Normally, the focus of this blog is positive. There’s enough bad news on television, on the
radio, and in newspapers to keep all of us depressed for years to come. So, as a rule negative stories are
off-limits. But, sometimes we can learn
something from others mistakes, so here’s a link to an article by Aaron Burgin from the Portersville (CA) Recorder.
It’s your typical report on the demise of small businesses, forced out by the big box retailers, especially in small towns. There’s nothing new here. We’ve read it all before. But, the comments of one store owner caught my attention. I won’t use his name, even though it’s in the article. He says, “It’s depressing. I think we do have a place here, but it’s hard because the majority of people seem to forget that we are here.”
OK, let’s take a look at that statement. “It’s hard….” Of course it’s hard. Most things in life, at least things of any value, are hard. As my former boss, Tom Bridges used to say, “If it was easy, anybody could do it.”
Further on, the writer says “His shop bears the look of a store in the twilight of its heyday: Shelves only half-filled with merchandise, tattered black-and-white racing pennants that hang from a ceiling that is populated with burned-out fluorescent bulbs that remain unchanged for years.”
He says that the store’s owner “has thought of closing up shop before.” Says the owner, “You stay open because you just think that things will get better.”
I certainly don’t want to pick on this poor guy, because unfortunately he’s not that unusual. People haven’t forgotten about his store. They remember the half-filled shelves. They remember that he didn’t have what they needed the last time they were there. They remember the burned-out lights and the tattered pennants. No, they haven’t forgotten him, he’s forgotten them.
Who wants to shop in a place like that? I know I don’t, and I doubt that you do either. Fear is a strong emotion. Fear of the unknown is a powerful negative motivator. It can be crippling, as it seems to be in this store-owner’s case.
He’s staying open waiting for things to get better. Sadly for him, they won’t get better until he makes them better. Sure the big boxes are formidable competitors. They have deep pockets, big purchasing power, and high-priced marketing talent back at the home office. What they don’t have is world-class service, personal attention to every customer, and the flexibility to respond to change. Most people want to shop with their local merchants, and will pay a small premium to do just that because they want value, not just price. Value includes quality products and service, reasonable prices, and a pleasant shopping experience.
I doubt that anyone reading this has withdrawn into a shell, waiting for the day when the doors will close for good. Hopefully you’re reading this because you’re looking for ways to take a proactive approach to your business. If that’s true, then you already know that you can’t just sit back and “wait for things to get better.” A dark, shabby store with half-full fixtures isn’t going to cut it. A clean, neat, freshly merchandised store with plenty of stock is just the starting point. Without that, you can’t even begin to compete.
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