training from the various vendors.

“Especially when it comes to power equipment, we want our employees to be knowledgeable and informed to assist customers in not only purchasing the right equipment, but also being able to use it safely,” Grebeck says.

In addition to OPE, Peter’s True Value has also always stocked a large selection of grills and accessories. Recently the business has started focusing more on the recreation side.

“With the big increase in backyard activities, we started to strengthen our outdoor living

category with a bigger focus on grilling and backyard activities,” says Grebeck. “So along with the traditional bags of fertilizer and grass seed you see in the outdoor category, we also sell coolers, citronella candles and accessories, lawn chairs and more.”

The company has also carved out a successful niche renting party equipment, including tents, tables, chairs, bounce houses, dance floors and hot dog, popcorn and nacho machines.

“Basically, we’re a one-stop shop, from helping customers get their yards ready for the party to providing the tents and accessories they need for the party,” says Grebeck.

Outdoor Equipment 3 TIPS FOR SELLING

MAKE IT BROAD

Consumers have changed how they live at home over the last year, so outdoor equipment includes everything it takes to make a yard enjoyable. From the large power equipment they need to renovate a yard to grills and patio furniture, be ready to help your customers through their whole project.

INVEST IN PARTY RENTAL

Having power equipment and tools available for rent is only one side of the rental equation. As people start to gather again this summer, have tents, bounce houses, tables, chairs and other party options available to rent in your department.

DON’T SKIP TRAINING

Whether someone is buying outdoor power equipment or renting, it’s critical they’re prepared to operate it once they get it home. Consider bringing in a pro customer or a vendor to host a training day on all the equipment you rent so your employees can have hands-on experience to pass on to customers.

The hand tool department at Trading Post Hardware features sliders on the gondolas that keep products organized and allow customers to easily see and shop the selection of items.

Hand & Power Tools

Taking Tools to the Next Level

Looking closely at the hand and power tool category at Trading Post Hardware in Rathdrum, Idaho, proves that success doesn’t always happen overnight. Using old-fashioned trial and error and a willingness to be flexible, general manager Matt Smith experimented with merchandising for the store’s power and hand tool categories, turning them into top-notch departments.

In 2016, the company moved to a brand new building. Smith and his team wanted to keep many of the same design concepts from the old store, including the Tool Corral, which is set off by rustic wood beams and artificial grass flooring. It was created to be a designated area for power and outdoor tools.

Smith says the Tool Corral space was functional, but a boom in business with grills and barbecue accessories led him to reevaluate how to best use the space. He turned the Tool Corral into a dedicated space for the barbecue products and moved the power tools into a traditional gondola, using the manufacturer headers and painting the pegboards black so the products stood out.

Trading Post Hardware’s hand tools area was also a lesson in flexibility. When the new location opened, Smith used sliders on the hand tool gondolas to better organize the space and display more product. He ended up reducing the number of sliders when it became clear more sliders didn’t equate to better merchandising.

“There was a trick to getting it right. When something works in theory, but doesn’t quite work

Give Your Tools a Hand

Hand tools is a staple category for many hardware stores and a reliable source of sales. Learn ways to breathe new life into your hand tools category at hardwareretailing.com/hand-tools-category

in practice, you make adjustments,” says Smith. “We reduced the number of sliders for the hand tools and that really made the space work better for us.”

Smith anchors the hand tools department with a 12-foot assortment of brand name tools, which makes a big impression on customers. The breadth of the assortment helps solidify the store's place as a destination for the category.

Trading Post Hardware also caters to woodworkers, carrying a line of specialty hand tools, blades, router bits and accessories that continues to attract repeat customers. Smith has merchandised these specialty products in a similar way to the other hand tools, making it easy for customers to find what they need.

“There was a trick to getting it right. When something works in theory, but doesn’t quite work in practice, you make adjustments.”

—Matt Smith Trading Post Hardware

Hand & Power Tools 3 TIPS FOR SELLING

GO FOR THE “WOW” FACTOR

Whether it’s dedicating a room in your store to hand and power tools, or creating eye-catching displays, give your customers something to write home about with this department—or at least snap a picture of to share with their friends on social media.

MIX IT UP

What you stock in your hand and power tool departments depends on the needs of your customers, what kinds of DIY projects are trending and how often you want to make changes. Work with your wholesaler representative to determine the right product mix and system for trying out new products.

MAXIMIZE SPACE

If you’re going to stock a broad selection of SKUs in hand and power tools, choosing smart merchandising solutions is key. Trading Post Hardware uses sliding gondolas to efficiently store more product options while making the department easier to shop.

Housewares

Simple Yet Vast

When Galen Lehman’s father founded Lehman’s in Ohio in 1955, he found a key customer base that no other business was focused on: Amish residents in his community. While other retailers were highlighting the benefits of electric kitchen gadgets and modernizing the home, Jay Lehman recognized the needs of the members in his community who were dedicated to a simpler lifestyle.

“Dad had to find his own way to stand out from the competition,” Galen says. “He focused on getting them what they needed, and within a few years, we were the premier local supplier for the Amish community.”

