How do you manage overwhelm in your retail business?

How do you decide what to focus on and how to get it done, and what to set aside?

During this crazy time of year, I’m seeing a lot of my Retailer’s in the Inner Circle running super busy shops, and of course, there are lots of things pop up that are throwing a wrench in plans for even the most seasoned and planned our retailers. But when you are juggling so many things, how do you keep your brain from going off track?

There are so many things going on right now in your business, in your life, and with your customers. I want to help you prioritize it all and figure out what to do when.

Here are a few helpful tips:

Who can you ask for help?

Keep things simple, light, and easy. Ask your staff, your loved ones, your friends for help. A true CEO knows when to delegate.

Some simple ideas..

Hire a cleaning crew for the month of December
Have your kids make dinner one night
Have someone run an errand for you

Support is crucial.

Ask yourself: Is this revenue-generating?

I tend to classify my tasks as a “money-maker” or a “nice-to-have”. When you are feeling the overwhelmed, ask yourself at the moment if what you are doing is generating revenue for you.

We have to prioritize the revenue-generating tasks such as getting your orders in, getting orders unpacked, getting inventory on the shelf, etc. That’s what’s important right now within your business rather than getting the garland hung. (a nice to have)

Boundaries

You also need to make sure you have the capacity to say yes to something new. An extra workshop, a last-minute wholesale order, or extending cut-off times for shipping… all things not in your original plan but are revenue-generating – but – do we have the bandwidth for this?

You have to put your CEO hat on, protect your energy and just say no if you can’t fit it in your plan.

Set boundaries. 🙂

Don’t overcommit.

Keep the marketing wheel going

Ask yourself, “What am I doing today to invite customers in?” every day.

This will help your December marketing mindset.

Maybe it’s an email one day, a Facebook post, a live, share a how-to video, etc. During this busy season, don’t add new things to your plate – go with your current marketing strategy and make sure you keep it in motion. You can even reuse content, you don’t have to reinvent the wheel every single time. Keep it simple and show up consistently.

Take just 10 minutes a day to market your business in some way and include an invitation with a call to action.

Batch your work

Batch like with like.

Usually, when you are doing a daily task, so many distractions come into play and your chicken squirrel brain takes over. You start thinking about ideas, you check Facebook, or you’re on the phone. We have to stop and focus on similar tasks and schedule them throughout the day.

Avoid those distractions, especially during the month of December. We actually talked a lot about this in my Creative Shop Talk Podcast episode 48 – The 3 Biggest Time Wasters for Retailers and How to Avoid Them. You can also listen to part of our encore series – episode 71.

If you can control the chaos, we can actually really enjoy the season without all the overwhelm!

If you are looking for support and need to avoid the chicken squirrel brain, join our Retailer’s Inner Circle. I’d love to support you and your business.

Foot Traffic Made Simple

My most popular mini-training!

In this 90-minute training and walk away with a simple way to complete a full month of marketing planned out and a repeatable, easy marketing framework to follow.

Then sit back and watch your customers walk in your door smiling!

In Their Shop series highlights inspiring and successful members of the Retailer Inner Circle in their beautiful shops!

Here we find out how they work, some behind the scenes, and they’ll share some of their secrets and best tips with us.

Meet Royce!

Tell us about your business – How did you become a shop owner and what type of products/services do you offer?

Roycycled Treasures is a family business and my mission is to empower creation in everyone.

Our brand’s culture is one of inclusion, inspiration, and encouragement. We recognize the power of creation, and encourage people from all walks of life to experience the quality it can bring to their lives.

I wholesale Roycycled Decoupage Paper, I sell creative supplies, and teach online courses.

Share a bit of your business journey! What did you do before you opened a shop and why did you open your business?

When I began my journey as a creative businesswoman in 2012, it was with paper machè. I use to design, build and sell paper machè deer heads that I shipped all over the world through ETSY. Ultimately that business model was not sustainable, but I learned so much. Even our failures can be stepping stones to the greater things the Lord has planned for us. It was through this business that I began to experiment with decoupage. I couldn’t find what I wanted anywhere, so I figured out a way to create it myself.

