Retail marketing and design posts
What if our goals were just dreams, with a deadline?
With each new year, there are new resolutions, new promises and new goals being made. However how many of us make goals and find themselves not achieving those goals, not seeing it through or changing their goals too often*. (*Waves both hands frantically in the air). What was getting in the way of achieving the actual goal?
What you will get from this article:
- Learn why goal setting is important
- Understand how to create goals that inspire you
- Tips on transforming your goals from concept to reality
- Access to a strategy workshop with Desketing
Learn about our secrets and tips on how to set goals and create a future for your retail business.
#1 Goals set the benchmark for success.
Why is goal setting important to your retail business?
Goal setting is not a simple case of saying or writing down, ‘I want to make a million-dollar business’. The definition of goal setting is the process of identifying what you want to accomplish and creating measurable objectives and timeframes to achieve them.
Sitting down with our retail clients, the importance of goal setting becomes so much clearer, because without goals and objectives, how do you determine success?
Not setting goals is a surefire way of avoiding disappointment over unrealistic goals, but setting goals is also a surefire way of discovering a sense of achievement.
Top things to remember
- Goal setting is the vehicle that will drive you to your desired destination.
- Goal setting keeps you accountable
- Goal setting will help you overcome procrastination
- If you don’t know what you want to achieve, you can’t create an action plan to get there
#2 Create important, motivating, compelling, inspiring, get out of bed goals.
Set effective goals that are important to you and offer you value in achieving them. If you have little interest in the outcome, then chances are you won’t do the work to make it happen. This is particularly critical for retail business and franchises, because setting goals require commitment, feeling a sense of urgency and a must-have attitude. If you don’t have the motivation, then you’ll do what most of us do, and end up putting off what you need to do to make the goal a reality. We’re likely to do the work and put in the time and energy when the end goal in sight excites us and is the driving force behind our actions.
Let’s change our mindset when it comes to goals. What if our goals, were just dreams, with a deadline? Then all we have to do now is create an action plan to achieve.
#3 Transform your goals from concept to reality
SMART goals stand for smart, measurable, relevant and time-bound. Transforming your goals from concept to reality involves well defined, clear and real goals.
Be sure to set precise amounts and dates so that we have that benchmark to measure. They need to be real goals because there’s no point in setting goals that will lead to demotivation and tear down your confidence. Setting realistic goals will give you and your team a sense of achievement.
#4 Progress equals happiness
Don’t underestimate the power of small wins. Setting progressive goals that allow you to feel like little achievements help us to move on to bigger achievements. Sometimes it’s the little motivations, that lead to small goals, which lead to progress which leads to leading a team that feels fulfilled and happy.
#5 Determine Your Process
You have to understand the difference between goals and process. Think of yourself as a small rowboat. Your goals are the rudder on the boat and give you direction. If you commit, it keeps you forward, and if you chop and change between goals, then you’ll find yourself in circles.
The oars are your process and determine your success.
While goals set the direction, the process determines your progress. And as we mentioned before progress equals happiness.
You’ll get nowhere from just holding onto the rudder, you have to row.
If you’re a runner and your goal is to run a marathon. Then your process is an 8-week training schedule.
If you’re the owner of a retail business and your goal is to build a million-dollar business. Then your process is a sales and marketing plan.
Click here to book a goal-setting strategy with Desketing.
#6 Set daily reminders
Transform your goal into a reality involves writing it down, telling people, telling yourself every single day! Whether that includes putting your goals around your office, on your walls, desktop computer screen, bathroom mirror, Trello, Skype, Whatsapp, email and calendar alerts. Setting constant reminders keeps you motivated, helps you visualise and understand why you’re doing this.
#7 Do you have the skills or resources to make it happen?
Goal setting is not just about choosing the rewards, but also accepting the need for the skills and resources required to make them happen.
For retail businesses, a strategic sales and marketing plan involves a detailed action plan that includes regular marketing campaigns and a rollout including signage, posters, email marketing, mobile marketing, Google Ads and social media marketing.
Do you have the skills or resources to make it happen? Schedule a meeting with our team of design and marketing experts to keep you focused.
Are you ready to take the next step and learn how to set business goals you will achieve?
Ask us about Goal-Setting Strategy Workshop
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Behind every great franchise brand, is one key element and that is the power of marketing to support it.
Franchise Marketing is no easy feat. For franchisors and franchisees, it takes a level of dedication, passion and vision to strengthen the brand and see yearly profitability. So why do some franchises flourish and others fail?
We delve into the complexities and challenges that a franchise faces and provide seven results-driven and effective franchise marketing tips to help franchisors and franchisees to see consistent growth and build their brand power.
Tip #1 Franchisees feedback is invaluable
With franchises, stakeholder management is key here, particularly with franchisees. Make sure that you involve franchisees at every step of the process particularly if want their marketing support.
Getting the franchisees on board, will let them feel involved and let them feel and know that their opinions matter. It’s important to understand that their feedback is important, particularly as they interact the most with their customers. By giving franchisees a sense of ownership, they’ll feel like they own the brand and want to support the marketing behind it.