Housewares has always been a key category, and today it represents about 20 percent of the operation’s overall sales. The department started when Amish customers came in looking for canning supplies at the last minute. Lehman’s was able to meet their needs, and after that point, it just kept growing as customers started requesting other cookware and kitchenware items. Galen says the customer base has expanded beyond Amish customers in recent years as people are seeking out a simpler life.

“The idea that we’re helping people pursue a simpler life came naturally to us,” he says. “We were blessed by the fact that

BOTTOM TO TOP

In the housewares department at Lehman’s, customers have a broad selection of styles and price points for their everyday and their once-in-a-while kitchen tools.

Honing Housewares

See how two retailers focused on their customers’ needs and navigated current lifestyle trends to build up their housewares category at hardwareretailing.com/houseware-trends

in the last five to 10 years, the whole market has moved that way. We caught the wave at a good time.”

As the department and customer base have grown, so has Lehman’s approach to product mix. While they don’t stock many electric kitchen tools or appliances, they stock the whole range of baking, cooking and food prep tools and gadgets.

“We want to cover the waterfront in this category because it’s something we’re known for,” Galen says. “From American-made cookie sheets to inexpensive imports across all price ranges, we want to present a good, better and best option for our customers.”

In addition to stocking existing tools and products, Lehman’s has even started manufacturing when the products aren’t

available. A few years ago, Galen says butter churns weren’t available anywhere, which is something his customers ask for. So, they designed their own, did some testing and started building them in their repair shop.

Today, Lehman’s is the only place to stock a practical American-made butter churn.

Stocking hard-to-find or quirky housewares items has added to the charm of the store, and Galen says they have customers drive in from states away to browse the aisles. It’s not uncommon for the same people to still be in the store when he leaves for lunch who were there when he came in at the start of the day.

“We have been able to develop our store into a destination,” he says. “People know there’s a reason to come here.”

Housewares 3 TIPS FOR SELLING

IDENTIFY AN UNDERSERVED CUSTOMER

Amish customers are a core part of Lehman’s base, and it’s because they know the store has everything they need, and if they don’t, the staff will do what they can to find it. From the very start, Lehman’s committed to serving people who wanted to live simply, and it is a key part of the company’s mission today.

STOCK UNIQUE PRODUCTS

In hardware, there are bits and bobbles that people probably ask you for all the time. The same is true for housewares, which can make the category a destination opportunity for your store. Talk to your wholesaler or kitchenware vendor about boosting the one-of-a-kind product mix in your department.

MAXIMIZE YOUR SELECTION

The footprint of Lehman’s store is a quarter-mile from end to end, which gives them plenty of space to spread out their departments. Even with a smaller salesfloor, you can be sure you’re following the good, better, best principle to give your customers a broad selection of items to choose from.

Listen Up

Learn more about Blackhawk Hardware on the “Tell Me More” podcast featuring Andy and Jim Wilkerson at YourNHPA.org/tmm-pod

A Hawk-Eyed

V i ew

CHARLOTTE RETAILER PRIORITIZES

THE CUSTOMER & EMPLOYEE EXPERIENCE

BY RENEE CHANGNON

For locals in Charlotte, North Carolina, a trip to Blackhawk Hardware is more than just a pit stop on a long list of errands. The team strives to deliver quick and efficient service, but customers appreciate the store’s perks so much they like to linger.

“We focus on providing a great experience to those who shop with us,” says Blackhawk Hardware owner Andy Wilkerson. “People view coming to the store as something they look forward to doing and not a chore.”

Whether kids are playing with the store dogs, Nacho and Scout, or customers are enjoying a bag of free popcorn while they explore the housewares department, Blackhawk Hardware evokes excitement.

The business has been serving its community since 1977. Over the years, Andy and his parents, owners Barb and Jim Wilkerson, have focused on evolving with the changing needs of their customers.

Learn how the operation has changed over the years, discover the niche categories where they’ve found success and see how their investment in a strong company culture has set them up for a promising future.

MUST LOVE DOGS

Blackhawk Hardware owners (from left) Jim, Andy and Barb Wilkerson, along with dogs Nacho and Scout, run a family-focused and pet-friendly business in North Carolina.

Family-Focused Business

Before Blackhawk Hardware opened its doors, Jim was a traveling salesman in the 1970s who was looking for something more fulfilling. As he was walking through a hardware store one day, he realized owning and operating his own hardware store would be a more rewarding path for him.

He immediately began researching how he could make it a reality and put together a business plan. About a year and a half later, he and Barb opened Blackhawk Hardware.

“We chose the name because we wanted our business to show up in the front section of the phone book,” Jim says. “It’s unique enough to remember and isn’t tied to a location. It’s been Blackhawk Hardware ever since.”

Their original building was about 7,500 square feet, but they could only afford to merchandise 5,000 square feet of the store at first.

Just as many of the store’s customers have fond memories of visiting Blackhawk Hardware when they were younger, Andy also has warm memories of growing up in the store and being a part of the business at a young age.

“My parents encouraged me to work outside the business to understand there are other ways of doing things,” he says. “That experience allows you to see what your family business does well and what it can work on improving.”

After earning a master’s degree in industrial design, Andy started a career at an industrial design firm in Charlotte. He enjoyed what he was doing, but after a few years, he decided to return to Blackhawk Hardware to begin his career in the family business.

