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Loading ...In the New York Times article today, the reporter notes sales were down 4.1% compared to October 2007. Retail analyst Eric Beder said, “Unless it’s something super-compelling or really necessary, they’re not going to the mall.”
I’ve been to malls in Los Angeles, Seattle, Albany, Richmond as well as the streets of New York and Cancun during October and beg to differ Mr. Beder. The malls I have been to are full; shoppers are out there.
What’s not out there is anything that could lift our spirits to want to buy. More signs screaming discount in colors appropriate for going-out-of-business than pre-holiday. More glum employees worried more about their jobs than the person standing in front of them. More restaurant specials dumbing down their offerings. More talking heads on plasma TVs making a living out of making us fearful of the next shoe to drop.
Is this how to beat a recession? I don’t think so. The problem is that people are scared. We have to find a way for them to get over the fright, not add to it.
You have got to begin by having a compelling vision of what you offer versus the other guy. You can say personalized service all you want, but the proof as they say, is on the sales floor.
Look, even if traffic is down in your location by let’s say 20%, that still means you still have 80%. You need to reinforce the positives.
I can’t tell you how many times during a downturn I’ve heard business owners proudly telling customers how slow it is. Why not just put up a sign now, “Going out of business!” We don’t want to hear more bad news!
And while I’m at it, this would be a perfect time to pull the plug on all those stupid plasma TVs retailers and restaurants have plastered their locations with. “Feeling bad? We have even more reasons on our plasma screens!”
Dining With Disaster
When I was in the coffeehouse business we had a guy wanting to put a plasma TV in justifying, “People want to know.” We maintained they didn’t, they wanted as Howard Shultz with Starbucks had said early on, “a third place away from home and work people could be comfortable in.”
Then came 9/11 – thank goodness we didn’t have plasmas. People came to the coffeehouse to talk, share and connect, not be frightened further in 20-minute cycles.
It is up to you, the retailer to lift our spirits. Americans don’t need much encouragement; we just need less Red Bull and more Prozac from everyone.
Things are playing out and we’ll get out alive to be sure, but all you can control right now, in this minute, is the customer who just walked in. It’s your four walls – nothing else matters.
