I’d like to start by saying Happy Holidays to you all. Next month is the start of many things to be excited about — a new year, new sales opportunities and clients, and many trade shows. January is packed with CES, Design Construction Week, World Market, and TISE, to name a few events.

A few years ago, I received an email form the NKBA presenting ways to make the most out of attending KBIS. In my opinion, the tips they shared are great advice for every show you attend next year. Here is a summary of those suggestions:
• Make a plan. Whether it’s your first year at the show or you’re into double-
digits, goal setting can help you plan your time on and off the trade show floor. Align with your 2020 business objectives to determine which seminars and courses to attend, and which booths to visit. It’s impossible to do it all.
• Arrive early. Maximize the trip by building in time for professional development during your time there. Many of the shows are offering excellent courses to help you gain knowledge and grow your business.
• Come ready to network. Networking is a huge part of the experience; prepare to make the most of it. Research businesses in other parts of the country that are complementary to yours, whether it’s a potential partner, vendor, or client. The shows offer many opportunities for networking. Take advantage. The research you do upfront will help you make the most of your meetings, accelerate your relationships and make the connections more effective.

I’ve already started planning for January—have you? If not, you can start by visiting the various show websites to download full event schedules and show maps. This looks to be a great year for our industry.

On a side note, we will be celebrating our 30th year as The Retail Observer and our 50th since the inception of the first stage of our magazine as The Northern California Retailer. We are very proud of this accomplishment and I’d like to thank our team for reaching this milestone.

Happy Holidays,
Moe Lastfogel
​moe@retailobserver.com

With everything we see today—our economy, stocks and retail indicators bouncing around like a warped super-ball—we need to stop and think about what we are doing to help ourselves in our current state, as well as how we are going to prepare for what is yet to come. I’m not a soothsayer, but I do see no matter where we are in our economic cycle that change will always happen.

How we handle that change today will be what takes us into the future. How many of you stick to one product? Are you a White Goods only dealer or Consumer Electronics house? Do you sell only furniture? With the various buying groups we cover, I have been afforded the opportunity to speak with many dealers, and the ones who weather the storms the best seem to have a diverse line list or marketing strategy. They sell many lines, not in just one or two categories, or they sell the optional added value products with their main lines.

If you are a White Goods dealer, why not sell pots and pans, small appliances, vacuums, and even laundry detergent? The customer who is doing a full kitchen remodel is likely to end up buying new pots and pans anyway, and would jump at the option of buying them from someone they trust. If you are doing in-house cooking demos, why not offer the specialty products and food items that you use? Gourmet food products might also be a nice addition. A spatula bearing your company logo actually goes a long way towards developing loyal customers.

If you are selling consumer electronics, why not sell the cables, installation, and furniture for a home theater, including popcorn machines and hot dog cookers? Why notputavideorentalkioskinyourstoretogeneratepassiveincome? What about throwing Monday night football parties in your store, with specials on products? Furniture stores also have a great opportunity to sell all the accessories to create a complete package: lamps, pictures, vases, and bedding products; all high margin items which will all help with your bottom line.

But why stop there? Don’t forget a salesman’s best friend, the warranty. In the excitement of the sale, it is the high-profit piece that we frequently forget to promote. I’m not suggesting you go out tomorrow and open your own large chain-style store, but why not look at what you sell, ask your customer what they would buy and act on it? Many vendors today would jump on the opportunity to open these new markets and help you get going.

Happy Retailing,
Moe Lastfogel
moe@retailobserver.com