Blackhawk Hardware got its name because owner Jim Wilkerson wanted it to be in the first half of the phone book. He was looking up company names in a Chicago phone book when he saw Blackhawk. The name has remained the same ever since they opened in 1977.

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With many customers bringing their dogs to Blackhawk Hardware, the Wilkersons decided to invest in a dog washing station for the store. Customers can bring their pooch shopping, give them a quick wash and pick up

The team at Blackhawk Hardware strives to create memorable moments for the customers’ they serve. From offering a dog wash station to free popcorn, a positive customer experience is a priority.

Understanding Customers

While Blackhawk Hardware is in the same shopping center as when it originally opened its doors, its current location is nearly ten times as large as the original store. Jim was constantly looking to grow the footprint of the business, and he found an opportunity to expand when the local J.C. Penney store moved to a new location in 1991. Blackhawk Hardware moved into the space the same year.

“Growing the salesfloor from 10,000 square feet to 30,000 square feet in one leap was an adventure,” Jim says. “It was a trial for several years but ended up being the best thing we’d ever done.”

In the past year, the business went through a remodel and expansion, opening up the basement of the building to expand the salesfloor. They added an elevator and are in the process of installing a spiral slide so customers can go from the main level to the basement.

“For us, it’s all about finding ways to enhance the customer experience, and we think something fun like adding a slide will help us do that,” Andy says. “It’s like the popcorn we give

out for free, the store dogs that make people smile or hiring musicians to play out front—those things set us apart from the competition.”

For multiple generations of shoppers, the store has also gained a reputation as the place to visit for all things Christmas.

While they have a broad selection of holiday items, the Wilkersons chose to specialize in ornaments and tabletop decorations, and they take sourcing those items seriously. Barb and another buyer from the store typically fly to the Netherlands to visit a Christmas manufacturing warehouse each December to buy for the next holiday season.

“We try to offer products for the holiday season that our customers can’t find in most places,” Andy says. “The items are elegant, but not so expensive that our customers disregard them.”

Outside of the holiday season, top categories for Blackhawk Hardware include housewares and their kitchen shop, which features kitchen gadgets and tabletop dining accessories, as well as cabinet hardware.

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There’s an App for That

Learn how independent and big-box retailers are engaging and entertaining customers with mobile apps at hardwareretailing.com/apps

“We started adding niches early on,” Jim says. “One thing I’ve learned is you really have to make a commitment when you go into something. You have to feel it out and see if it’s going to become a success, and sometimes you’re not sure if a niche will work.”

One niche that didn’t pan out for the store was wallcoverings. The store sold wallpaper for a while, but when the team realized it wasn’t lucrative, they focused on housewares instead.

“We are now up to 10,000 square feet in that category alone,” Jims says.

In addition to having an extensive housewares department, Blackhawk Hardware added a pet department that attracts local pet owners looking for high-end dog and cat food, treats, toys and an on-site iClean Dog Wash station.

“We’ve welcomed our customers’ dogs to shop with them at the store for years now, which our customers

love,” Andy says. “So when we discovered this company that makes dog washing stations, we decided to invest and offer it as a service for our customers. It costs us 89 cents per wash and we charge $10, so there is a whole lot of profit in it.”

Taking Care in a Crisis

When the COVID-19 pandemic was declared in March 2020, the team at Blackhawk Hardware stepped up and helped provide their community with the essentials they needed.

“People were a bit on edge in the beginning, but overall they were just happy to be able to shop with us,” Andy says. “Our customers were great about respecting the rules and wearing masks, which helped remove that added stress of requesting them to put one on.”

In the following months, customers not only shopped in the store, but also bought new and unique items

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“For us, culture eats strategy for breakfast. If you don’t have the right culture and your employees don’t buy into it, your strategy won’t work.”

—Jim Wilkerson, Blackhawk Hardware

online through the store’s co-op and picked them up in store. The orders they placed helped the team discover new items to stock at Blackhawk Hardware, like the EGO Power+ products, a line of battery-operated chainsaws, blowers, trimmers and lawn mowers.

As more people were staying home, customers were buying more items to improve their spaces and enjoy the extra time at home. Grill sales at the store increased 50 percent from the year before.

Beyond adjusting to the new needs of their customers, a bigger challenge the Wilkersons faced was having half of

their staff concerned about contracting the virus and choosing to stay home for their safety.

“We were doing much of the same business but with fewer employees,” Andy says. “It was a culture change, but our team came together, and we found ways to support each other and make it a fun environment to work in.”

Through the pandemic, Jim, Barb and Andy made sure that not only were their customers cared for, but so were their employees. The average employee at Blackhawk Hardware has been there for 14 years; some have been there 35 years.

“For us, culture eats strategy for breakfast,” Jim says. “If you don’t have the right culture and your employees don’t buy into it, your strategy won’t work. You can train someone about plumbing or electrical, but you can’t train someone on their personality.”

According to Jim, early on they realized they had a significant amount of older, retired people working for them who would be at a higher risk of getting sick. So Jim, Barb and Andy wrote a letter to their team of employees about how they would move forward. In the letter, they explained that the management team knew it would be challenging for many of the employees to work in person and asked those who could work to do so. They also said they would continue to pay anyone who couldn’t work.

