June '08
Obviously in all these years, women haven't really changed all that much...working both outside the home & raising a family. I guess the "men who invented these pills" hadn't heard of PMS back then???
I am going to do my best to give you a "typical" day I go through as a boutique owner.....I am sure I will probably leave something out, but it should give you an idea of what goes on "behind the scenes".
5:45am....alarm goes off, give loving nudge to "Texan hubby" to get up....fall back asleep
6:00am...2nd alarm goes off....give a bit "more" loving nudge to "Texan hubby"
6:15am obviously need to get up to get everyone else going (wait a minute my shop doesn't open until 9:30am...something is wrong with this picture)
6:45am...okay everyone is off to work and school.... time to straighten up house (I could've sworn this house was cleaned up before I went to bed???)
7:00am....coffee, paper work to be put together for the day at the shop and all the paperwork for the kids & school, summer camps coming up, etc....not counting the endless preparing for a college graduation and jr. high graduation...
8:00am...run errands for family and the shop
8:30am...get to shop, drive to back to drop off any goodies I have in the back of the car....sprint to turn off the alarm (only have 30 seconds to get clear across the shop before it goes off...dropping everything as I go) Can you picture a "50" something woman, with arms full, sprinting across a store in flip flops while dodging all the treasures to get to the alarm before it goes off????? I told that security company to give me at least 2 minutes...not 30 seconds. But, all he said to me was...."to you want a burglar to have that long to go through your shop"? Guess he has a point...but, of course if the burglar was "50 something" with arm loads of stuff while dodging all the treasures would also have an issue! Still reminds me of that commercial of OJ running through the airport (remember that one?)
All the "stuff" is thrown into the warehouse...where is the closest empty spot??? Get shop ready...turn on all lights and all the 'decorative' lights, (can't believe how many lamps are in here). Is there enough toilet paper & paper towels in the bathroom? Did everything get replaced after yesterdays sales? Are there any "empty" spots? Dust...sweep....make sure all trash cans are empty....does it smell good in here? Turn on music. Turn on computer. Check fax machine. Check for phone messages. Go over total store (2,600 sq ft) and make sure "she" is ready for any visitors today. (Could have sworn I cleaned up everything the night before????)
9:00am....staff begins to arrive....they do their "opening" job duties....they begin on their projects set for the morning.
9:30am until closing (5:00pm)....most times later because of visitors still coming in....
All day long I bring in inventory, tagging, talking with customers, selling, packing, setting up new vignettes, putting out new inventory, paperwork, throwing out trash,....so much to do and I look up and it is already 2:00pm and realize I haven't eaten yet? Grab a quick bite in the back between customers (I can't remember the last time I ate a "hot" lunch). Around 1:00pm we have the "changing of the guard (staff)" and they are briefed on their duties for the day.
In between all of this, we are getting shipments and the warehouse is packed with boxes, furniture, bubble wrap and the ever river of "peanuts"! It is a messy job and it literally takes "HOURS" to unpack, put new items in the system, check invoices against purchase orders, do backorder paperwork, clean products, deal with the AC guy, deal with the electrician, order bags, order office supplies, meet with vendors, train employees, etc....the list is SO LONG that it would take me probably 3 more pages and that would just "bore" you.
But, I do finally leave the shop usually around 8:00pm...sometimes I stay with my loving "Texan hubby" until after 11:00pm. He is such a sweet man! He always knows that the day has been long (for both of us...since he also runs his own company...) but, he still comes to see me every afternoon and takes care of anything else that needs to be done regarding the "maintenance" of the store! From hanging items, to fixing lights, to mopping!
I guess I just wanted to show you all the work (which I am sure you already get the picture)....and with this all going on....it is worth every headache, lack of sleep, nervousness, poor appetite habits, and the ever ending "skateboarders" that almost run me and my customers down.
I LOVE MY SMALL LOVING SHOP!!! A place that my "yaya sisters" love to come and not only shop, but be "inspired"....and tell me all about their week!