Tip #2 Tailor the Marketing for the Locals
There isn’t a one size fit all model when it comes to franchise marketing. Talk to franchisees about local area marketing to support the national marketing campaign, it’s important that the key marketing messages are being communicated to your audience effectively and accordingly to the demographics and behaviour of your audience. Give franchisees the opportunity to contribute to local area marketing such as local sporting organisations or charities, advertising in local newspapers, competitions, customer referral incentives and local billboards.
Tip #3 Offer Guidance, Not Assumptions
If you’re looking for clear and measurable results, it’s vital that franchisees are doing everything correctly to deliver the campaign. Communicate with franchisees on the requirements and processes so that they are able to communicate effectively with their team. Offer ongoing guidance and frequent communication and the results will speak for themselves.
Tip #5 Attract the Right Franchisees
One of the key challenges of any growing franchise is attracting the right franchisees. Prospective franchisees will gravitate towards franchise brands that provide them with quality information that is easy to digest and clear.
There are plenty of ways that franchisors can help to provide this information and to attract quality prospective franchisees and these include:
- Provide downloadable online information kits;
- Attract and qualify prospects by providing an online FAQ section;
- Keep your listings on franchise business websites up to date with current information and make sure that they’re optimised with the right keywords;
- Update your website often and optimise your web pages for the right keywords so they appear on Google searches;
- Use social media channels such as LinkedIn and Facebook to advertise business opportunities.
Tip #6 Behind a Strong Brand is Consistent Marketing
A key difficulty for franchises is ensuring that a consistent message is being to prospective and current customers from the franchisor and all the franchisees. Ensure that franchisees understand the importance of message consistency by communicating clearly defined messages, goals and objectives. Franchisors need to protect their brand by creating strict rules about how the trademarks are used and also with the creation of advertising and marketing materials.
Tip #7 Build Your Brand With a Comprehensive Marketing Plan
Franchisors and their Franchise Brand will benefit greatly by developing and executing a comprehensive marketing plan for the overall franchise. Commitment and execution are key here, while also having the right team with the right skill level to deliver clear and measurable results.
The Marketing Plan should consist of a promotional schedule that includes clearly defined messages and goals along with the scheduled advertising campaigns. Different promotional channels can be implemented including tv and radio commercials, social media, public relations, direct mail and digital marketing. A successful campaign is one that is results driven and measurable and focused on key goals such as brand awareness, increasing foot traffic to stores, increasing leads and enquiries.
Desketing are experienced and trusted franchise marketing and design specialists.
Having worked with variously sized franchises, Desketing is experienced to help nurture and consult franchises on marketing campaigns and provide marketing and design support for point of sale materials including menus, posters and displays, catalogues brochures and other print material.
Desketing is furthermore helping franchisors to integrate digital marketing into their overall strategy for example through franchise website development, maintenance, search engine optimisation, digital advertising including Google Adwords and Display Advertising and social media advertising.
You can speak to a Desketing design and marketing specialist by calling 07 3220 3962 or request a callback.
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Australia remains continuingly attractive to global retail brands not only because of the relatively strong economic performance after the Global Financial Crisis, but also with the promising average of 4% annual growth in retail sales from 2008 to 2016.
According to the 2016 Global Powers of Retailing by Deloitte, only 39 of the world’s 250 largest retailers operate in Australia (16%), meaning more global retail brands are expected to enter the market in the following years.
How should local retailers face the challenge of global retailers?
Here are 6 retail marketing tips to prepare your business for global competition.
#1. Understand your retail market better
To begin with, make good use of your knowledge of the local retail market. Your customer base is the most important asset you have. Start a membership or loyalty program to understand your customers as early as possible. For example, Liquor Legends utilizes a membership database to find out the products customers like most, the company then sends tailored promotional text messages about the products when they are on sale. By understanding customer preferences, Liquor Legends converted their customers into loyal advocates and increased their average customer spend.
#2. Expand your product line
In order to match global retail brands, Australian retailers must try to expand their product line to create branded products that will excite customers. Make sure you provide products that appeal to local tastes as well. Consider how you want to launch and communicate your new products through different channels, whether on your website, through traditional advertising, or social media.
Remember, the campaign you set up must be measurable and results-driven. This allows you to compare the performance before and after the campaign, which further provides the insights of what you have done right or what you can improve next time.
Although measuring a campaign might sound a bit abstract, it can actually be done easily as long as you identify the right metrics to help. Depending on the media channels used in your campaign, you can review metrics such as the click through rate, conversion rate and email opening rate. Don’t forget to use Google Analytics to get real time results and deeper consumer behavior insights. The stronger customer database you have, the more competitive you are.
#3 Partner with other local retailers
Have you considered partnering with other local retailers? Find businesses that share similar values as your business. By doing so, not only can you acquire functional know-how and a different business perspective, but also reach potential new customers and increase your average customer spend.
For example, Japanese local bookstore Tsutaya partnered with coffee shops to create a new store concept known as “book café”. The store provided an environment where customers could hang out and enjoy a new, leisurely lifestyle, which also increased the time customers spent within the bookstore. The result was so successful that the company has replicated the business model and expanded overseas.