“Our entire team who could stepped up and agreed to help,” Jim says. “Barb and I didn’t take a salary until the PPP loan came through because we wanted to make sure we could pay all of our employees through the pandemic. I can’t say enough about our employees looking out for each other. It really is a family here.”

While the last year had its challenges, the Blackhawk Hardware team became stronger and is seeing business return to normal. The next thing the Wilkersons are looking forward to is returning to industry buying shows that allow them to source great products.

Not only do trade shows allow the team to find great products, but also to interact with retailers in the home improvement industry as well.

“I’ve never met a bad person in our industry,” Andy says. “The retailers we’ve met are always willing to help us out, and we do the same for others.”

DESTINATION CHRISTMAS

Blackhawk Hardware has become a popular retailer for all things Christmas in the Charlotte area. Customers can discover high-quality pieces they won’t be able find find anywhere else.

Retailers With Growth Plans

Read about retailers who have grown their businesses at hardwareretailing.com/expansion

Retail by Design OPERATIONS

How Vassar Building Center Solidified Its Brand

BY TODD TABER

In October 2020, Mike MacKay stood beside his wife Brenda at the front doors of the newly relocated Vassar Building Center in Michigan.

After more than a year of meticulous planning to design a new retail space, the MacKays were ready to cut the ribbon and safely welcome shoppers to their new location.

Mike had collaborated closely with Do it Best to build not just a new location for the business, but to create a space that celebrated Vassar’s shop local history and welcomed all shoppers while strengthening the Vassar Building Center brand.

On the following pages, learn how Mike worked with familiar faces to create an entirely new shopping experience for the Vassar community and

along the way found new opportunities to strengthen the Vassar Building Center brand.

“We always felt our previous location didn’t reflect who we are as a company,” Mike says. “We always thought somehow, some way, we’re going to get a building that reflects us.”

Choosing Growth

Mike and his team had been considering expanding the business for years, but the perfect space and the perfect time to move never aligned.

“We’d been talking about adding on to our existing store for a long time, but every way we looked, we never came up with a solid plan to get the space we needed,” Mike says.

NEW CHAPTER

Mike and Brenda MacKay, co-owners of Vassar Building Center, say expanding to a new location brought new categories and customers to their operation.

The new Vassar Building Center location features vibrant signage throughout the interior and exterior, advertising the store and main home improvement product categories clearly.

“We always felt our previous location didn’t reflect who we are as a company. We always thought somehow, some way, we’re going to get a building that reflects us.”

—Mike MacKay, Vassar Building Center

When a nearby discount store and former Ford dealership went out of business, Mike and Brenda were immediately interested in the property. First the pair considered it as a storage space for bulkier inventory, but later came to see it as a great prospect for expanding their footprint.

“One day, we were talking, and we realized that our old building was holding us back,” Mike says. “It was preventing us from getting into new categories and expanding the product mix we already had.”

As the MacKays began planning their expansion, their co-op, Do it Best, inquired whether they’d be interested in expanding into a new type of store for the company, a prototype home improvement center that drew inspiration from consumer-focused national retail chains.

Do it Best collaborated with a design firm to plan the new prototype. The new store model would prioritize the shopper experience with wider aisles, additional lighting and bold graphics on the building’s exteriors. Its goal would be to uphold what traditional DIY customers loved about their local home improvement center while creating a shopping space focused on customer satisfaction that enticed other shoppers as well.

“The design team really wanted to highlight our local history,” Mike says. “They asked for historical photos of the business—people who used to work here, the trucks they drove.”

Those mementos were transformed into striking details that highlight the history of the company and serve as a reminder the Vassar brand has been serving the community for more than 50 years.

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Share Your Brand

Discover new ways to share your brand online and in person at hardwareretailing.com/branding-guide

An Inside Job

As the MacKays began planning their new retail space in late 2019, they soon realized a familiar face was there to help them along.

Years before, Mike had hired a fresh college graduate named Cherié Jacobs (then Swaffer). She worked in the business for a short time, making a name for herself as a creative team member who offered Mike exterior painting and design suggestions to beautify the building.

She left the company, and years later, Mike met her again in her new role: as a member of the Do it Best retail store design team.

As a former Vassar Building Center employee and current Do it Best team member, Cherié saw the project from two angles: understanding what the MacKays wanted to preserve from their old structure and fulfilling Do it Best’s goal to modernize the home improvement shopping experience.

“It was so easy to talk to her,” Mike says. “Our previous connection with her was an advantage. We both felt comfortable with one another and focused on the project.”

As the final pieces of the design puzzle fell into place, construction began to renovate the former discount store into the new Vassar building.

A Bigger Brand

Construction on the new Vassar location began in November 2019 and was almost immediately stalled by complications from COVID-19.

Mike credits the construction crews and the Do it Best design team for keeping the project on track through a range of obstacles, including supply chain disruptions and social distancing.

In the end, Mike and his team nearly doubled their existing footprint. The new retail space measures roughly 20,000 square feet, and the company was able

EXPANDED POTENTIAL

Moving into a new location allowed the co-owners to triple the size of the existing kitchen design center.

to double—in some cases even triple— the space for certain departments.

The previous location had a kitchen design center, but its footprint tripled at the new location, better able to show customers potential projects, design mock-ups and hold consultations.

