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A:
The key to
competing against any of the big-box retailers is not to compete –
at least not on their terms. To survive and grow, you must
differentiate your business. The big-box retailers survive on
volume, and to do this they have to give up personal customer care.
Thus, personal customer care is the business area that you should
concentrate on. This includes:
Offer a
greater variety of merchandise. This may take some creative
purchasing, such as looking overseas for items, having items
packaged to your specifications, or having items specially made for
you.
Nothing beats
knowledgeable sales staff, so invest in training the staff. Also,
offer services that the big-box retailers cannot, such as craft
classes and/or an on-site kiln. You may want to consider coffering
delivery to the elderly and/or assisted living centers.
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Develop an
email/mailing list to keep your customers current.
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Using a
questionnaire, ask your customers what they like about your
business, what they don’t like, and what they would like to see
changed or added. Then use this information to enhance your
business.
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Hold craft
contests.
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Post pictures
of customers and the crafts they created.
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Offer special
orders.
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Have a
discount card for frequent buyers.
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Give away “How
To” pamphlets.
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Be active in
your community. Donate ends of lines to local schools and assisted
living centers.
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Demonstrate
crafts at schools, clubs, and assisted living centers.
Do not wait
for Wal-Mart to open; now is the time to develop and implement new
ideas and concepts.
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