One crucial ingredient to retail success often goes unnoticed: caring. When you genuinely care about your customers, it shines through in every aspect of your business—your customer experience, policies, and even how you train your team.

The Retailer’s Time System is designed to help you build a healthier balance between your business and personal life. When you do, you’ll not only feel more fulfilled but also find yourself more productive during work hours.

The end of the year is a crucial time for your business, it’s all about managing your energy and staying focused on what matters most. In this episode of Real Retail TV, I dive into what I call the “three P’s” to help you zero in on the right priorities.

In this episode of Real Retail TV, I’m sharing the 5 steps to the WhizBang! Retail Marketing System—packed with low-cost (and even no-cost) ways to drive traffic to your store.

In this episode of Real Retail TV, I explore three ways to add on. Adding on is one of the most effective and simplest ways to grow your holiday sales. While some salespeople shy away from it, worried it might feel too pushy, the truth is that a well-executed add on enhances the customer experience and helps make their purchase even better.

In this episode of Real Retail TV, we’re going to explore a quick and easy sales training program for your team this holiday season. Having no sales training at all leads to leaving lots and lots and lots of money on the table in lost sales. So, here are 3 things you can do right now to get started.

Today, we’re diving into an unexpected approach to handling customer complaints and those extra-challenging interactions.And since it’s the holiday season, a peak time for busy stores and high-stakes customer interactions, there’s no better time to put these strategies into practice to keep things running smoothly.

Want to help every customer make a perfect purchase this holiday season? Start by talking budget, it helps you guide them to options they’ll love and feel excited to buy. This tip is straight from the Holiday Selling Course in the Retail Sales Academy.

Showrooming happens when a customer browses your store, checks prices, and then leaves to find a better deal online. In this episode of Real Retail TV, I’ll share three effective strategies to keep these customers and close the sale.

In this episode of Real Retail TV, I’m diving into the ultimate holiday bounce-back strategy! Now is the perfect time to start planning and training your team so you’re ready to roll before the post-Thanksgiving rush.

What’s the ‘Talent Trap’? Talent is something that comes naturally, but in retail, it’s easy to get comfortable relying on it. The ‘trap’ happens when we stop growing beyond those natural abilities. While talent can get you started, it’s the skills you develop that will really move you forward.

In this episode of Real Retail TV, I will share with you my official forecast for the 2024 holiday season and, of course, pass on a couple of tips to help you make it the best it can be.

The rule of reciprocity is something independent retailers can hang their hats on. It’s something the big box stores can’t compete with. It’s all about creating an incredible experience for your customers—a human experience. Every time you host an incredible event or help your customer find the perfect purchase, you are making a deposit in their emotional bank account that will pay back in loyalty tenfold.

Knowing when it’s time to close or sell your business can be just as important as the day you decided to open it. And selling doesn’t mean you’ve failed, it actually shows great insight. It takes real awareness to recognize when it’s time to move on to the next chapter in life.

Earlier this week in our WhizBang! Retailers Facebook group, there was a discussion about slow sales and being down from last year. In this episode of Real Retail TV, I’ll cover what you should focus on when business feels sluggish.

Cash is king! Today, you’re going to discover 10 ways that you can start to bring your inventory levels down strategically.

For this special 300th episode, I’m taking a trip down memory lane, all the way back to the very first Real Retail TV episode. WhizBang! Cause Marketing is the ideal solution for handling those frequent donation requests, allowing you to create a win-win relationship between your store and a nonprofit.

In this episode of Real Retail TV, I’m excited to share my opening keynote from the 2024 Retail Success Summit! I genuinely hope it leaves you feeling inspired and proud of the incredible impact you make in the world as an independent retailer.

Do you know about the curse of brick and mortar retail? The good news is, it’s a curse that is easily broken. You can have a beautiful store with all of the right merchandise, but if your customer service is lacking, then you won’t be as successful as you could be.

In this episode of Real Retail TV, I’m diving into marketing strategy, not just the tactics or ideas, but the big-picture approach that makes all your marketing efforts come together smoothly.

In this Real Retail TV replay, I’m taking it back to basics. Running a store successfully requires foundational skills. Passion for your products alone isn’t enough. I learned this firsthand with my own store, the Mackinaw Kite Company.

In today’s Real Retail TV episode, we dive into a hot topic: Should retail entrepreneurs voice their political views or stay quiet during these divisive times? It’s a crucial discussion for anyone in the retail business, and I’m excited to share my thoughts with you.