After a while, my friends began requesting designs that fit their esthetic, so I would create them. I recognized the opportunities of the product, so I began to offer it. The response I received was almost overwhelming. After selling for a couple of years, I began getting messages from businesses that wanted to carry my product. Through divine intervention and appointed relationship building, I figured out a way to make it happen.

I took my first wholesale order in September of 2019, and the rest is history. Today I have over 250 retailers who carry Roycycled Decoupage Paper in the US, Canada, Australia, Germany, France, New Zealand, and the UK. Honestly, it is still a little unreal for me. But every day I wake up grateful for all of it.

Any struggles or lessons learned along the way? How do you overcome them?

So many!!

Often we work to get “everything together” before we begin walking in our gift. One of the most important lessons I’ve learned in my journey is to start where you are with what you have, and figure things out along the way. The biggest thing I’ve learned this year is the importance of building a solid team to help you move forward.

Brag a little about your business, what are you most proud of?

I am the most proud of the fact that I am able to support so many small businesses with my business. Although I sell craft supplies, I believe the work I do bring joy into the hearts of my customers.

Can you tell us what your thoughts are on being a member of the Retailer’s Inner Circle?

I am a creative through and through. Being in the inner circle forces me to really see my business as a business. To do the hard boring stuff that it takes to keep my business moving forward. Taking time out to see my business as a CEO really enables me to see the bigger picture. To plan for the future.

Not just dream, but to really plan based on the data I collect from my business on a regular basis.

What are you most excited about coming up for you and your business?

I have finally begun building my platform to host my online trainings, and I’ve already recorded two full courses. I’m super excited about expanding the e-training arm of my business.

10 ways to stay creative or interested in your business:

1. Focus on serving my customers and reminding myself to be grateful for them
2. Looking back on my journey to see how far I’ve come
3. Stepping away and focusing on family
4. Taking time to create just for me
5. Actively participating in my business groups and masterminds
6. Delegating where I can
7. Asking for help when I need it
8. Staying connected and involved in my community
9. Traveling to connect with other creatives
10. Maintaining a heart of gratitude.

Wendy would love to thank Royce for her involvement in the Retailer’s Inner Circle and for sharing so much in this blog post! To learn more about Royce and her beautiful treasures, please visit the following:

Royce Hunt

Website | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube

To join Royce and other profitable and awesome shop owners, join the Retailer’s Inner Circle here.

Foot Traffic Made Simple

My most popular mini-training!

In this 90-minute training and walk away with a simple way to complete a full month of marketing planned out and a repeatable, easy marketing framework to follow.

Then sit back and watch your customers walk in your door smiling!

In Their Shop series highlights inspiring and successful members of the Retailer Inner Circle in their beautiful shops!

Here we find out how they work, some behind the scenes, and they’ll share some of their secrets and best tips with us.

Tell us about your business – How did you become a shop owner and what type of products/services do you offer?

I’m located in Upstate NY (just north of Albany), in the original general store building for our little Erie Canal hamlet of Vischer Ferry. Close to everything, but with a “middle of nowhere” feel.

I backed into becoming a shop owner by buying the historic home right next door to the general store building. The general store was in dire need of a renovation and a new business (it had been operating as a tack shop). Long story short, we bought the building with some partners and did a 3-year renovation, after which I opened my business. We are a modern general store and cafe offering homemade baked goods, espresso drinks, breakfast, and lunch. The retail items are mostly gift items, stationery, greeting cards, candles, and more, with a focus on local makers where possible, and with some vintage items mixed in.

Our customers are a mix of locals and “fans” who make a visit to us a part of their weekly routine. We also get newbies every week who have found us primarily through word of mouth. We offer our outside space for private events and have several big public events throughout the year such as concerts, antique shows, and art shows. We’ll be celebrating our 6 year anniversary this December!

Share a bit of your business journey! What did you do before you opened a shop and why did you open your business?

I helped manage a bridal salon for about ten years prior to opening the store. I also designed jewelry, with bridal jewelry being my primary focus. That was my only retail experience, and I had zero cafe experience.

I’ve always been a creative person, and now I can express my creativity through our product mix and merchandising.

Any struggles or lessons learned along the way? How do you overcome them?

