RETAILOBSERVER.COM DECEMBER 2021
6
Moe Lastfogel
moe@retailobserver.com
Moe's Musings Views
Happy Pruning!
W
hat is green and looks like a tree? A tree of course, unless you have a vivid
imagination at the dinner table and you take a good look at broccoli. I never
looked at it that way until one day my daughter said, "Look Daddy, I'm eating
trees". Beside the fact that kids are cute and say the darnedest things, they can really
open your eyes to see the world around you in a new light.
As a retailer, it is important not to lose the ability to look at your business, your
competitors, and the industry with fresh new eyes. I encourage you to regularly take the
time to step out of your shoes and drive up to your showroom, surf your website or take
a look at your marketing materials (ads, flyers, etc.) as a new customer. Afterwards,
evaluate what you perceived. Is this how you want your business to be portrayed?
Another great exercise is to drive around town and see what your competitors are
doing. Especially those businesses with cars parked in front of it. Look beyond prices;
take a note of how they handle customers, their use of in-store signage, their online
reputation, etc. Are you doing these things better or could you improve in areas?
When you critically take a look at your business do you see a flourishing tree that
bears profitable fruit? If not, it is time to nurture your tree so it bears enticing fruit that
consumers will want to pick from. Think about it, when you go to the produce store,
which apple do you pick: The nice shiny Granny Smith or the one in the corner that is
bruised and oddly shaped? Most likely you'd pick the shiny one and with good reason –
it's the most appealing. Are you the most appealing option to your customers, does
your marketing make you shine, and most importantly, would you buy from you?
If you can't answer yes to the last question, then maybe your apple is bruised and it's
time to look at how to bring that polish back. I'm not saying that you necessarily have
to tear down the tree and plant a new seed. Although that may be the solution at times,
most often a little elbow grease and polish, a nice basket, and maybe a ribbon or two
can make your apple shine above the rest.
In the coming year, The Retail Observer will be bringing you new writers and new
sections that we feel will help you see your store in a different light so you can grow a
stronger tree in the orchard with much more enticing fruit from which to pick.
BROCCOLI
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LOOKING AT YOUR
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