A Bright Idea

This month's Lighting Channel feature on VSMD.com offers up one bright idea: incorporating decorative lighting into store design. Pendants, wall sconces, colored glass, etc. all help to define a space. As Martin Robert, president of retail design firm Grid2, offers, a decorative lighting element "casts a warmer glow, provides a pop of color and really makes a statement about your brand."

Decorative lighting also infuses a little "comfort" into a design. In today's turbulent times, that's never a bad thing. By bringing in little decor accents, you can bring a little bit of home into your location. Without the harsh light and stark decor, you're giving people an opportunity to feel more at ease, encouraging them to stay longer. And we all know that the longer they stay, the more likely it is that they'll make a purchase.

Weighing In On Self-Service

I just finished reading an article from the October issue of CRM magazine called "Self-Service Is Just Less-Than-Full Service." As the title suggests, the article examines the flaws of wide-spread self-service -namely that customers see diminished values provided by companies and make more price-motivated decisions. Towards the end of the article, Lior Arussy, the article's author, poses this question: "Do you think customers favor self-service over high-touch, high quality service?" He says no.

But I'd like to argue that sometimes I do. For example, when I run out of milk at home and need to run to the store for a replacement gallon, do I wait in line to be served by an uninterested teenager or head to the self-service lane? Um, self-service lane, please.

Or when I'm at a gas station to fill up the tank, do I swipe my credit card at the pump or run inside to carry out that transaction? It might sound a little lazy, but I'll pay at the pump.

I use ATMs. I use vending machines. Willingly. For me (and I venture to guess a few of you too), it's all about convenience and simplicity. If the transaction is an easy one, I'll take self-service whenever it's offered ESPECIALLY if it means I can get it done faster. But if it's a more difficult process, I'll gladly seek out some help.

Weigh in on the debate: think self-service is the end of the customer service world as we know it? Do you loathe it? Love it? We'd love to hear about it.

Smell this!

A store visit isn't just a store visit anymore - it's an experience! It's not just shopping but interacting. It's not just touching but feeling. It's not just looking but smelling. Wait! Smelling? Really?

Scent is powerful. It invites us to come closer or warns us to stay away. It can make our mouths water or make us gag. Employing scent as a "marketing tool" is nothing new. There were scratch-n-sniff stickers and tester flaps attached to perfume ads in magazines. Lately, I've been reading a lot about how retailers are taking it a step further and hiring scent consultants to come in and create systems that will pump specially-created aromas into the air. The intended result? Creating a sort of scent ambiance that customers will find attractive and appealing.

Considering the immense power of the nose, it's nice to see that it's starting to get some recognition from retailers and their store designers. I'm all for it, but I would suggest using a bit of caution when pumping scents into a store. Subtlety is the name of the game. There is such a thing as too much of a good thing. Overpowering scents, though they may not be foul, can be irritating to sensitive smellers.

Location, Location, Location!

If one thing's certain in real estate these days, it's that it's all about location. For a retailer, securing the right location could be the difference between making it and breaking it.

With available real estate at an almost all-time high, how can you be sure you're picking the right space for your shop? I'd say checking out BusinessWeek.com is a great way to start because if you do, you would have come across this article about finding the perfect retail location.

In case you missed it, here are some highlights:

• The type of product or service you're selling should be considered when selecting a location. Is it more commonplace with a lot of competition or is it a specialty item? This determines how much of a "destination" your store becomes and influences how far consumers would be willing to travel to get there.
• Your target market should also influence where you set up shop. Demographic information is available from a wide number of sources. Using this info, you can find where your target market lives.
• Budget should factor in as well. Whatever you have to spend on rent is money that you can't spend in other areas like advertising.

Location is really important. So much so that some franchise systems even help their franchisees select prime real estate. But if you're winging it on your own, there are a variety of resources out there, consultancies that will not only help you select your real estate, but also help you through LOI and lease negotiations. A great location and beneficial lease can pay you back in dividends, so the extra money upfront generally proves to be totally worth it in the end.

Green Graphics

When talking about green store and display design, a lot of emphasis gets placed on the construction materials and finishes that are used. Graphics can be easily overlooked , but they really shouldn't be. I mean, graphics get changed out quite a bit more than the rest of the design elements; and discarded graphics stand to take up just as much room in a landfill somewhere.