Mike was also able to bring in more products to satisfy customers, expanding his selection of popular grills and workwear specifically.

The new location also included The Color Bar, an interactive paint destination that allows customers to explore color with technology and tried-and-true paint samples.

Mike also reconsidered how his business merchandised endcaps. Previously, his endcaps were promotional, focused on a single product at a great price. At the new location, Mike says the endcaps are closer to “storytelling,” highlighting

specific projects and offering a suite of products to accomplish them.

Besides the enhancements to the physical space, Mike and his team quickly discovered a new opportunity afforded at the new location: a chance to strengthen their brand recognition in the community.

As the new location drove word of mouth in the community, Mike slowly noticed his customer demographics begin to shift.

“The first thing we noticed was more female shoppers, then couples,” Mike says. “Before, you’d see men shopping the store alone, you’d never see couples, but that all changed at the new store.”

Mike says he knew the company had succeeded in reinforcing its brand when the holiday sales season arrived. Previously, his customers visited the former location for a single product or the materials for a one-off project.

Compare. Assess. Improve.

When you participate in the Cost of Doing Business Study, it can help you to identify future ﬁnancial opportunities and set goals for your business. It’s free, easy and conﬁdential.

“With

Cost of Doing Business Study

the Cost o f D o i ng B us i ness S tu d y , you can see how well you’re doing compared to the industry. Tracking your metrics without itis like having a map without a compass, no true sense of direction.”

Brett Thorne | Thorne Lumber

Tips to Build Your Brand 4

customers.

Here are quick tips from social media marketing firm HubSpot to use as daily opportunities to define and share your brand with customers

Develop a brand voice. Identify what your brand stands for: what you represent and how you want people to talk about it. By identifying your brand voice, you can filter that knowledge into the emails, blogs and social media posts you create.

Be consistent on social media. You don’t have to post hourly or even every day, but be sure you’re sharing special events, important milestones and slice-of-life action from your store on social media. This will net you followers and potential new customers.

Prioritize customer service. Even thorny situations are chances to better your brand. Go above and beyond what a customer expects after a negative experience. Eventually, your focus will result in stellar reviews from customers, helping build your credibility.

Host educational classes. Data shows younger shoppers need more how-to’s than previous generations. Embrace that trend by hosting in-store classes on gardening, simple DIY fixes and new products. Stream these events online to capture a wide audience.

COMMUNITY

Build a Network

Partnering with local organizations can help you. Read five reasons why at hardwareretailing.com/main-streets

“Right around Christmas, we started to notice people were truly shopping the store,” he says. “At the new location, people aren’t focused on getting a single product, they want to look around and discover something new.”

One customer told Mike he did all his Christmas shopping at Vassar Building Center, finding gifts for his wife and two sons in a single trip.

“It’s nice that our customers don’t have to leave the community to get big brands,” Mike says.

A New Chapter

Mike says the initial reaction to the building has been extremely positive.

“People come in and their jaws drop,” he says.

The company hosted a subdued opening ceremony to accommodate COVID-19 safety protocols, but are currently planning for a bigger celebration in the near future.

“After the ribbon cutting, the building felt like our own. Once we were done for the day, we shut the lights off, closed the doors and thought, ‘This is really ours.’”

—Mike

MacKay, Vassar Building Center

“After the ribbon cutting, the building felt like our own,” he says. “Once we were done for the day, we shut the lights off, closed the doors and thought, ‘This is really ours.’”

NO OTHER HEADLAMP CAN DO ALL OF THIS

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TRAINING

MADE EASY

How NHPA Can Help You Create an Effective Training Program

BY JESSE CARLETON

Friendly, competent, fast; that’s what customers want from their shopping experience. According to a 2020 poll by J.D. Power, home improvement retailers who rank highest in customer satisfaction are those who deliver knowledgeable customer service within two minutes or less. Satisfaction scores tumble when customers have to wait more than five minutes for help.

Simply put, if your frontline workers keep asking shoppers to wait until they can find someone who can help them, then you’re killing your customer service. Every employee should be equipped to help. That’s why training is so important.

With more than 40 on-demand training courses, the North American Hardware and Paint Association (NHPA) can get your employees the knowledge they need to help every customer. And even though you’re busy managing every other part of your operation, setting up a training program may be easier than you think. NHPA has done a lot of the work for you.

On the following pages, take a tour of the training resources NHPA offers, including the breadth of content offered in the courses and tools that can help you design and maintain a training plan for your operation.

Rev Up Your Customer Service

To learn about how becoming an NHPA Premier Member can boost your training program, visit YourNHPA.org/membership

Onboarding Handbook

An employee’s first few days on the job are critical, as they set the tone for the remainder of their time with your company. NHPA’s Onboarding Handbook contains best practices and checklists for introducing an employee to their role in your company. The Handbook can help you formalize your onboarding program so you have a firm foundation to build on as your new employees move up through the organization.

Charting Your Course

Whatever your training goals may be, NHPA has resources to help you get there. All of these tools work in conjunction with each other for a more complete training program.

Train the Trainer

During the onboarding process, the new employee should begin their formal retail skills training. The Train the Trainer guide walks you through the nine components of setting up a training program, along with best practices for on-the-job mentorship and ongoing education for veteran employees.