When you think of relaxing, it might not seem like something you need to work at. However, especially for retail entrepreneurs, it’s essential to view relaxation as a daily practice. By associating relaxation with specific triggers, you can turn it into a habit, allowing you to find moments to unwind and think more clearly throughout your day.

In any promotion, there are tons of crucial details that can make a big difference in it’s success. It’s your job as a marketer to understand these different components to make sure you’re optimizing for great results.

In this episode of Real Retail TV, I explore three reasons you might be losing customers. In retail, expectations are up and loyalty is down. It’s important to create a smooth and easy shopping experience for your customers to keep them close and coming back.

AI has become an invaluable tool for busy retailers, and it’s only getting better! In this episode of Real Retail TV, I’m sharing a highlight from last year’s Retail Success Summit, showcasing some of the top ways AI is being used by retailers today. AI has advanced even further since then, and we’re thrilled to be featuring a dedicated panel at this year’s Summit to dive deeper into how entrepreneurs can leverage this game-changing technology.

In this special episode of Real Retail TV, Susan and I dive into five important insights shared by our speakers at the Summer Summit Kickoff.

In this episode of Real Retail TV, I’m excited to present part two of the popular Retail Success Summit session, “Ways to Wow ‘Em.” In this clip, you’ll discover insights about the second half of the customer service pyramid and learn how to put the cherry on top of an exceptional customer experience.

We have an exciting treat for you over the next few weeks! At the WhizBang! Office, we’ve declared June as Retail Success Summit month as we gear up for the big event in July! This week and next, I’ll be sharing clips from a popular session from last year’s summit titled “Ways To Wow ‘Em.”

Entrepreneurship can often be chaotic, but with the right structures in place, you can transform that chaos into cool, calm, and collected control. In this episode of Real Retail TV, I share four key structures to help you create a more organized retail business.

The type of retailer you decide to be will play a big role in your business success. As an independent brick-and-mortar retailer, you have the unique advantage of choosing your path and becoming the go-to store in a world full of options.

Are you making deposits in your customers’ emotional bank accounts? Every time you ask for something from a customer, it’s like making a withdrawal. That’s why it’s vital to balance it out with actions that add value, effectively making a deposit in their emotional bank account.

In this episode of Real Retail TV, we’re changing things up a bit. It’s a slightly longer interview format but I guarantee that if you watch it, you will walk away with ideas you can use in your business.

In this Real Retail TV replay, I share some invaluable insights from one of my favorite stores in the retail world, Zingerman’s Delicatessen. There are quite a few things that set this place apart.

Boosting productivity sometimes involves unexpected methods. Instead of rushing for a new planner, time management tricks, or apps, consider the power of being in the moment. Being present enhances focus, naturally ramping up productivity and efficiency.

You have more influence than you might realize. Indie retailers like you have a profound impact on their communities, their employees, and even the broader world. Your store offers an experience that is a true gift, and that’s exactly what our upcoming Retail Success Summit is all about – celebrating your indie influence!

Every purchase is more than just a transaction—it’s a decision fueled by emotion. Customers aren’t just buying things; they’re investing in the experiences and emotions tied to your brand. Understanding and leveraging these emotional connections can transform your business and make your team more effective on the floor.

In this episode of Real Retail TV, I explore one of my favorite promotions from the Retail Mastery System. Recently, in our WhizBang! Retailers Facebook group, we ran a poll asking retailers how much this single promotion increased their Saturday sales. More than half of the respondents said that the Fifth Saturday promotion tripled their sales compared to a regular Saturday!

Entrepreneurship means tackling challenges head-on, embracing change, and staying focused on your vision. The most successful retailers do this with calmness and patience, viewing setbacks as growth opportunities and obstacles as chances to innovate. In this episode of Real Retail TV, I explore the single word that embodies this mindset and discuss how you can embrace it.

Ensuring your brand aligns with your store’s identity is more important than ever. Your brand is experienced across various touchpoints—your website, social media, print materials, packaging, and more. It’s the thread that weaves these experiences into a cohesive image, creating a positive and memorable experience for customers.

The customer isn’t always right. While I strongly advocate for a customer-focused approach, there are times when you may need to part ways with a customer. It’s important to recognize when a customer is causing significant emotional strain, making it necessary to end the relationship.

The better your team’s selling skillset, the more revenue you’ll generate. And by leveraging sophisticated statistics, you can effectively drive high performance in your retail team. In this episode of Real Retail TV, I delve into four critical statistics you should focus on in your ongoing coaching.

