Know-How Exchange : Branding

The biggest thing is to differentiate yourself from your nearby competitor. Make your products/services ALL about the customer. How can you make shopping with you a personal and enjoyable experience so that they will be loyal to you, refer others and return time and again?

You say that the competitor has more signature lines than you. Promote your items as things that are produced so that you don't look like the person across the street. Emphasize that your customers' selections are their own. Communicate as much in your signage, ads and other exposure elements.

Consider adding an unpublicized special gift with each sale that will not be a part of your public sales strategy, but will create buzz about your business among customers and their friends.

You may also want to plan special events for your members (and their friends/family) that again, make them feel special because they patronize YOU!

Good luck!

Promos are part of a bigger process. As Gail said you need to differentiate yourself. Do you know what your unique selling proposition is? Does everyone in your company know what it is and share in that belief? The USP must be one that the competition either cannot, or does not, offer. All of your activities should be oriented to supporting your USP. Unless you are a discount store, focus on value added instead of sales which just cut into profits. The loyalty card is one way to do that.

Advertising a specific product that you just got in stock and has high appeal is another. For example, for my online apparel store, I'll send an email blast that says- "NEW XYZ fabric shirts have arrived- every color, style and size you've been looking for are now in stock!" I've solved their problem- finding the store that what they've been looking for. How many times have you gone shopping but couldn't find the right size? Again, it goes back to your USP and what you can deliver.

Building on Phil's idea, you have two ways to go. Add a customer loyalty card which is integrated into a swipe system. If you offer gift cards, this is probably easy enough to do and allows you to develop a customer relationship by knowing their shopping habits (integrate into email and snail mail promotions.) Personally, I don't want any more loyalty cards. I don't want to give up any more of my personal information unless it's a store I shop at so much and the discounts are so good that I will then submit. What one do I like? Delia's has a simple punch card. You get punches for every $20 purchased and when your card is full you bring in your card for $20 off.

The last thing I'll mention is in retail, it's the help that brings people back. People who are happy to be there, who believe in your niche, who know your products, and who are happy to help. Gum chewers with ipods & earbuds (I've encountered them) don't qualify as interested and give me no reason to come back.

Hi Honey.

It seems that your competitor is also an imitator. So I'm afraid any of the ideas explained above may work only short term and could also be easier for your competitor to imitate. I think you need to change your value perception in customer's minds and it's a long term strategy (may not be possible to achieve overnight). To begin with please keep in mind that you cannot be everything to everyone. Do your research and find your primary customer base that makes up at least 65 - 75% of your sales and align you product line according to them - even if it means to move downwards from a premium image to be a value brand, or go up to be a premium brand from a value-for-money image. In other words - you may need to redefine your positioning which your competitor cannot imitate with respect to moral principles, and even if they do they could easily be rendered as an imposter brand.

Thanks.
Rohan

Honey,

You have mentioned that you deal in men and women clothing for all ages and have two presence in the mall in question and that you already have already a membership (which I presume is Loyalty program integrated) program running.

So in case your membership program hasn't yet identified your segment which gives you more than 60% sales, its the right time to do so and then focus your promos on that segment.

I would also want to know the difference between the two stores you have on the different floors, are they selling same product? or have you differentiated between the men/women or value/premium etc. If you havent then it will be a good idea to do that. If you have male/female stores then its better to have a female store on higher floor (as stats show they travel more for shopping) and in case its the value/premium you can have the value one on higher floor as perception is higher floors are cheaper and value stores will be there paying lesser rent and more discount!

You can also 'brand' your altering tailors and give free alteration service. Have them dress in similar attire and put hanging leaflets in shop saying you are happy to serve the customer and post some of these tailors pics along.

Instead of having a uniform discount, you may have higher discount on one class of item and have it for a fortnight or month and then change; cal it say offers of the fortnight/week etc. make sure you place the items which give you better margin (and are worth the purchase) to be placed along with items on offer; it will also increase their sales.

Hope this helps!