January means getting Organized...

Happy New Year! I don't know about you, but January means one thing to me: ORGANIZATION!! I love this month for 2 reasons: wiping the slate clean from last year, and planning for this year. I merchandised this section, and a few more at Langley's Well Seasoned. last week. It was time to assess what happened during this year's Holiday Season. The easiest way to do this, was to have a good look at the stock left in the store...and analyze what percentage was left in each category, in each section. Once the new year starts, it's time to have a look at your store and decide what still works, and what doesn't. It becomes crystal clear what items sold, and what items did not. This time of year, when stock levels are at their lowest,it's a good idea to count what you have, and if need be, move some things around. Freshen it up. I guarantee that you will have customers coming in and asking you when you received this 'NEW' stock...that is not new at all...just front faced, and displayed in a new and different way. Don't waste this time! Take a good look around your store and be HONEST with yourself. How do things look? What fixtures need replacing? What needs to be re-painted? Make a plan...and get started. Aside from the physical items and stock in your store, what else do you need to work on this year. Do you have an advertising plan in place? Have you been planning to launch a monthly newsletter? Do you have a business facebook page? Do you want to learn how to tweet? Do you have a website, and does it work for you?

I have decided to have a website built for my business: Cavern Retail Consulting. As I have started to study the field of Social Media, it has become clear that there are many things that I could offer with a great website. I am very excited to participate in this process. My last website, was a kit website, purchased on a whim, to advertise my stores to the WORLD!! I knew next to NOTHING about computers, or the world wide web. I remember going to a local Chamber of Commerce luncheon, and listening to a speaker speak about the future of small business. He said that ALL small businesses could benefit by having a website. After the talk, he came to see me at the store, with a LAPTOP COMPUTER...and showed me a few templates I could choose from, to start my journey into the future. I chose one, and paid the grand sum of $375.00, filled out a small questionnaire about my business, and after signing a hosting package etc,etc...I had a website that did absolutely NOTHING. I think in today's terms, they would call it an on-line brochure. I remember continuing to pay the monthly fee, and not understanding what this magic website was supposed to be DOING for my business. Well you know what they say...Times are changing...and if you aren't...perhaps your competition is. This time around...I am doing things differently!

I am going to be chronicling the process of creating my NEW website in this blog. I hope that if you are considering changing or updating, or creating your own website this year, you will enjoy following the process.

Next week will be the 1st installment. The NEW CRC website...I can hardly wait!