The top three mistakes you’re making with your team revolve around training. . Properly equipping your employees for success not only boosts sales and customer satisfaction but also fosters confident, loyal team members.

When you’re training your team, it’s crucial to be precise and use language that focuses on specific behaviors. This eliminates any room for misinterpretation. Your idea of cleaning a window might not match your employee’s, so it’s essential to be clear and not just instruct them on what to do, but how to do it.

As an independent retailer, you have a major impact on your community, employees, and economy. With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, I’m sending you some love via Real Retail TV to remind you of just how important you are. Keep up the fantastic work! You are awesome!

Tap into your team’s unique brilliance with this tried-and-true strategy! Your team members want to have a voice and feel empowered to actively participate in important decisions. Involve your team in the decision-making process using the A.D.D. model: ask, discuss, decide.

This is a great piece of advice that I got from my friend, Chris Knight: “In the beginning of your business, the more you do, the more you make, but there comes a time in your business where the more you think, the more you make.” You can’t think and do at the same time. Investing time outside of your business to acquire new skills will boost your wisdom and empower you to make substantial, game-changing decisions for your retail store.

It’s true! You are better than your comfort zone, and you owe it to yourself to expand it. As a store owner, you are already doing big things. To build the kind of business you deserve, you have to keep thinking of ways to grow.

This year, my guiding word is “choice.” I believe in the power of intentional decisions to shape our paths. Each day is an opportunity to make choices that lead to self-improvement and positive momentum. Embrace the idea that you always have the freedom to make a choice that can steer you toward a better you.

It’s a new year, and it’s time to get a fresh start by breaking bad habits. One mistake I see retailers make repeatedly is selling with financial tunnel vision, or, as I like to call it, selling out of their own pocket. It’s important to recognize that everyone has a different price point they’re comfortable shopping at, and your perfect purchase is not necessarily your customer’s perfect purchase.

This encore presentation of Real Retail TV revisits the ‘down and dirty’ planning process. While this episode may be a rerun, the planning insights I share remain as relevant and indispensable as ever for 2024. Embrace this quick and effective planning method to conquer your to-do list for the upcoming year.

Congratulations on your hard work during this busy season! Now, it’s time to unwind and bask in the joy of the holidays. Susan, myself, and our team extend warm wishes for a Merry Christmas and a thriving 2024!

The holidays are filled with craziness, especially for retail store owners. In this episode of Real Retail TV, I unveil a mantra that has significantly improved my days. It’s remarkable how a simple mantra and intention setting can positively impact your mood and peace of mind.

If I could offer one marketing tip to every retailer I know, it would be to create a marketing book. Not only can a marketing book help you document what’s working and what’s not, but it can also add value to your business when the time comes to sell it or pass it along to the next generation. Approaching your marketing with intentionality leads to perpetual improvement.

When I owned Mackinaw Kite Company, I developed the Retailer’s Time System to increase my productivity. I was frustrated that the things that needed to get done weren’t getting done, and I realized it was because I wasn’t blocking out my time appropriately. With the Retailer’s Time System, I was able to become more present, have more fun in my business, and ultimately get more done without constant distractions.

A full promotions calendar keeps your customers engaged and excited to shop with you again and again! When done right, it can help you stand out, drive traffic, and boost sales! Many people make the mistake of associating promotions with discounts, but you don’t always have to offer discounts to have a successful promotion.

The best retailers have a full calendar of exciting events and promotions. Promotions not only boost your sales by encouraging more transactions per customer, but also set you apart from the impersonal big box stores. Hosting events also fosters a sense of community and engages your customers, leading to lifelong customer loyalty.

Did you know that your store information is likely showing up on more than 60 websites and platforms? And if you’re not updating those listings, they are likely to show inaccurate store information like the wrong address, phone number, or website. Boosting your sales this holiday season could be as simple as making sure your listings are accurate and up to date.

Preparation is the key to success. In this episode of Real Retail TV, I dive into a handy checklist that will ensure store owners have the best holiday season ever. Don’t forget to prepare your staff, merchandise, and marketing efforts for the festive rush!

The holiday season is fast approaching, making this the ideal moment to ensure your loyalty program is ready. With the holiday rush, you can expect an influx of new customers at your store. A well-crafted loyalty program like the 6-Box Program can be instrumental in transforming these one-time shoppers into lifelong customers!

If you do a Google search on how to grow a retail business, you’ll find numerous strategies, thoughts, and tactics. However, there are really only three fundamental ways to grow your store. Once you understand this concept you’ll be able to make more thoughtful decisions on what ideas to implement to achieve the best results.

