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| Providing You Tools To Make More Money! | January 2010 |
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Greetings!
What a crazy start to the new year. I have been extremely busy. I completed my training DVD for my repair system, started two more manuals on Central Vacuum Service calls, and sewing and vacuum sales presentations. I have also started a DVD to train new employees to use JMM software. I will let you know when they are ready.
At Stony Brook Sew and Vac we have hit the ground running in 2011. We sold out our first event of the year with 100 ladies signing up in less than 2 months (20 in the first 24 hours) and have big plans for this year. The economy seems to be picking up and I am back into the central vacuum business after selling it 10 years ago. I have also converted our class registration to a totally on line system.
Elizabeth and I are in Atlanta to attend a Stitching Sisters event that Bonnie and Brad Faber of Discover Sewing are having so that we could learn what to expect at our event next month. Our original flight out was canceled because of the snow storm but we got on a later flight on Thursday. I hate to even bring it up but it is 68 degrees in Atlanta and we have to come back to below freezing temperatures. Yuck! At least we had a few days of nice weather. It was really informative for us to attend to learn what to expect. We got some great ideas from the Fabers and appreciate them letting us come.
We have been hit with so much snow this year. It has really effected our business and has taken up many hours running the snow blower, shoveling and spreading salt. We generally one or two storms a year and I have lost count. The latest one Sammie had a ball. See below. Till next time, Always Be Solving,
Howard J. Anderson Long View Retail Consulting
PS: Make sure you say hello in Vegas. See you there.
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Sammie Loved The Snow
It was so funny. Sammie looked like a seal jumping up and then disappearing under the snow. He didn't want to come in but slept very well once he did.
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Tip of the Month 
This month's TIP OF THE MONTH is Look for Hidden Opportunities in Your Business.
Being in the retail business there are always opportunities for you to expand and refine your business. No matter how bad the economy, people are still spending money. You need to find out where and if you can fill that need. This is one of the big reasons to attend this years VDTA/SDTA meeting this year. This should be required continuing education for all sewing and vacuum retailers.
Knowledge is everything. In Vegas you are able to learn about all the products that your competition may carry as well as find new products to sell in your store. There is no show like it. Don't miss your chance to talk to other dealers and also attend one of my classes! |
Are You Sitting Comfortably?
When we lift or carry something heavy or stretch to reach something high, usually our bodies let us know instantly if we have pushed them to the limit, by responding with pain. When we are doing simple tasks or sitting or lying down, however, the thought of body mechanics may not cross our minds. But poor posture, sitting or lying in the same position for prolonged periods of time, or carrying out apparently harmless activities repeatedly can also leave us in agony and can even cause permanent disability.
Typically, when we go out to buy new furniture, either for the home or the office, two considerations are uppermost in our minds - style and comfort. What looks great and feels comfortable when we try it out momentarily in the store, however, is not necessarily good for our backs and necks in particular in the longer term.
Ergonomic furniture is designed specifically to ensure that our bodies are supported and encouraged to be held in a way that not only keeps us safe, but also makes us more productive. It is especially valuable in terms of preventing repetitive strain injuries, which can develop over time and cause immense amounts of pain.
Style is important, especially when it comes to the items that we choose for our homes, but our health and safety should never take second place. Next time you are in the market for new furniture, spare a thought for your poor body.
Keep this in mind when you are helping your customer choose the right sewing chair for their sewing room. We have some really nice chairs available to us. |
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Researching Keywords for Video Search Engine Optimization (VSEO)
SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and VSEO (Search Engine Optimization using video) rule online, organically. The key to both are keywords; more specifically the words your prospects or patients are typing in search engines to find the information they want. When you approach researching those keywords you have to do it from their perspective. You are not your client or patient. You have an entirely different perspective on what you do from those seeking out what you do. When you perform any keyword research for your Internet marketing, remember your prospect's perception of what you do is THE reality, not yours.
So how do you find out what your clients/patients are typing in Google? Google offers a great free research tool. Enter, "Google keyword tool" into Google and select the first result. Here you can enter single and long tail keywords and find out the search data for the specific word or words you entered. The real power of this tool is the variations on your entry it'll return to you. The variations are based specifically on data Google has compiled on search "habits" or the specific words people are typing that's relevant to your inquiry. It will give you insight, or what I like to call, "The Keys to the Kingdom" on how your target prospects are trying to search for what you offer. Once you know this you can then tailor your online activity specifically at your target market. This is a simplification of what high-powered and expensive SEO companies are charging you for, but the real value is in the research. I once asked Dan Kennedy what he does when he begins work in a new market he's unfamiliar with; his answer, "The work no one else wants to do, research; lots and lots of research."
If you have a question about video or video marketing you'd like answered, visit
www.AskRonSheetz.com and post your question. Ron will respond to you within 48 hours via email. |
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On the Lighter Side:
What's in a name?
The CEO of a large company called a new executive into her office on his first day. "What's your name?" she asked.
"Well, at my last job, everybody just called me Steve," he answered.
She frowned. "I don't care about your previous job. This is my company, and I address everyone by his or her last name. Just ask Smith in Finance, or Johnson in Product Development, or Burns in Shipping. Now, what did you say your name was?"
Steve sighed. "My last name is Darling. Steve Darling."
"OK, Steve, first let me welcome you to the company . . ." |
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The Perils of Perfection
Finding work/life balance in today's busy and highly competitive world could never be described as easy. For most perfectionists, however, it is downright impossible.
Although many people tend to think of being a perfectionist as a positive thing, true perfectionism is, in many ways, extremely counterproductive especially in retail.Not only does the need to attend to every last little detail waste unnecessary time and lead to tasks and projects taking much longer than they need to, but it typically means that perfectionists end up allowing work to eat into their own personal leisure time. Perhaps worse still, even once the job is finally handed over, the perfectionist still never feels that he or she has completed it well enough and so is left with intense feelings of frustration and low self-esteem.
Striving for excellence is something that can only benefit ourselves and our employers, but there is a world of difference between this and trying to achieve the impossible. As human beings, we are not built to be perfect; trying to achieve perfection is a certain road to unhappiness. By all means give everything your best shot, but know when to stop because your best really is good enough!
So make sure you are using your time to the best and get things done to the best of your ability. Last week I was talking to one of my store managers about rearranging par of the store. He thought it was best to wait to have a bunch of people help him and get it all done at once. He wanted to make sure everything was perfect before he started. After some discussion, he was able to start moving things around. It wasn't long before the job was done and it looked great.
If he would have waited for everything to be perfect, I don't think the store would be moved yet. Starting is sometimes the hardest thing to do but it is also the easiest if you just decide to do it. |
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