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Having been a professional designer/artist for over 30 years now....there is a lot one learns, both on the "creative" side and the business side. This topic of a "designer's secrets" can be a touchy subject in our profession. Some artists are willing to share both sides of their business and their creative tips; while others only their tips on running a business...but would not dare give away their trade secrets. I find that sometimes the difference is dependent on the artist's success and how long they have been in business. So, I am not judging anyone on rather they are willing to "share" or not....I am just going to give my own opinion on this subject....not saying rather it is right or wrong...just that it is my feeling.
My Papa use to always tell me that "....any gift/talent that we have comes directly from our Creator and is meant to be shared. If we do not share our talents and experience with others, then we are claiming that "it" belongs only to us and that "it" developed only because of ourselves." Yes, we work hard to develop our gift...but, our talent seeds began with our Creator....and along the way the spirits (angels) helped to guide and improve on that gift. Mainly through trial and error, others that we meet along the path....and sheer determination.
There are a lot of books & now even blogs out there in the artistic world that gives us all tips and techniques; along with tips to helps us with the "mental" side of our creativity. There is a lot of tips on the "dos" & "donts"...and just about anything else that you can think of. We can just "pick & choose" who we are willing to listen to and who we don't.....that is the beauty of our "technical" world today.
I guess having started my professional career in 1979....and not having all this information available at our "fingertips"....we had to rely on each other on a personal basis. We would meet in groups at different places around the city, each other's home....we would study the "master's" and teach each other techniques and if we happened to learn a cool new technique (through trail and error) we would share it....knowing that each artist respected the others "look"....but all the time knowing that there really was nothing "new" out there in techniques that the "masters" had not already tried.
Moving on to the future....back in the 80's came the PC and now there is the "blog". A whole new world has opened to the artist and entrepreneur. The down side I have seen to this is that everyone's work is beginning to all look alike....and most of all...no one "truly" knows each other face to face. There are good sides to this computer world...but, there is nothing that will ever replace...the touch of the human heart and smile....when you meet and talk about your work and learn from each other face to face.
Now as a 'boutique' owner, I have found that it is pretty much the same! Most are extremely "protective" of their vendors, customers, etc...I guess my friends and I are still back in our old world of thought....sharing each other's experience and to help each other become successful is our goal. We have been given these experiences (both good & bad) in order to share them and help others not to make the same mistakes, but at the same time to help them be successful.
My Papa use to tell me that "women were their own worst enemy"....they have not been taught how to support each other's successes without getting petty or jealous.
This was the main reason why I opened my boutique...."yaya chique". I wanted to not only support other designers work, but to also have a place for women to come and not just "shop", but to learn to support each other and learn from each other. As my dear loving friend, "Elizabeth Maxon", taught me...."Debi, your success does not take away from mine....and my success does not take away from yours." This beautiful lesson is one that I always share with not only my customers, but also other boutique owners.
In fact, there are several boutique owners that shop at my shop....and I shop at theirs. We "share" each other's ups and downs...what is working and what is not. While at the same time, we respect each other's "style & look". In fact, several of us share the same vendors....but, we have also developed a relationship with these vendors to let us know what the other has bought...so, that we all don't buy the same products. Is this rare? I don't know...but, I do know that it all boils down to "respecting" each other.
I am asked all the time...."aren't you afraid that someone is going to copy you?" My response to this is...." I can chose to either get mad if someone does, or I can take it as a compliment and move on". Besides, even the "masters" are copied....from Picasso to Chanel to Ralph Lauren. And if they are copied...who am I to think that I am better than the masters themselves? What I did learn from these greats...is that you continue to improve and change your look. Because if you stay upset about others learning your "secrets" and "look"....then you will forever stay mad and stagnate. Because if you are "truly creative"....you will keep "recreating yourself and your look".....
known as the "designer's secret"!~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
T
This is an important question as a business owner....but, before you "plunge into the world of advertising"....let me give you a few insights of advertising that I have experienced first hand over the past 30 years!
When I opened the "store front", I took my experience in advertising from being a designer (both from the wholesale side and my custom orders) into my decision to advertise the store or not.
Having a degree in marketing, I knew that there was a HUGE difference between "advertising" and "marketing" your product/business.