Online Training

NHPA’s learning management system (LMS) is an online platform that makes it easy to manage course assignments for all of your employees. Getting your store set up on the LMS is easy. You’ll get email notifications when employees complete a course, allowing you to monitor staff’s progress.

Path to Success

When you’re ready to begin training, you might wonder, “Where do I start?” NHPA’s Path to Success gives you a bird’s-eye view of NHPA’s courses, showing the progression of basic to advanced content. It can be your guide to creating a customized training path for your operation.

Points and Badges

Once you have a training program set up and have given each employee their assignments, a gamification feature on the LMS can keep them motivated. Employees earn points and badges as they complete courses. Badges are shown on a leaderboard that can inspire friendly competition among the staff.

Certified to Help

Publicly recognize your employees’ training achievements with NHPA’s Certified to Help designation. Qualifying retailers will receive a set of marketing materials from NHPA with the message, “Certified to Help” and “Help is on the way.” The marketing reinforces the high-quality service message you want to send your customers.

Even after employees have completed a regimen of training, it’s important to offer regular refreshers. The Trainer’s Toolbox provides everything you need to lead a short training session during an employee meeting. Each lesson takes about 5 minutes. The series covers a variety of topics, including merchandising, selling skills, product knowledge and operations.

Training should start on an

NHPA Membership Options

FEATURES

Subscription to Hardware Retailing

Subscription to Paint & Decorating Retailer

Free training resources and guides

Digital newsletters

Level 100 courses

Level 200 courses

Onboarding Handbook

Basic Knowledge for Every Employee

The “Our Three Pennies of Profit” course explains retail profit and loss. Access it at YourNHPA.org/membership

Training Topics

NHPA’s training covers the fundamentals of what an employee needs to know to succeed in a home improvement retail business. Course content covers five major areas, each intended to develop a well-rounded employee who can be an asset to your organization.

Selling Skills

Putting product knowledge to use requires an understanding of the proper way to interact with customers and deal with potential problems. Help your employees create a better customer service experience while also looking for ways to increase transaction size.

Merchandising

Product Knowledge

Home improvement retail employees need basic knowledge of hundreds of products to sell projects to customers. NHPA offers training in eight core home improvement categories, eight building materials categories and advanced training in paint.

Operations

All employees can benefit from some understanding of the operational side of the business. Courses offer an introduction to major operational areas, including the basics of profit and loss, inventory management, pricing and accounting.

Understanding the importance of merchandising will make employees more aware of the role they play in keeping a well-maintained store. This program explains the different types of merchandising and how they all work together to make a productive salesfloor.

Leadership

For employees who want to advance in their company, NHPA offers courses in leadership, management and business best practices. As part of these courses, students interact with their peers and instructors to enhance their learning. There are virtual and live options.

Your Path to Retail Education

As the industry leader for education and training, NHPA offers programs, courses and tools to help you create an effective training program, boost employee confidence and build your leadership bench.

Basic Employee Training

Cost: Included with Premier Membership

NHPA offers 38 online courses across eight key topics to help new and seasoned employees gain a better understanding of basic retail practices.

400

Comprehensive Retail Training

Cost: Tuition, course materials and travel

NHPA’s Retail Management Certification Program is a college-level course designed to teach key employees, future owners and retailers effective business practices for owning and operating a home improvement operation. Sessions are taught by successful retailers, university professors and industry experts.

Executive Education

Cost: Participation fee and travel

NHPA provides independent retailers from all wholesale affiliations with opportunities to connect with one another at networking roundtable events. With agendas set by the retailers in attendance, topics cover best practices and common challenges.

Advanced Employee Training

Cost: Included with Premier Membership

These online courses can give employees, managers or owners a better understanding of some of the core operational and sales fundamentals that are key to running a successful business.

Leadership & Management Training

Cost: Course fees and materials

NHPA offers several courses in its Foundations of Leadership Program to help new managers understand key concepts of leadership and personal development. Each course offers industry-specific training for effective communication, problem-solving and building and leading teams. These nine-week courses are online and built with flexibility for busy schedules.

• 20X longer than asphalt

• Comes with a lifetime warranty EASY TO USE

• Guns easily in cold temperatures

New Colors

WHITE provides a durable, flexible, watertight seal for gutters, drain spouts, lap joints, flashings, roof vents, aluminum siding, and other white metal joints. Stands up to weather and temperature extremes. USE BLACK when you want to match old asphalt, tar, or for inspectors to easily see finished work Learn more about why you should stock Sashco at sashco.com/stock-high-performance

Ideal for these applications

Sealing over nails that have been driven into the roof to hold down flashing for edges, valleys, peaks, and pipe boots

Use along edges of PVC and ABS vents and skylights

Sealing the base of chimneys

Sealing gaps in gutters and downspouts

Technology

CUT NOZZLE to desired bead size at a 45 degree angle

PLASTIC PACKAGING ensures a longer shelf-life

DRIPLESS CARTRIDGE ...because we all get annoyed with having to clean up the extra sealant that drips out of the tube

Independents Unite

SMALL BUSINESS RISING SEEKS TO COMBAT MONOPOLIES

A NEW COALITION of independent businesses is urging policymakers to rein in monopolies and level the playing field that has long left independents at a disadvantage.