Yes.

I started with a business partner. It didn’t work out (I bought her out 7 months after opening), and that was a very difficult situation. The lesson learned is that I have the power to handle doing this on my own. Since I didn’t have any cafe experience, I thought I needed to bring in someone who did, despite some red flags early on. I should have trusted my gut, which I now do with all business decisions.

What I’ve learned is that I have a strong inner compass for running my business. I am the CEO, and that while lots of random people like to give their two cents about things we “should” be doing, I have actually done a really good job steering this ship, and will continue to do so on my terms. It’s very gratifying to be the sole decision-maker!

Trust yourself!

Brag a little about your business, what are you most proud of?

I’m most proud of the sense of community we have built. Our customers are so loyal, and many friendships have been forged at our store. Our store is the heart of this little hamlet, but people also come long distances to visit us because we provide an experience that is so much nicer than the chain stores and restaurants!

We have book clubs, knitting groups, and more that meet here. We had an engagement happen here 2 years ago, and their wedding will take place here in September. I’m also proud of my staff – we’re like family (some of us actually are!). We have a strong bond, and most of my employees stay here until they have to leave due to a move or college graduation.

Can you tell us what your thoughts are on being a member of the Retailer’s Inner Circle?

I love being a member – it has definitely helped me with the CEO mindset, and to focus on big picture goals. Since joining I’ve really taken the business to the next level. I’ve staffed way up, which frees me to do more long-term planning. I used to feel like I had to be behind the counter every hour that we’re open, but I’ve become more comfortable letting staff handle things. When I’m not there, they do a better job of stepping up and managing, so it’s a win-win.

I’ve also become more comfortable looking at the numbers and setting financial goals. I’ve watched every workshop and master class. I never had the opportunity to speak to other owners of businesses like mine before joining the Inner Circle. I figured most things out along the way, but wish I had discovered a resource like this sooner. However, I’m still learning so much as I go and continue to do so all the time.

What are you most excited about coming up for you and your business?

I’m excited for what will be our biggest holiday season ever! Last year we dealt with Covid, which impacted our holiday sales, plus we were forced to shut down the week and a half right before Christmas because a staff member had been diagnosed with it. Even so, our numbers were way up over previous years.

This year we are more prepared than ever and excited about people returning to in-person shopping (fingers crossed). I’m ahead of schedule with my holiday ordering, so I’m feeling confident that, even though I expect to be crazy busy, we will be able to manage it with as little stress as possible, due to all the advance planning.

5 retailers you love to follow who inspire you:

John Derian
Cutter Brooks
ABC Carpet and Home
Anthropologie
Maman

Wendy would love to thank Louise for her involvement in this blog post! To learn more about Louise and her beautiful shop, please visit the following:

Louise McManus

Website | Facebook | Instagram |

To join Louise and other profitable and awesome shop owners, join the Retailer’s Inner Circle here.

Foot Traffic Made Simple

My most popular mini-training!

In this 90-minute training and walk away with a simple way to complete a full month of marketing planned out and a repeatable, easy marketing framework to follow.

Then sit back and watch your customers walk in your door smiling!

HoW are yoU standing oUt and getting your cUstomer’s aTTention this wEEk? 

What is a pattern interrupt?

A quick and easy win for your business by getting their attention. Changing things up!

Shake up the norm. Do something different. Be rememberable or noticeable.

If you’ve been here for a while, you know that I am not a fancy person. I focus more on authentic relatable content, and at a recent event, all of the speakers had fancy slide presentations to go along with their discussions.

But what I did was make sure to stand out. I used simple, paper doodles that I drew by hand.

So what was I remembered as? The girl that did the doodle 🙌
Whether good or bad, it was memorable for the audience.

A recent retailer client painted her front door hot pink (on-brand – but changed it up)

A Retailer’s Inner Circle member dressed up for Derby Day with fun hats etc.

What could you do today to change the pattern in your business?

Why would it matter?

Everyone gets complacent. We get complacent with our business, and so do our customers. They aren’t always paying attention to us!

Let’s change it up, by creating a quick, easy, visual change.

Interrupt the normal.

It also allows us to step out of this box that we put ourselves in. Break the rules for just one day!

