It's More than Just a Trade Show
Morgan Freeman's character "Red" said it in The Shawshank Redemption, "You either get busy living or get busy dying." Never have more truer words been said about retail.
Status Quo = Status No
The retail world is changing fast. How we did business two years ago won't help us tomorrow. Those retailers who stick with the status quo will soon find themselves in the status no, as in no customers, no cash, no business. The smartest companies are getting busy living by constantly seeking ways to learn and grow. Hmmm… maybe that's why they are the smartest companies.
But how do you find ways to learn and grow? Attend educational conferences. Most industries have them. Speakers, presenters, and fellow business owners prepare and build presentations to help us grow, to help us understand this new age of retail and how we can prosper in it.
I can see what you're thinking… but what could I possibly learn? I'm a veteran. I already know everything I need to know.
Heck, I can say the same thing. George Whalin said our store is one of the 25 Best Independent Stores in America (in the book Retail Superstars). What more do I possibly need to learn? Everything! Enough that I will be attending three educational conferences this year alone.
And you should too.
Just Say Yes
I know the arguments you have against attending these conferences. They're too expensive. I can't be away from my store that long. The timing is bad. I can get the show specials at home from my reps.
That's what the get busy dying stores say.
Here's the reality. It only takes one good idea to more than pay for the trip; one good idea that can make you an extra $2000; one good idea that will fire up your staff, motivate your customers, and create the impression of a store that is busy living; one good idea might be all you need to join me on that 25 Best list.
Will you find one good idea? Only if you're not paying attention. I find two or more great ideas at every presentation.
Timing is Everything
There is always a lot going on in your business- employees taking vacations, kids involved with school activities, promotions coming up. You and I can both come up with a thousand reasons for not making this trip.
But where are your priorities?
All the NFL owners went to the combine in Indianapolis. They also showed up at the Super Bowl. They also showed up at the draft, too. Why? Because they know that each of those events is important to their success. They gave each event priority in their schedules and planned everything else around those events.
Heck, you've done that, too. No sooner does your big trade show end that you start making plans for next year's trade show.
You need to do the same for your learning opportunities. You need to put conferences on your schedule.
Prioritize Your Learning
Making learning and growing a priority is every bit as important as seeing new products. The best retailers are strong in four categories
- Product Knowledge
- Advertising
- Inventory Management (Cash Flow)
- Finances
You only get one of those at a trade show. A one-legged stool doesn't stand for very long.
Where are you going to learn something new to hold up the other three legs of your business? Is it in your plan for 2011? Is it on your calendar? The smart companies build it into their budget; build it into their schedule. They prioritize new training opportunities for themselves and their staff. That's busy living.
More Than a Trade Show
Educational conferences bolster every leg of your business. They teach you about the products, about issues like staffing, marketing & inventory management. They help you learn best practices for customer service and staff trainings. On top of that, you get to network with your peers and friends.
Maybe I am an educational conference junkie. The one thing I know is that the wisdom I have gained from these events is no longer measured in just dollars (although it would be a huge pile of dollars if it was). Some of that wisdom is in the networking with other store owners who face the same challenges and share the same issues. As store owners, we hold a collective wisdom. But if we don't gather together, we can't share.
I'll be busy living, learning, and growing at educational conferences this year. If you want to do the same, join me. It will be the best investment you make in your business all year.