In this episode of Real Retail TV, we’re going to explore why the numbers don’t matter! When I say that the numbers don’t matter, I don’t mean that in a literal sense. What I’m suggesting is emotionally detaching yourself from the numbers.

When you learn how to strategically price your merchandise, big things happen! Even minor adjustments can have a significant impact on your overall profitability.  In this episode of Real Retail TV, you’ll discover the three timeless rules for profitable retail pricing that we teach in the Assortment Planning module of the Retail Mastery System.

As an independent retailer, it’s easy to get stuck in the habit of thinking small. I get it, you’re busy and there is no shortage of small tasks that need to be completed every day. But it’s so important to take a step back and carve out time to work ON your business instead of in your business. You never know what great idea from an event, book, podcast, etc. could have a profound impact on the success of your store. I like to think of it as the lifetime value of an idea.

The most successful retailers have a wide range of promotions and events throughout the year to attract customers to their stores. It’s not always necessary to offer discounts; there are many other types of promotions that can be effective without lowering prices. In this episode of Real Retail TV, I will discuss the five different types of promotions that every retailer should be aware of in order to keep their calendars full.

As an independent retailer, being savvy about maintaining, and increasing your margins is a critical part of running your business. In this episode, you’ll discover four strategies to make more money by significantly increasing your margins.

There’s no doubt that finding and hiring great people has become more difficult over the past few years. That’s why it is so important to try new and creative approaches when it comes to recruiting. In this episode of Real Retail TV, I’ll share one of my favorite hiring tactics that has been proven to work time and time again.

If you struggle with getting your team members to do what you want them to do, this episode of Real Retail TV is for you. A non-negotiable standard is defined as a standard to which everybody adheres to in exchange for their paycheck. Once you set a handful of standards and enforce them, it will naturally become a part of your store culture.

Sometimes running a retail store is a lot like kissing frogs to find your prince. Whether it’s your team members, lawyer, or accountant, it’s important to take the time to find the best fit for the job.

Lately I have been thinking about the idea of practicing gratitude like a verb. It’s easy to become frustrated by customers that come into your store just to look or team members that aren’t doing exactly what you’d like them to do, but what if you changed your mindset to gratitude?

Having owned a retail business for almost two decades, I am well aware of the frustrations people face when their employees fail to meet their expectations. In this episode of Real Retail TV, I will break down the reasons behind this behavior and offer practical solutions to address it.

In this episode of Real Retail TV, I share my fun and relaxed approach to vacation reading, and trust me, it’s a game-changer. This strategy allows me to unwind and recharge while opening up a world of inspiration.

The Good Chicken Rule comes from the idea of starting with good ingredients to make a great recipe. Making a great chicken dish starts with having good chicken, just like building a great team starts with hiring people who are an ideal fit.

Building a retail business you truly love starts with the end in mind. When you have a specific vision for what you want your future to look like, it becomes easier to fill in the steps that it will take to get there.

There is always something retailers can do to drive traffic. You simply have to think creatively and employ what I’m calling, The Piña Colada Principle.

To ensure you know where you’re headed, it’s necessary to have a clear understanding of where you’re at. That’s why it’s so important to know where you land on your retailer’s journey. If your goal is to progress to the next level, you’ll need to equip yourself with the essential tools and strategies required to get there. No matter what stage you’re in, self-development is key. You cannot grow as a business owner if you’re not growing as a person.

I could tell you hundreds of stories about independent retailers doing extraordinary things. So what makes these stories so powerful? It’s because these retailers are doing the things the big brands and big box retailers can’t or won’t do.

Recently I went to the grocery store and decided to try a new hot sauce. I brought it home and it was horrible! So here’s my conundrum… What do you do with the things in your life that are no longer serving you? Do you leave them to take up space or clear them out to make room for something new?

After 40+ years working in the independent retail space, I believe these three pillars are necessary for success. If you have these three things in place, you will build the business you deserve and reap the benefits of that success. The three pillars are mindset, skillset, and structure. All of these things tie into each other and can be proactively learned and achieved.

How do independent brick-and-mortar retailers become the store of choice? It comes down to two things that I explain in this episode of Real Retail TV. You have to be a skilled retailer and you have to commit to creating a great customer experience. It’s all about doing the things that the big box stores can’t or won’t do.

Is employee loyalty dead? Absolutely not. But just like customer loyalty, employee loyalty must also be earned. You have to make your employees feel valued and included. The labor market is much more fluid than it used to be. The best retailers will take this as an opportunity to level up their recruiting skills and build a deep bench.