#4. Utilise your digital platforms
While global retail brands have access to larger marketing budgets and resources to market their products, Australian retailers are able to remain competitive by allocating resources in maintaining or improving digital platforms.
Having a SEO friendly website is a way to compete with global retail brands. By having the right keywords and posting quality content, you can attract the right traffic to your website and increase awareness.
Furthermore, include call-to-action buttons for more potential conversion. In addition, supplement your website through social media platforms. Tailor your content to your local customers to create a fan base. Get customers to engage in your brand by encouraging them to share their feedback or use hashtags.
#5. Follow the retail trends
Always be nimble and observe the retail market. Think about new and innovative ways to improve your customer’s decision-making process or customer experience and how they interact with your brand.
Be culturally aware
An increasing number of Asian visitors has provided new opportunities for Australian retailers. Make sure you can capture this market by offering services that satisfy your new audience. Having a multi-lingual language website, brochure, and menu is important.
However, don’t use the direct translation from the internet, as the quality is usually poor. Moreover, there’s a chance that search engines will view it as spam. Also, ensure that translated material appears on its own landing page, as mixing different languages on the same page can cause confusion for search engines.
Be service focused
Your service can also be improved with just little innovative ideas.
For instance, as online shopping has become the new retail trend, the importance of last-mile delivery cannot be overemphasized. Think of ways to speed up your delivery, instead of traditional parcel delivery, consider combining your local distribution knowledge with the partnership of third party outsourcing companies like Zoom2U or Sendle, your customers can receive their order at a more flexible location and time.
Improving your service by providing a new level of convenience is a great way to differentiate your brand from global retail brands.
#6. Check out available Government Support
Don’t forget to routinely check for updates about government incentives for Australian retail business (https://www.business.gov.au/assistance). For example, Queensland-based small businesses can apply for Queensland Digital Grants program, which helps business to purchase hardware, software, and services to cope with digital disruption.
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Are you one of the independent pharmacies that drop prices in the hope of attracting more customers? This may be a temporary way of boosting sales, but have you ever wondered what your business can really achieve with some long-term pharmacy marketing strategies?
Here are 7 innovative pharmacy marketing ideas that help you grow your independent pharmacy business and get more loyal customers.
#1. Be Your Customers’ Best Friend
Being your customers’ best mate doesn’t mean just fill and sell prescriptions. It means taking some extra time to talk to your patients about their medicines and satisfy their needs. One way of gaining repeat customers is by promoting a membership loyalty program, which not only enables you to understand the purchase habit and the needs of the patient but also allows you to promote a tailored promotion package to specific individuals and to increase their average spend.
#2. Engage With Customers Online and Offline
The ways of engaging with customers are not limited to face-to-face contact. Having a great website provides you with unlimited potential to understand and engage your customers. For example, having an engaging landing page and promoting your pharmacy through well-designed digital marketing campaigns will help you reach more people, gain new customers, and increase sales.
#3. Good Appearance Matters
Having a stress-free atmosphere and clean layout provides customers with a sense of trust and comfort, which are the basics of building a long-term relationship.The first thing that catches customers’ attention when they walk into your pharmacy is the signage design. Make sure the signage of pharmacy is not faded by age or sunlight and the design is up to date. Next, look at the way how you store your products, can it convey a message of the quality you provide?
#4. Provide Extras for Customers
Being more than just a pharmacy is another way to differentiate your business from other competitors. Partnering with local businesses for events and promotions is a great way to demonstrate your appreciation for the community and market your pharmacy. Furthermore, it provides the opportunity for you to grow your pharmacy business by reaching potential customers that are not aware of your business.
#5. Become An Expert in Your Field
Hosting educational events not only conveys your pharmaceutical specialty to customers but also shows that you are willing to take the social responsibility of sharing the correct knowledge with the public. Through delivering seminar topics like understanding common chronic diseases, you will be perceived as the expert in the field and further captures customers that are eager to solve the issue regarding the diseases.
#6. Make Some New Friends
Referrals from other healthcare professionals are a powerful pharmacy marketing tool and can help you acquire potential customers and further strengthen the brand image. It’s important to take the time to explain the services your pharmacy provides and build a good relationship with the healthcare professionals in your community. Remember, the referrals go both ways. Recommending a good GP or dentist to your patients demonstrates that you are well-connected and have the ability to solve their problems completely. The wider your networking web is, the bigger your pharmacy business can grow.
#7. Use the Power of Social Media
The importance of Social Media Marketing for a pharmacy cannot be overemphasized. People love to interact on social media, be sure to generate content that interests them, such as posting the latest promotion, health tips, and photos or videos of the events. The more delighted and engaged your customers are, the more brand loyal they will be.
Change is a part of any industry, and a pharmacy is no exception. In order to stand out, it’s vital that you remain open to changes. Be willing to challenge the status quo and ask questions like “how” and “what if”. Always keep in mind that visions are seldom achieved immediately. Progress needs time, and persistence is the key to success.