When I did advertise in both the local media and the national media, it costs THOUSANDS of dollars (just for one ad at the national level) and in order to truly get results...you have to be consistent in your ads (branding), how many issues to place your ad (research shows that most readers have to see the ad at least 6 times in a row in order for it to truly "register" they are more prone to "read" an article than to notice the ad), hire a good ad designer, know the mags audience & make sure it is going to fit your style of customer, the ad needs to be at LEAST a 1/4 page and larger & make sure your ad does not get lost among all the other ads (this is where the pros of an "ad" team help,...and those are to just name a few things that are extremely important when deciding to place an ad. Ads did work a little, but to me...they truly did not make much of an impact when it came to sells. So here is what I did:
ADVERTISING:
1. Direct Mail outs (beautiful postcards) I bought mailing lists asking for specific data that met whom I felt my customers would be and where they lived in proximity of the store location.
2. Join the Chamber of Commerce
3. Become involved in your local women groups
MARKETING:
1. Have customers sign in my "yaya book" so that I was able to send them emails and special thank you's and cards (sometimes just saying "thank you"). I also offer them a "free gift" every month to come by the store on a specific day. Some of them purchase, and some don't...but, I wanted to make sure that they knew they were special and would always remember me and "Yaya Chique" for their special gifts!
2. I have special "gourmet treats" every Saturday for them to try and purchase if they want.
3. I hold workshops every month....teaching jewelry, altered art, "nesting" their homes, etc....
4. I am also working on holding an "annual" artistic retreat every year (at our lake home)...for a weekend of just the "yayas" getting pampered, shopping, relaxing, a whole weekend of just being a "little girl" again with all her friends!
These are just a "few" that I have decided upon to promote my shop, because I knew from all these years of being in business....that in order to be a successful "store front" I needed to offer more than just a "store to purchase stuff"....I needed to offer special services! My goal before opening was to make sure I did all I could to make the "yaya ladies" truly have a place to come that made them feel "special"....rather they bought anything or not.
So, even though my only "true form of advertising" is the direct mail outs & press releases.....I would prefer to concentrate on "marketing". I have found that thus far...."word of mouth" and the "name of my shop being unique" has been what has truly brought in my customers!
Back to the question..."Do I advertise or not?"....the answer is "yes"...but, be "creative" when you do so (not just an ad in a newspaper or magazine)....and make sure that you have a lot of ideas on how to "market" that ad!
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There are many meanings to this powerful word "success", and as a new store front owner....one always wonders if they are being successful? I guess if I looked at the success of my store as:
----being financial success, customers always coming & going, great products, great staff, etc....then I guess I could say the store is successful thus far. Even during the times that everyone has been telling me that I opened the shop during the "down time" of retail, I guess I have still been successful. BUT...these are not the MAIN reasons I opened "Yaya Chique". I had already been successful as a designer and artist...I wanted a place that was "by, for and about women". I wanted a place that women would come and feel "good" when they entered---they would want to "hang out" and not only shop---but make new friends and gather with old ones. Now, as I sit here after 2 months....am I successful thus far?
My answer came the other day when one of my "regular" customers came into the shop. The funny thing was, that I had just been thinking about her that morning....I had not seen her in a few weeks and knew that her mother had been sick and was wondering when she would come back? Well, you guessed it----as I was walking up to the door to go into the shop---she was getting out of her car and walking in front of me. She didn't see me....but, I met her at the door and told her that I had just been thinking about her.
Needless to say, she stayed with me for awhile bringing me up-to-date about what had been going on in her life the last several weeks. And had told her family that she needed to go and get a "yaya fix"! She told me that when she came into my store...all her problems melted away and she felt safe and knew it was a place she that did not have to worry about anything...but, sit, shop, have a glass of tea, listen to my Cajun music (which we call "happy" music) and relax.
This Saturday was the day that I had my "gift give away" to my Yaya customers (that sign in my book). When they would come by, I always made sure that they received the gift that I had made them. And not knowing that "My Texan hubby" was watching during the day---he told me that he had never in his life seen of how customers would come into the store and want to give me a hug when they left (even if they had not bought anything) thanking me for their gift. So, I guess God has answered my doubts...yes, I have been successful thus far! Thank you our sweet loving Lord!
debi
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