If you automatically assume customer loyalty you are going to wind up disappointed. It’s not up to your customers to be loyal, it is up to you to earn their loyalty. There are many things you can do to engender customer loyalty. Proactively build the relationship by providing an exceptional in-store experience, implementing a great loyalty program, and having customer-friendly policies.

If you want to build a business that serves your life, now is the time to write a vision that will get you there. What do you really want from your business? How can you spend less time in your business and more time enjoying your life? A vision statement can become the roadmap to get you to the future you desire.

Should independent retailers be passing along these fees to their customers? The short answer is no. It’s your #1 competitive advantage to be able to provide an incredible in-store experience. And no matter how wonderful your sales staff is or how perfect your merchandise is, when a customer goes to pay and sees that they’re being charged a credit card fee, they’re going to feel like they’re being nickeled and dimed.

In this episode of Real Retail TV, I share what I believe to be the best store hours for independent retailers. The bottom line is, if you want to be competitive with the big box stores, you have to keep the same hours as they do. The goal is to make it as easy as possible for your customers to shop when they want to shop.

In this episode of Real Retail TV, you’ll discover how one simple question can get your team more focused and move you closer to your goals. Here at WhizBang! Training, we teach W.W.M.C.W. (What Would My Customer Want?). When you ask yourself this before any customer interaction you can easily build a culture that creates customer loyalty.

Main Street isn’t a place, it’s a state of mind. Whether your store is in a quaint downtown, in a strip mall, or in the middle of nowhere, you can still be a “Main Street” merchant. The main street state of mind encompasses the power you hold as an independent retailer. It’s your creativity and your customer focus that drive local loyalty.

After 40+ years of experience in retail, I have identified 12 traits that make successful independent retailers. In order to become competitive in today’s market, store owners need to build a strong foundation with these characteristics.

One mistake I see many retailers make is putting all of their efforts into new customer acquisition when in reality, the easiest way to grow your business is by increasing your average ticket. But beyond that, the big money really comes from getting your current customers to shop with you more often.

As entrepreneurs, we tend to self-criticize when we start to feel overwhelmed. This habit can hold you back from the true success that comes when you are able to let go of negative thoughts and let your creativity flow.

AI is revolutionizing retail! Indie retailers are already taking advantage of this technology to create more personalized customer experiences, streamline content creation and save time and resources for other tasks.

You deserve to have success in your business. You deserve to have more fun in your business. In this episode of Real Retail TV, I implore you to take a look at what it will take to get you to the inflection point on that success curve.

In this episode of Real Retail TV I share three of the most common and costly mistakes I see retail store owners and managers making when training their teams. As brick and mortar retailers your competitive advantage is your ability to give your customers a great experience, and that starts with training.

Does your business make you feel overwhelmed? You deserve a business that gives you freedom! The key is team training. You can create a culture that allows you to get out of your store and gives you mind freedom, time freedom, physical freedom, and financial freedom.

Is your team’s lackluster performance taking up too much space in your mind? The truth is that the end to your frustration with your employees depends on you. If you love your store and you want your employees to be loyal, then you owe it to them to build a training program that lays out the steps they need to be successful and take pride in their work.

Independent retailers have the ability to give their customers an experience that the big box stores can’t compete with. In order to provide a great experience you need to give your team the tools they need to execute it. If you’re serious about building a culture that creates customer and team loyalty then you’re going to need a rock-solid training program.

In this episode of Real Retail TV, I explore the future of retail leadership. There has been a huge shift in the last few years. There is no longer room for store owners who think that just “showing up” is enough. As we talked about last week, expectations are up and loyalty is down. Customers expect a great experience. The key is to educate, engage, and empower your team.

In this episode of Real Retail TV, I explore three reasons you might be losing customers. In the world of retail, expectations are up and loyalty is down. It’s important to create a smooth and easy shopping experience for your customers to keep them close and keep them coming back.

When I owned the Mackinaw Kite Company, I was constantly getting donation requests. I knew that the requests were coming from good people working for a cause they believed in, but the sheer number of requests became overwhelming. That’s why Susan and I have created a group of strategies that we call WhizBang! Cause Marketing.

When you create a promotion, it’s important to think about the big picture. What is the purpose of the promotion? Is it to activate existing customers or get new customers? Are you working on building relationships and building your database? Or are you simply trying to generate cash and reduce inventory? When you start with your purpose in mind you will be much more effective and efficient.