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As I travel the country talking to retailers, several themes come up over and over when we talk about building, cultivating and maintaining great relationships between wholesalers and retailers. The themes are nearly the same whether I talk to a store owner, a bar owner or a restaurant operator. The themes are nearly the same on the East coast as the West Coast. The themes are nearly the same for the customers with mature businesses as they are for those with emerging businesses. To that end, and because building great relationships is a marathon not a sprint, I have perhaps one of my most important lists yet: 26.2 Things Your Customers want you to Know, Understand, Realize and Appreciate
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You may have noticed that your customers have less disposable time than they used to. You may have noticed that your customer has more on his or her plate these days. You may have noticed that your customers are harder and harder to reach. You may have noticed less patience on the part of your customers.....
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It’s an election year! This November millions of Americans will head to the polls to decide on our next President, either Barack Obama or John McCain. Both candidates have their own individual take (or their party’s take) on the issues - and one thing is for sure. You may not agree with your candidate on all the issues; however, you must like and trust the candidate for him to receive your vote. You must feel comfortable. You must feel that your candidate is sincere, knowledgeable, and committed to receive your vote.
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The history of empathy in the workplace is quite interesting. In the old days, we were taught to leave all our heartfelt emotions and spontaneity at the door. There was simply was no room for personal emotions on the job. Today, that dynamic is shifting. It is now understood that friendly service-orientated people often outsell an impersonal-minded sales team
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The most successful people in the beverage business understand the trait of sincerity. I’ve had way too many people tell me they were looking out for me only to find out they were taking me for an emotional ride and didn’t care a lick about me. That was the absolute worst! Notice, I’m not calling them liars; instead, I’m saying some people just don’t really mean what they say.
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Recently I was asked the following two questions about my experiences as a wine, beer and spirit retailer: Did you ever hide from a sales person? What made you hide from a sales person?
Yes, of course I hid from sales people and I remember exactly where I hid. In the warehouse, most likely, right behind a pallet of vodka or something similar. The why part is a little more complex.
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Yet another sales report – the newest retail sales numbers are due out this morning. Analysts’ estimates are all over the board with many expecting same store sales to be flat.
Most of the key independent retailers I speak to say they’re holding their own. With the economy in the tank (at least – that’s what the economists say!) and gas prices still pretty high – retailers must be on the lookout for ways to improve their businesses, without spending a lot of money. For some the goal is improved sales; for others the objective might be simply to keep the doors open. Now more than ever all the little personal touches that identify independent businesses may really go a long way in the battle for survival.
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