Luckily for those interested in greening up their graphics programs, printers are now offering a variety of options from biodegradable and recyclable substrates to soy-based inks and more. Depending on the application, chances are there is an environmentally-friendly solution out there.

That's SO Overrated

Be honest. We all have that list of things that we secretly think are overrated. A few brave people over at WalletPop decided to out their top 25 list of overrated things in America. Did any of your list make theirs? I know I found a few of mine on there...complete with some pretty entertaining commentary too.

So, how does a product, store, person, etc. earn the tag "overrated" in the first place? Well, presenting something that's already been seen or creating an idea that can be easily-copied and thusly becomes overkill are pretty much guaranteed ways to get on the list. Not living up to expectations or failing to keep promises is another way. Putting on a front, being over-hyped, and not providing enough value for the money are as well.

How can we keep from being deemed "overrated"? Be original. Be personal. Be reliable. But most importantly, make promises and keep them.

F.C. Dadson's New Incentive Program

Some exciting news has been floating about the F.C. Dadson office the last few weeks. Now that the official press release has gone out, I would surely be remiss not to share it here at the Diaries.

F.C. Dadson has launched a new veterans incentive program for our franchise clients. Wanting a way to recognize those that have served our country, we've created a program that offers discounts on product orders placed by franchise owner who were members of the military.

To qualify, franchisees must be honorably-discharged members of the United States armed forces. They must also be a part of a franchise system that is an active participant in the International Franchise Association's VetFran program. This discount, assessed on a store-by-store basis, will be applied to the total cost for complete store orders.

FCD president, Collin Gruthoff, has this to say: "F.C. Dadson likes to support our franchise clients any way that we can. With this program, we hope to help more veterans pursue their dreams of owning their own franchises."

More info on the Veterans Incentive Program can be found by contacting Angie Borchardt at (800)728-0338 or emailing info@fcdadson.com.

On the Road Again

How high temperatures can go from the 90s to the lower 60s in the course of two days is beyond me, but the good ol' Wisconsin weather reminds me that the lull of summer is over. It's trade show time!

Airfare has been high all summer, but for some convention cities, it's becoming downright painful as exhibition halls begin filling up again. And don't even get me started on hotels. For this travel arranger on a budget, making reservations has become quite the chore.

It starts in Seattle, the site of our first show of the fall season. Coffee Fest Seattle, Sept. 12-14, serves up 3 full days of seminars, networking, and a barista competition. Attending the show and in search of some highly-caffeinated fun? Check out F.C. Dadson's booth, #204.

From there we go cross-country to our nation's capital for Franchise Appreciation Day. Sponsored by the International Franchise Association and running Sept. 14-17, this event gives us the opportunity to express the importance of franchising to our representatives. Watching the Democratic and Republican national conventions has left us feeling political, but even more important than that, we couldn't pass on this opportunity to throw our support behind our franchise clients.

The end of September finds us a little closer to home with the Franchise Development & Leadership Conference, Sept. 24-26, in Chicago. Always fun to catch up with the franchising crowd, this year's show finds us even more excited as our very own Larry Myer returns to the stage as a shreddin' guitarist for the Franchise All-Star Band, which makes its debut at the show's STAR Banquet.

Whew! And that's just September. It makes me tired just thinking about it...

Going to any of these events? Leave us a comment and we'll see you there!

Literally a Store in a Box

It's no secret that construction costs are on the rise. But an antidote to these rising costs might just be the industry's best-kept secret... until now.

MSN ran an article last week about an unusual material that's being experimented with by architects and builders in the residential market -- steel shipping containers. What a novel idea! Thousands of these containers are sitting vacant in shipping yards around the country. Why not turn them into something functional?

Some benefits of using shipping containers in new construction:
Reduced costs: according to the article, you could save up to $100 per square foot over traditional construction.
Speedier turn-around: resembling building blocks, the containers are easier to assemble on site.
Improved stability: heavy gauge steel provides a sturdy frame.
Eco-friendly: reusing a recyclable material is always a good thing.

The verdict is still out as to whether this trend will really take off, but for retailers looking for an unconventional solution to expensive construction, this might be the way to go.