Called Small Business Rising, the coalition includes a diverse cross-section of business owners from across the U.S. united around a common goal: breaking up monopoly power to safeguard the right of small businesses to compete and serve their communities.

For the first time, small and independent businesses are adding their voices to the growing chorus calling for changes to federal policies that have allowed monopolies like Amazon to amass outsized power and influence.

“Concentrated market power is the single biggest threat facing independent businesses,” says Stacy Mitchell, co-director of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR).

“Every day, we lose more small businesses because of the abusive and anticompetitive tactics of Amazon and other monopolies. This campaign gives America’s entrepreneurs a platform to stand up and call on policymakers to check monopoly power and reinvigorate the antitrust laws.”

Small Business Rising is asking policymakers to:

• Stop tech monopolies, such as Amazon, from cornering the online market by breaking them up and regulating them.

• Block dominant corporations from using abusive tactics by strengthening antitrust laws and making them easier to enforce.

• Outlaw mega-mergers and set a higher bar for allowing other mergers.

These organizations sent a letter to President Joe Biden urging the prioritization of antitrust efforts. They also hosted a virtual antimonopoly town hall that featured Rep. David Cicilline (D-RI) and drew nearly 400 business owners.

Independents who want to get involved in Small Business Rising’s objectives can download a free media kit full of graphics, prepared social media posts and information on how monopolies harm independents. Visit YourNHPA.org/sbr to download these free resources and share with your customers, small business peers and lawmakers.

ANALYSIS

Tools for Your Business

Learn how these metrics guide your business at hardwareretailing.com/industry-trends

Monitoring the Market

ANTICIPATE EMERGING OPPORTUNITIES IN THE CHANNEL MONTHLY RETAIL SALES

Building material and garden centers; in millions

Sources: The Conference Board; U.S. Department of Commerce, NAICS 444; National Association of Realtors; U.S. Census Bureau Data is not seasonally adjusted, meaning these graphs represent real-time shifts in the market.

NEWS Subscribe for More

Visit YourNHPA.org/subscribe to get industry news delivered to your inbox every week.

Canadian Headlines

STAY UP TO DATE WITH CANADIAN BUSINESS AND TRENDS

Home Hardware Suffers Ransomware Attack

Home Hardware was recently a victim of a targeted ransomware attack, a company spokesperson confirms. As part of the hack, the group responsible posted confidential documents, including a November letter concerning the acquisition of home improvement chain Patrick Morin. The company says it collaborated with its cybersecurity firm to implement countermeasures to isolate the attack while maintaining business continuity. Neither individual dealers’ retail systems nor customer data was affected by the attack, Home Hardware says.

AD INDEX

Avanti Press .............................................................46 avantipress.com/hardware-retailing; 800-228-2684

Benjamin Moore ...................................................BC insl-x.com

Brushtech, Inc. ......................................................51 brushtechbrushes.com; 518-563-8420

Chapin International Inc. ................................65 chapinmfg.com

Combilift .....................................................................44 combilift.com; 877-266-2456

Do it Best Corp. ....................................................3 doitbestonline.com; 833-800-5906

Dripless Inc. .............................................................48 dripless.com/pink; 707-568-5081

Eco Wood Treatment........................................26 ecowoodtreatment.com; 888-738-5516

Fiskars Brands Inc. .............................................5 fiskars.com/pro; 866-348-5661

Franmar Chemical Inc. ...................................24 franmar.com; 800-538-5069

Great Northern Equipment Distributing, Inc. ..................................................55 gnedi.com; 800-822-0295

The Hillman Group..............................................12-13 hillmangroup.com; 360-600-0760

House-Hasson Hardware Co. .....................75 househasson.com; 800-333-0520

Note:

Hardlines Launches Human Resources Newsletter

Canadian home improvement organization Hardlines is launching an ongoing e-newsletter focused on human resources issues facing independent home improvement operators. Called HR Advisor, each monthly issue will include advice from HR professionals to share best practices and new guidance. Visit hardlines.ca to subscribe.

Richelieu Hardware Purchases Shares of Task Tools

Richelieu Hardware has purchased shares of hand and power tool accessory manufacturer Task Tools. Based in British Columbia, Task Tools was started in 1968. Previously, Richelieu purchased the MIBRO Group, a Toronto-based hardware supplier.

Howard Products, Inc. .....................................57 howardproducts.com; 800-266-9545

Intertape Polymer Corp. ................................45 itape.com; 888-898-7834

Knox Fertilizer.........................................................16 knoxfert.com/schultz; 574-772-6275

Lighthouse for the Blind .................................57 rapidfix.com; 800-542-3697

Lumax ..........................................................................50 lumax.com; 800-660-6876

MARS ............................................................................5 comfort-aire.com

Mayhew Tools .........................................................56 mayhew.com; 800-872-0037

Mi-T-M Corp. ...........................................................47 mitm.com; 800-553-9053

Midwest Fastener Corp. . ................................IFC-1 constructionscrews.com; 800-444-7313

OLFA .............................................................................19 olfahandtools.com/savings

Orgill Inc. ...................................................................80-IBC orgill.com; 800-347-2860

Phifer Inc. .................................................................11 phifer.com; 205-345-2120

Police Security........................................................61 policesecurity.com

