The August 2013 edition of Equestrian Trade News reproduces advice provided by The Shop Doctor relating to opportunities available to businesses retailing products to the Equestrian and associated sectors.
The Shop Doctor was asked to contribute the article following increasing call on his time from animal health retailers seeking routes to improve trading vitality through appropriate development and diversification of their businesses.
Playing music in your shop can make a real difference to how it is perceived by your customers. Getting it right can help retain customers in your shop for more time and encourage purchases, get it wrong and they may not even come through your door.
When considering what music to play remember that if it is to be heard by your customers your personal choice may not be ideal and the music needs to compliment the retail environment , not conflict with it.
In addition you will almost certainly require a Performing Rights Society Licence (PRS) and a Phonographic Performance Limited (PPL) licence, two separate organisations dealing with different sectors of the music industry.
For further information about PRS visit: www.prsformusic.com
For further information about PPL visit: www.ppluk.com
With a portfolio of some 13 charity shops across the UK, LIFE recognises the importance of ensuring that its retail network delivers the best of standards and service to help ensure it can efficiently sustain and develop its charitable objectives.
The Shop Doctor was recently asked to provide a full day’s training in Rugby to some 26 staff responsible for the management of the shops. He focused on helping them better understand how to maximise the returns available from each of their businesses by the implementation of effective merchandising practices and proficient customer service.
With the Shop Doctor’s fast-moving, fun and participative delivery style, the day proved a great success with delegates returning to their shops with renewed motivation and plenty of ideas for turning good shops into even better ones.
The latest Shop Doctor Retail Workshop is to be delivered on Tuesday 30th April in the unusual setting of Gretna Fire Station.
Arranged by Dumfries & Galloway Council the workshop precedes one to one visits with eligible retailers in Gretna during May which also sees the start of an identical scheme for independent retailers in Lockerbie.
The support programmes for both Gretna and Lockerbie follow successful schemes delivered by Let’s Talk Shop in Dumfries, Annan and Stranraer.
10 independent retailers in and around Dunbar, Haddington and North Berwick have recently received a one to one advisory visit under a programme funded by East Lothian Council.
The visits were preceded by a retail workshop providing insight into the art of effective merchandising and highlighting the critical elements of ensuring that businesses presented themselves in a manner that enhanced their own opportunities alongside those of the trading environment in which they operate.
The workshop included a review of first impression photographs taken that same day which highlighted some of the often overlooked challenges facing each of the towns.
All participating retailers will receive a Shop Doctor Recommendations Report detailing opportunities for enhancing retail vitality within each business and further developing issues identified during the one to one sessions
Up to 18 shops were eligible for the support and it is hoped that The Shop Doctor will be revisiting the area again in the near future to assist more of the areas diverse independent retailers.
Charity shops exist mainly to fund the great work done by their charity yet, as with all retail businesses in the present economic climate, they are facing an increasing number of challenges when it comes to sustaining their income streams .
Common concerns include: …. how can they continue to attract customers to buy from them when there is greater competition? How can local charities compete against national charity shops and how can they access good quality donations to maintain an appealing product range?
To assist those that manage and work in the charity sector to better understand how subtle changes in their approach to retailing might help improve their trading vitality “The Shop Doctor” presented a special retail masterclass for local charity shops.
The free evening event on 7th November was coordinated by Kelly Metcalf from Business in the Community and held at the excellent facilities provided by Caritas at the Salford Cathedral Centre. Further information via kelly.metcalf@bitc.org.uk or 07867 826271.
For more photographs of the evening click here
Charity Shop Doctor feedback from attendees
post updated 16.00 22.11.12
The Shop Doctor is currently working on a project to assist Cheshire East Council identify opportunities to improve the shopping experience in the ten market towns involved in the Love Local Life Loyalty Card initiative.
The Shop Doctor is assessing the physical experience of shoppers in the towns and also evaluating the effectiveness of their on-line presence and how it might be more effectively utilised to attract increased shopping activity to each of the towns.
The final report will highlight issues impacting on the shopping experience and propose recommendations that will help inform future initiatives to help maintain and develop retail vibrancy in towns across the County.
The towns involved are Alderley Edge, Alsager, Bollington, Congleton, Disley, Knutsford, Macclesfield, Middlewich, Sandbach and Wilmslow.
Border News covers the arrival of the Let’s Talk Shop retail support programme in Stranraer.
Click on frame above to view
The Shop Doctor will be spending 4 days in Stranraer between the 25th and 28th September in the latest Let’s Talk Shop support programme funded by Dumfries & Galloway Council.
The visit follows recent work undertaken in Annan and Dumfries and includes anevening Masterclass Workshop on the Tuesday 25th helping retailers understand the importance of providing a strong first impression to customers and how application of some straightforward common sense can make a real differences to shop performance.
During the programme the Shop Doctor will also be visiting individual retailers assessing their businesses potential and presenting recommendations for change that need cost no more than a little time.
The Shop Doctor commented “in the present economic climate it is not always possible for retailers to invest in new shop fittings, lighting or even redecoration. My challenge is to identify cost effective routes to improve retail performance, working with what the retailer has already got by making it work even harder” he added “where investment is an option I can help ensure that the investment is one that can really help build performance and onward profitability”
For further details of the retail masterclass or to discuss the possibility of arranging a ‘one to one’ visit contact:
Wendi Cuffe, Economic Development Officer, Dumfries & Galloway Council Phone: 0303 333 3000 Email: wendi.cuffe@dumgal.gov.uk
Following completion of an extensive £3million infrastructure project to provide Poynton with equal priority shared space for pedestrians and road users it is intended that the environment created will help to revitalise the local economy by making Poynton and the local area even more attractive in which to live, work and visit.
The innovative high quality scheme sets Poynton apart from other trading centres providing an opportunity for the village and its wider economy to benefit from the unique nature of the presentation of Park Lane and its junction with the A523 London Road.
Let’s Talk Shop Ltd is currently engaged in meeting with businesses operating in Poynton to identify the impact of the improvements and the aspirations for businesses operating in the village. The work follows an initial exercise undertaken in 2010 prior to commencement of the scheme and will help to draw conclusions as to the economic impact that the scheme will have on Poynton.
