museums&MORE Spring 2014
Editor’s Letter: Resolve to Evolve

By the time you receive this issue, we will be one-third of the way through 2014. Did you make either professional or personal resolutions at the start of the new year?

To be honest, New Year’s resolutions never made much sense to me because many are all about giving things up. During the most depressing month of the year, instead of indulging in the things that make us happy, we ban the good things — for example, wine or the Internet, for you brave souls — instead of trying to add more quality goals to the list.

I suggest that instead of banning the Internet, use it to connect with more customers or find new unique products to add to your shelves. Instead of cutting out all wine, explore the local wineries and connect with the vintners to expand your local networking reach. It’s all about a shift in perspective, and that can happen at any time during the year, not just on Jan. 1.

So whether you resolved” anything months ago or not, now is a good time for your to check in, refocus and set some attainable goals. While they are individual to each store and situation, I have a couple suggestions below:

Form new connections: It can be hard to get out of the store, but never exploring anything other than your own four walls ensures both your products and your inspiration will become stale. Whether it’s attending a trade show or the local Chamber of Commerce meeting, talking with like-minded people and making new connections not only keeps your thinking fresh, it also can result in an interesting opportunity down the road.

Invest in quality employees: Turnover is common in retail, and unfortunately, it can have a negative effect on any business — inside and out. Not only do quality employees make your job easier, but they help create an environment that not only makes customers feel valued and welcomed, but also encourages them to stay and grow with your store (where they feel valued and welcomed.) If someone’s not committed to your team, it might be time to reevaluate that situation.

Think outside of the box: While you have to have your evergreen items, make it a point to include one or two quirky or unique products to your shelves each time you buy. After all, people can get a T-shirt of mug from any souvenir store. But they can only get a robotic shark balloon or tea made from the roses outside your store at (insert your store name here.)

Regardless of the date, we can always resolve to evolve, and speaking of which, I hope you enjoy this second issue of our “new and improved” magazine design. Let me know at [email protected].





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