Learn How to Rejuvenate Your Store’s Spirit and Sales

BY NICOLE LEINBACH HOFFMAN

Morning openings. Inventory updates. New hire trainings. Community meetings. Holiday planning. Monthly merchandising redos.

The list goes on … and on … and on. And that is a good thing! It means there is a robust, endless list of things to do to help your store achieve its goals. It also means that lengthy checklist can leave you feeling exhausted at times.

If you find yourself in a dead-end pattern of being tired, hope­less, and even a bit disenchanted with operating your store, do not worry. You are not alone.

The reality is that life is also robust and endless. And when it comes to things to do because you must versus things to do because you want to, your energy can wildly shift.

Sometimes, balancing everything with your store operations can feel overwhelming. However, it does not need to mean your store spirit is gone and your sales will fade.

Instead, consider refreshed perspectives to help you find new energy and motivate you to continue your retail journey. Follow them to kickstart a refreshed approach that rejuvenates your spirit and sales.

Reconnect With What Makes You Happy

We know this is easier said than done. But what if you gave yourself permission to be happy in what you do? Too often, busy store operators get caught up in the daily grind of getting things done that they neglect some of the reasons they love what they do.

Bob Phibbs, The Retail Doctor, reminds us that as important as your store is, it is not everything. “Find what makes you happy. If you like teaching classes, teach classes. If playing with displays on your sales floor is your thing, then go for it. If you don’t like doing something, you won’t do it well, so hire or assign someone to do it for you.

“And don’t think you can wait until tomorrow to do whatever is important to you today. That opportunity will pass; your kids are only little once; your significant other deserves your atten­tion, and your dog needs to be walked. Your store is important, but don’t let it be everything. No one on his deathbed ever said, ‘I wish I had spent more time on my business,’” he said.

As you reflect on what makes you happy, ask yourself if you are giving yourself enough time to make this happiness come to life? If not, why? While store responsibilities cannot be left in the dust, it is important to balance your store role and your personal happiness.

Shift Your Mental Perspective About Getting Things Done

Georganne Bender is one-half of the KIZER & BENDER Speaking team and a well-respected retail expert. She believes a mental shift can go a long way in how your store’s spirit and sales perform.

“Stuck in chaos mode with your ‘I’m so busy’ and ‘I can’t find good help’ excuses? Stop it. Right now. Change your language from ‘I don’t have time’ to ‘I haven’t chosen to make time,’’ she said. “It’s a subtle shift, but this choice of words constantly reminds you that you’re making — or not making — conscious decisions about your business.”

Bender said how you manage, execute tasks, and make, or do not make decisions comes down to your conscious choice.

“Take that bookkeeping task you’ve been avoiding. When you say you can’t hire someone at $50 an hour to do it, you’re really saying your family time, sanity, and role as a business leader aren’t worth that $50. Is that true? Start flexing your choice muscle by asking yourself, ‘Could I hire someone else to do this to spend more time with my family?’ Your answer to that question tells you everything about where your business is headed,” she said.

And Bender added that “when you take responsibility, it ener­gizes you to start a store makeover and releases toxic energy holding you back.” This newfound energy is often what ignites a lost spirit and needed sales to give you the rejuvenation you long for.

We know this is not easy. You need to want to make it happen, and that is what will lead the change.

“If you’re truly feeling burnt out, your store’s spirit and sales will only rejuvenate when you stop sitting in the passenger seat watch­ing your business pass you by, hoping some magical employee who’ll work for peanuts while dazzling your customers will walk through your door. That’s not going to happen. You must create these retail crews yourself, training them to connect with a wary public in this increasingly inhuman world. It’s not magic — it’s being brilliant on the basics and taking action to make things happen,” Bender said.

Action — it turns out — is the key piece of advice weaving itself between the words of wisdom of Bender and Phibbs. But how do you get that action to start moving in motion?

Recognize When Burnout Is Holding You Back

Amy Loewenberg, director of buyer relations for NY NOW, works with thousands of retailers and has seen firsthand how burn­out impacts them. She has also seen the impact action-oriented merchants have when they avoid burnout by being proactive.

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Nicole Leinbach Hoffman is the founder of RetailMinded.com, a well-respected retail industry resource that has been recognized worldwide for its leading business insight since 2007. Her work has been featured in Forbes, Entrepreneur, Business Insider, the UK’s Telegraph, CNN, the Today show, and countless other industry resources. Additionally, she has supported American Express’s Small Business Saturday as a spokesperson and is the author of the book Retail 101: The Guide to Managing and Marketing Your Retail Business, published by McGraw-Hill. With a core concentration on small businesses and independent retailers, she welcomes you to connect via Instagram at @RetailMindedWorld and Twitter via @RetailMinded.