Here are a few examples:

• Change the header/cover photo on your website or Facebook page
• Wear crazy clothing on your next Facebook live to catch their eye
• Put a new flag or banner up in front of your store
• Change up where you do your lives
• Post a new and fun picture/video on social media
• Colorblock a post
• Change your merchandising and marketing to show the season

What you do every day is still important. But shaking things up every now and then is a great thing!

If you’d like more support in your retail business, you can work with me through a few different outlets. I work with retailers inside my coaching groups – one of them is called The Retailer’s Inner Circle (which is currently open and accepting new members). I do one-on-one coaching, and I  have a podcast called the Creative Shop Talk Podcast. I also have courses that you can grab if a group is not your thing!

Comment below and let me know how you’ve changed things up recently!

Foot Traffic Made Simple

My most popular mini-training!

In this 90-minute training and walk away with a simple way to complete a full month of marketing planned out and a repeatable, easy marketing framework to follow.

Then sit back and watch your customers walk in your door smiling!

In Their Shop series highlights inspiring and successful members of the Retailer Inner Circle in their beautiful shops!

Here we find out how they work, some behind the scenes, and they’ll share some of their secrets and best tips with us.

Tell us about your business – How did you become a shop owner and what type of products/services do you offer?

Girl UPcycled Studio is focused on all things Art, UPcycling and DIY. I like to focus on items made by local and small businesses and try to find items wholesale that offer fair trade whenever possible. I honestly did not set out to have a local retail business but rather was in a situation where I simply needed to find a place other than my house to sell my art and UPcycled furniture pieces. The studio has evolved throughout its 6 years into a really eclectic artsy vibe local shopping/art studio space. The Studio is located in Zanesville, Ohio (US) and happily, my customers are just as eclectic as the studio space itself with shoppers that are DIYers, artists, moms, dads, grandmothers, etc. They just pop into the shop, including shoppers from the local restaurants on each side of the studio.

I currently offer products geared towards the DIYer including paint, brushes, DIY kits, stamps, transfers & casting molds. The front of the store upon entrance includes painted furniture with a mix of vintage items. As well as locally sourced soaps and candles, kimonos, bags, Ceramic ware, and bohemian style jewelry and aromatherapy products.

Share a bit of your business journey! What did you do before you opened a shop and why did you open your business?

I’ve always seemed to have had pretty creative jobs. As a young girl I was hired at a hair salon where I created a clientele servicing sculptured nails for about 10 years. I then went to work for the Longaberger Handmade Basket Company where I started out weaving baskets for a few years working my way into the Creative Design Department. The Creative Design Department was a really fun, fascinating job where we were in charge of any and all things visual at the company. This included exterior decorating, event decorating, retail display, and branding display for photo Opts. I worked my way up to supervisor at that company until I left in 2002 to take care of a premature baby.

I started out of my home when my daughter was small so I could still be home with her. I was fascinated to learn about the internet and really started diving into studying how to run a business using this technology. I started first selling on Etsy and Facebook. People were contacting me to create custom orders. I then had an acquaintance that wanted to start a retail & painted furniture store in our town and she wanted to sell my furniture there and give me a work space to create in. This was literally the only time I’ve worked in a retail store. I was only there about 1 1/2 years as I quickly learned that after they started to learn how to create their own paint finishes… I was no longer needed.

So, I left and started my own studio to create in. That was back in 2015. I just celebrated my 6 year anniversary!

Any struggles or lessons learned along the way? How do you overcome them?

OMG, where to start!

Well if you do go into a business situation with a “‘friend”, do NOT stop working on your own brand to build another brand. This was a BIG lesson that sucked 2 years of my life and emotion. Of course, I overcame it by opening up my own place accompanied by strong God whispers nudging me along.

Always stay true to your vibe and your brand. I’ve had people that I’ve consigned that would want to push their ideas to target every person out there. For example, sports fans. That is not my brand or my vibe.

Learn how to say no to what you know you are not.

Brag a little about your business, what are you most proud of?

