First In Line Soap Newsletter

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Location, Location Location! Ever wonder why there are some stores in off the beaten path? Years ago, before there were shopping malls and super centers, the little mom-and-pop stores were where everyone shopped. Today there are a lot of empty stores that are off the main streets of America with inexpensive rents trying to entice a person with a dream of a retail space. I had the romantic idea that I could be one of those stores in an out-of-the-way place that customers would just love to come to.

This Month's Tip: When ordering a new product for your store, and you're not sure how it will sell, your inclination might be to order just one or two and then see if they go. Keep in mind how that item is going to look in the store. If the item is big, then on it's own, or with another, it will have some presence. If it's small, like my soaps, then it will just look like the leftovers... the stuff that no one wants. So when you want to bring in new product, before ordering, keep in mind what the display will look like and then determine how many of that product you need. Linda

I envisioned that customers wouldn't care that it was a bit of a walk to get to my store from the main street because my store was such a fun place to visit. Now, my out of the way place was just around the corner from a main thoroughfare, a historical district with antique stores lining the street. My store was the fourth one from the corner. The other stores on the block are a restaurant and another antique store. Most shoppers didn't want to walk the extra steps to see what was down our block. Well, to accomplish my vision of customers coming to seek me out, I now know you need time and money to accomplish that. I didn't have either because my resources were tied up in marketing my wholesale business.

One of my romantic notions about the off the beaten track space was the cheaper rent, lending then more profit for me... yes I really did think that. Well I'm here to tell you that it's not so, and I'm proof. Check your budget, and for a bit more you can get a place that has great traffic and pay just a bit more. Of course I'm not talking shopping malls but small town America.

In Tarpon Springs there's a tourist area called The Sponge Docks and a landlord heard about my store and called and offered me a store in his outdoor mall. The Sponge Docks records that 1-2 million people visit each year. Now THAT'S traffic. On a good week in my present location if I had two customers I was lucky.

It's day 5 and sales have been good. This store has the ability to support our growth and also our salaries. I wish I had had more courage and had taken that leap before on a store where there is traffic, but I've done it now and I'm so glad. Please feel free to email me at Linda@firstinlinesoap.com