Business Network

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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 

For a brief overview of PRS and PPL click here for information extracted from each of the organisations websites

 

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June has seen yet more independent shops in Scotland receiving Shop Doctor support in ongoing support programmes funded  by East Lothian Council and Dumfries & Galloway Council.

A total of 21 ‘on-to-one’ shop visits  took place across North Berwick, Haddington, Dunbar, Gretna and Lockerbie in June with a further 6 shops in Lockerbie scheduled for a visit in early July. Every visit is supported by a comprehensive Shop Doctor report detailing practical opportunities considered available to improve business vitality within each of the businesses concerned.

Commenting on the visits our Shop Doctor advised that “There continues to be  a tremendous variety of retail choice available on our High Streets with independent retailers providing a critical role in maintaining the unique identity of the fabric of a town” and added  “retailers, local councils, landlords and the general public each have an important role to play in sustaining business vitality in our towns and all need to work towards a common goal”.

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DSC_0060 croppedWith 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.

 

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20130521_094908In order to assist Net-tex  launch its re-branded range of Equine Health and Management products, the Shop Doctor recently gave merchandising presentations to delegates attending Net-tex Roadshows in Gloucester and Newark.

Held on the 14th and 21st of May, the events heralded exciting changes in the presentation of the complete range of Net-tex equine health products.  The Shop Doctor was on hand to guide retailers as to how best to maximise the opportunities available from the product range now available by implementing good retail and merchandising practice.

Delegates attending the Gloucester event were also given the opportunity to visit the Stable Yard of Carl Hester MBE, Olympic Gold Medallist where Carl delivered a highly informed demonstration of dressage training.

Delegates attending the event at excellent facilities of The Oakridge Arena in Newark benefited from demonstrations from Show Horse producer and trainer Lynn Russell  on the dos and don’ts for turning out good show horses as well as a riding demonstration by Lynn on two of her horses that had travelled with her from Surrey.

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Successful tenders recently submitted by Lets Talk Shop Ltd to East Lothian Council, Dumfries & Galloway Council and Argyll & Bute Council will shortly see independent retailers in Dunbar, Haddington, North Berwick, Lockerbie, Gretna and Rothesay participating in Shop Doctor Support Programmes.

This will increase the number of  Scottish towns benefiting from the bespoke advice provided to independent retailers within them to nine with over 100 individual businesses receiving one-to-one advice and in excess of that number of delegates participating in the associated retail/merchandising workshops.

The visit to Rothesay, Isle of Bute is on behalf of the Rothesay Townscape Heritage Initiative (THI), a £2.6 million project currently coming toward the end of year two of a five year delivery phase. The THI project is funded by Heritage Lottery Fund, Historic Scotland, Leader and Argyll & Bute Council.

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As part of the Visitor Attraction Pilot Project being delivered by Dumfries & Galloway Council 12 visitor attractions across Dumfries & Galloway will be receiving advisory visits from both VisitScotland and Let’s Talk Shop.

Shop Doctor Bill Smith will be visiting each of the 12 attractions to identify business development opportunities capable of improving business performance, and onward profitability, whilst VisitScotland will be advising on routes to ensure that the attractions maintain their existing, or further improve, their quality assurance grading.

Attractions enrolled  include:

Mabie Park Farm

Cream O’Galloway

Creetown Gem Rock Museum

Drumlanrig Castle

Galloway Activity Centre

Marrbury Smokehouse

Barstobrick Visitor Centre

Hidden Treasure Museum of Lead Mining

Laggan Outdoor Activity Centre

The Whithorn Trust

Annandale Distillery

Hetland Garden Centre & Dino Park

 

The project is funded by ERDF  in conjunctioDumfries-and-Galloway-Logo 3n with Dumfries and Galloway PrintCouncil

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pigsLooking forward to meeting with delegates at the AHDA* 28th Annual Conference 2013 being held at the Hinckley Island Hotel, Leicestershire on 22nd and 23rd January.

Delivering a  45 minute presentation on Tuesday afternoon focused on identifying opportunities to maximise the retail display area available within their varied businesses.

Making retail space work harder in any environment enjoying customer footfall is an essential ingredient toward the development of existing (or creation of new) revenue streams to help support and sustain a profitable and buoyant business.

*AHDA – Animal Health Distributors Association 

photo acquired from  AHDA website.

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Let’s Talk Shop has recently been awarded the contract to work with Dumfries & Galloway Council, VisitScotland and 12 quality assessed Visitor Attractions across Dumfries and Galloway.

The intention of this pilot project is to add value to support to be delivered by VisitScotland who will be advising the attractions involved how to sustain and improve the quality of the visitor experience based upon their established Quality Assurance criteria.

Let’s Talk Shop will be focusing on identification of routes to improve overall business performance  and recommendation of areas for business improvement capable of delivering positive impact on both business vitality and the visitor experience.

“This is not just about enhancing any retail aspect within the attraction” advised Bill Smith of Let’s Talk Shop, “it’s about taking an holistic look at each of the attractions and identifying routes to enhance their vitality and opportunity for effective and profitable engagement with those visiting”

Dawn Hunter-Ellis of DHE Associates will be applying her valuable experience of the tourism sector by working in association with Let’s Talk Shop in the delivery of this project.

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This year has not been the best  for footfall and revenue generation at many attractions.  The negative impact of the Olympics on incoming tourism , unforgiving weather conditions and the ongoing gloom over the economic climate all contributing to a severe downturn in attendance figures across the sector.

Taking time out to look at your attraction from an impartial viewpoint, particularly that of the customer,  is never easy and certainly one of the major challenges facing retailers in their fight for survival on our high streets.

Applying his extensive business development skills, understanding of how customers perceive and use space and wide marketing expertise our ‘Shop Doctor’ can bring a refreshing insight into identifying issues impacting on business performance at visitor attractions.

Looking at an attraction through  a fresh pair of eyes can provide an insight into the business that may not have previously been considered. Link this to recommendations as to how to improve the way the attraction interfaces with the customer, ideas to improve catering or retail efficieny and suggestions regarding routes to effective diversification the outome could prove very stimulating. 

If you are considering how to revitalise your attraction in time for 2013 now might be a good time to talk to Let’s Talk Shop.  Our skills are not just orientated towards retail development alone, they are transferable into any business where direct customer interface and delivery of high levels of customer service are critical to maintaining existing levels and, ideally, attracting increased and profitable attendance in the future.

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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