PRO Group Inc. .....................................................76 prohardware.com; farmmart.com; 303-792-3000

Quikrete ......................................................................63 quikrete.com/mobilecart; 404-634-9100

Rescue! Sterling International ....................17 antbaits.com; 800-666-6766

Rust Patrol ................................................................25 rust-patrol.com; 803-396-8400

Sakrete.........................................................................9 sakretefast.com; 866-725-7383

Sashco ..........................................................................68-69 sashco.com/stock-high-performance; 800-767-5656

Sellars Absorbent Materials, Inc. ..............73 shoptowels.work; 800-237-8454

Shurtape Technologies ....................................22 frogtape.com/orange; 800-321-1733

Sika .................................................................................23 usa.sika.com/retail; 404-844-8399

Simpson Strong Tie Co. ...................................49 go.strongtie.com/titenturbo; 800-999-5099

Sonin, Inc. ..................................................................60 sonin.com; 800-223-7511

Stihl, Inc. .....................................................................19 stihlusa.com; 800-467-8445

Wingate Sale Solutions....................................27 wingatesalesinc.com; 888-480-7253

Independent businesses are vital; to the economy, to communities and to the American way of life. The PRO Hardware and FARM MART retail programs support you as an independent retailer by providing all of the customizable pieces you need to build your success while maintaining the individuality that benefits your community.

As a member of the PRO Hardware and FARM MART programs, you have access to a $6 billion national network of hardware, farm, and lawn and garden distributors. Additionally, dedicated merchandising and marketing teams create innovative and creative advertising materials to help you promote your unique story and manufacturer programs designed to help independent retailers succeed.

GROWI NG SOME THING

The resources you need to grow your success

PRO Hardware and FARM MART are a national network of successful, independently-owned home improvement and farm and ag supply stores. With a national brand presence, you will have all the resources you need to grow your success within your community.

• Customizable resources that allow you to maintain your independence and meet the needs of your local market

• A $6 billion network of hardware, lawn and garden, and farm distributors

• Marketing and advertising resources including fully customizable circulars, store signage and endcaps, Value of the Month promotions, email marketing, social media and the PRO Hardware and FARM MART websites. It also includes digital tools such as mobile coupons and giveaways, social media and email marketing

• Merchandising tools including store signage, endcaps and visual merchandising resources directly from manufacturer partners

• Value-added services that provide programs to help your store run smoothly including credit card processing, neighbor welcome packages, SEO and more

• Recognition of excellent retailers with the Achiever’s Club and the Paul L. Cosgrave Memorial Award each year

LAST WORD PODCAST

Branding

Insider

Listen to consultant Lara McCulloch discuss how and why small businesses should establish a brand that works in stores and beyond at YourNHPA.org/es-pod

Consumers who aren’t thinking about home improvement right now and don’t know you exist. These customers represent your largest potential audience, but they may also be the most challenging to identify and engage.

Consumers who are thinking about home improvement, but don’t know you exist. These people are actively looking for solutions, so meet them where they are: online.

Branding Pyramid

5 Building Blocks for Enhancing Customer Loyalty

Consumers who are thinking about home improvement and know you exist You can differentiate your brand with these customers by making their experience about shopping local.

YOUR BUSINESS MAY BE WELL-KNOWN in your community, and you may have a strong contingent of loyal customers. But the truth is, according to branding consultant Lara McCulloch, if you want to grow your appeal more broadly, you need to create a strategic branding campaign. These campaigns should include online and in-store experiences to engage even the least likely customer. McCulloch suggests viewing your potential customers as five sections of an inverted pyramid. Each segment correlates to a specific opportunity to showcase your brand in order to move that potential customer down the pyramid until they become a loyalist.

Infrequent previous customers who are thinking about home improvement. You’ve had them in your store before, so make a plan to bring them back.

Loyal customers. These people shop at your store no matter what, but don’t take that loyalty for granted.

5 1 2 3 4

PUT YOUR BRAND ON THE FOREFRONT

Although these customers aren’t ready to take on home improvement projects right now, they likely will in the future. Introduce them to your brand by creating blog posts about seasonal home improvement projects or sharing photos of your customers’ completed projects.

MANAGE YOUR ONLINE PRESENCE

Utilize SEO tools to put your website at the top of search results, and claim your Google Business profile. Update it with current store hours, contact information and products and services. Ask current loyal customers to review your business on social media sites and ratings sites like Yelp.

TELL THEM ABOUT YOURSELF

Record a video explaining your company’s roots. If you invest in community programs—like scout troops or the local high school’s woodworking class—talk about it. These potential customers need to know why they should choose you, and these types of stories make a difference.

USE THE INFORMATION YOU HAVE

When a new or infrequent shopper makes a purchase, ask for their email address or suggest they join your loyalty program. Not only will you have a way to reach them, you’ll also have information about their purchases. Send emails about seasonal projects using complementary products, show them what other customers bought or highlight new products.

MAKE YOUR CUSTOMERS FEEL VALUED

There’s a reason your loyal customers keep coming back, so ask them to be the face of a new ad campaign telling the story of a project they couldn’t have completed with you. Create a VIP program that offers early access to new products or a special discount day. Consider creating a focus group to get their thoughts on new products and services before you launch.