I am so proud to be able to inspire others that have always “wanted” to be an artist but never knew where or how to start. Or the ones that maybe are crafty or are able to follow along on a painting but they could never figure out how to learn their very own style or “unique voice” when painting. This makes me so joyful to watch a person evolve when I can see their work and know “who” created it before I even see their name.

Can you tell us what your thoughts are on being a member of the Retailer’s Inner Circle?

I had some online experience in selling but I was looking for somewhat of a “hybrid” person, so to speak, someone that understood how online technology worked with local retail. I had very little to no local brick-n-mortar experience so, in the Retailers’ Inner Circle, Wendy has so much knowledge that she shares tirelessly with all of us and this has helped me so much.

She is very disciplined and organized in the way she runs her business and the way she teaches. That is what I know I need. She is able to relate the use of technology and the importance of using it with our local business and reaching beyond so that we are not affected by a little something like say…. a pandemic?

The Retailer’s Inner Circle is the place for creative brick and mortars to hone their skills.

What are you most excited about coming up for you and your business?

Growing online and bringing people to my area and town by offering art retreats. As well as traveling to other towns offering retreats to help other businesses.

I am excited about my continued growth as a destination location and business at my local studio.

Some Favorite Podcasts to Listen To:

Artist Academy Podcast
Keeping Shop
Tony Robbins
Paint Talks

Wendy would love to thank Kelly for her involvement in this blog post! To learn more about Kelly and her beautiful studio, please visit the following:

Kelly Wiler

Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | YouTube

To join Kelly and other profitable and awesome shop owners, join the Retailer’s Inner Circle here.

Foot Traffic Made Simple

My most popular mini-training!

In this 90-minute training and walk away with a simple way to complete a full month of marketing planned out and a repeatable, easy marketing framework to follow.

Then sit back and watch your customers walk in your door smiling!

Quick Retail Tip

“How do I get people to buy the products that are in my store, sometimes they just walk by products?“.

Lately, there has been a lot of discussion inside my Retailer’s Inner Circle regarding the upcoming holiday season prep and Q4. All of my retailers have been working so hard on increasing foot traffic inside their stores, but the above question has been continually asked.

First – we have to figure out WHY they’re not buying.

Many times we can fix this with a few simple strategies.

If you are confident it’s a product they should like, at the right price points, it could be because it’s being overlooked.

Here are three quick tips that will help you increase your sales inside your shop today!

There are always places in your store that aren’t frequented often, the customers just are not seeing them. 

Here’s how to remedy it quickly:

Watch your Customers 👀

Pay attention to where your customers DON’T go. Follow their path as they enter to see which parts of your store aren’t visited or what display cases aren’t seen, etc.

Ask yourself the question of why. Why aren’t customers going to those particular areas of my shop?

Is it Intuitive?

How we merchandise our store makes sense to us – but does it make sense to our customers?

We’ve had to make so many changes during this pandemic. Whether you’ve added curbside pickup or new products, you may need to reevaluate your overall plan. Maybe your floor plan and flow is off.

Take notes and be aware. Then start brainstorming.

Work the Flow

Even with small shops, it’s so important to create a traffic flow that is smart and simple. Lead them toward those products with visual aids and intuitive plans.

Try taking the following steps:

• Raise products to hip height or eye level
• Add better lighting – magic happens with lighting
• Create a great traffic flow
• Make your spaces inviting
• Add signage – your secret silent customer service

Don’t give up on a product line just yet. Following these quick, simple steps can help increase your sales immediately. The key is to keep things simple and intuitive.

Start by observing and paying attention.

Retail is always changing, and it’s certainly not what it was. But I am a firm believer that it’s better. Our customers just want to experience our shops again, and you can do that when you plan for what you can control and take easy, actionable steps.

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If you want to learn more wonderful information that can help your retail shop, make sure to listen to our Creative Shop Talk Podcast!

This episode on turning browsers into buyers is also helpful https://wendybatten.com/107/

You can also join my Retailer’s Inner Circle! Work with a community that gets you and gets that support you need for your holiday planning.

I share more on this topic here:

Foot Traffic Made Simple

My most popular mini-training!

In this 90-minute training and walk away with a simple way to complete a full month of marketing planned out and a repeatable, easy marketing framework to follow.

Then sit back and watch your customers walk in your door smiling!