News Archives - Page 12 of 22 - American Quilt Retailer

Posted on February 9, 2021February 9, 2021 by AQR Piece by Piece

Omnichannel Marketing as a Quilt Retailer

Continuing our series on tech savvy-ness, we thought we’d take a deep dive into omnichannel marketing. In this article, you’ll learn about this new marketing tactic and how your business can benefit.

Omnichannel vs. Multichannel

There are many differences between omnichannel marketing and multichannel marekting. Firstly, multichannel marketing casts as large of a net as possible to get customers. In comparison, omnichannel marketing caters to the customer. For example, omnichannel marketing’s goal is to create the most seamless shopping experince for the customer across all platforms.

This means that regardless if you have a customer walk into your store, stumble across your products on Instagram, comment on your Facebook page, or any of the other ways a customer can manage to contact you, you deliver the same quality service.

Moreover, the thought behind omnichannel marketing is novel. Essentially the thinking is you already have the customer, and you are guiding that customer through the most seamless shopping experience as possible. Interesting stuff, right?

What are the benefits?

Businesses who do omnichannel marketing see a 91% higher increase year-over-year in customer retention compared to those who don’t. In conclusion, omnichannel marketing gives you the extra push to develop your brand and keep it consistent across all your platforms. A great place to start is by having all your links redirect back to your website across all of your social media channels. As a result, your business will see the benefits of omnichannel marekting immediately.

Inspiration for this post came from “Get Tech Savvy” by Sommer Leigh published in the December 2020 issue of American Quilt Retailer. Stay tuned to get more tidbits on how to stay tech savvy in our technology solution series.

If you’re looking for more information to guide you in owning a retail business, subscribe to American Quilt Retailer today. Already a subscriber? No worries—join our Facebook group for insights and dialogue from industry specialists like you.

Posted on February 5, 2021February 5, 2021 by AQR Piece by Piece

Personalize the Shopping Experience

Nobody likes to feel like just another number. Personalize the shopping experience for your customers with these e-commerce tools

Personalize through data

The internet has brought everyone closer. But the internet has also given us the age-old realization that we are just one in a million. That’s why sales is moving to a more personalized method; every customer should feel noticed. Make sure you have methods in place to make that happen.

One such way is through e-commerce tools. E-commerce tools track and record your customers habits. Let’s say you have a customer who purchases the same product every three months. Your e-commerce tool can highlight this data point, and help you increase the likelihood of more sales through targeted outreach. A good place to start is by scheduling a coupon to send one week before the next deadline approaches.

E-commerce tools

Check out some of the e-commerce tools available to your business.

Google Optimize: This tool integrates best with Google Analytics, and offers A/B testing so if you’re struggling on how to best communicate with your customers, this may be the tool for you.
Personyze: Personyze offers personalized content across multiple channels (email, website, and app) so your message remains consistent. Small businesses can get a free version or you can pay a monthly fee for trafficked business.
Segment: Does data seem overwhelming? Segment tracks data and translates it into an easy-to-consume format. This platform starts free then changes to a monthly fee.
Apptus: Sell, baby, sell. Apptus does everything it can to get your customer to click that “checkout” button. This is also a good option to create personalized product, email recommendations, promotions, and banner ads as well.
Geo Targetly: If your audience is spread over a wide geographic region, this may be your best approach. It offers a great way to make your customer feel seen while offering the small business feel.
Qwardo: You know those chat robots that respond automatically? Well you can have one too thanks to Qwardo. This platform also offers A/B testing so you can also provide a tailored message to each customer.

Inspiration for this post came from “Get TECH Savvy,” by Sommer Leigh published in the December 2020 issue of American Quilt Retailer. Stay tuned for more ways to remain tech savvy.

Posted on January 29, 2021January 29, 2021 by AQR Piece by Piece

Check in on those goals

Before we jump into today’s blog, we wanted to let you know about an event were throwing next Thursday, February 4th at noon CST.

The first AQR Academy will be a Zoom workshop dedicated to making social media work for you, including Creating Content to Sell and How to Get Your Social Media Moving.

Still not convinced to join? We forgot to mention the workshop will feature internationally sought out content strategist Kristy Honsvick and social media strategist, consultant, and trainer Hollie Clere.

Feel like you’re missing out? You can still purchase the recordings and digital recap from 2020 Academy events.

Now, on to those goals.

Goals, goals, goals

We’re already one month into 2021, which means it’s the perfect time to check in on how your goals are doing.

What was your focus for this year? Reducing expenses? Increasing efficiencies? Improving customer experiences? Whatever it is, know that if you don’t have a metric to measure progress, you’re going to want to find a way how.

As we know, data can be extremely helpful, but don’t get bogged down in having too much of it. Similarly, some employees can be extremely motivated by data. Find a way to publicly post metrics. Of course, you don’t want to make anyone feel bad about their performance, so encourage each employee to hit the same goal each week. If you have a weekly training, schedule time for questions so they can talk to each other about what works (or doesn’t).

Then, check in on the status. If you’re not on track to reach your goal, consider changing your performance (or even altering the goal itself).

Good luck from us friends at AQR! We know you can do it.

Posted on January 19, 2021January 19, 2021 by AQR Piece by Piece

No-Stress Notifications

Some days, technology feels like an added stress. If clearing out notifications is a trigger for you, check out these tips to manage that sense of urgency.

Turn off notifications

The best way to stay on task is to turn off notifications. If you have a schedule and stick to it, you don’t need to know every time a new email comes in or someone likes your photo.

If sticking to a schedule seems daunting at first, limit yourself to checking email and social media to every 15 minutes. Once that becomes easy, move it back to every 30 minutes, 45 minutes, and eventually to every hour.

Another healthy habit to get into is keeping devices away from your bed. Many of us are spending more time at home, and healthy boundaries are more important to keep than ever. Bedrooms are for sleeping, living rooms are for living, and the office is for working. Sticking to these rules and your life will improve in more ways than one.

Declutter

Sometimes apps that take us away from the task at hand. Clean out your apps periodically. Delete apps you don’t use anymore, but also consider deleting apps that are available online (Facebook, Pinterest, etc).

One great way to limit how often you pick up your phone is to invest in a smart speaker. This way you can set a timer, listen to podcast, or stream music without getting pulled into a phone blackhole.

Inspiration for this post came from “Digital Decluttering” by Beth Montpas published in the October 2020 issue of American Quilt Retailer.

Posted on January 12, 2021January 12, 2021 by AQR Piece by Piece

Social Media Magic

If everyday tasks get in the way of daily social media posts, check out these tips and tricks.

Plan your posts

Choosing a topic is the hardest part of social media. Don’t make it harder than it needs to be; pick a theme, and post it. This could be a new line of fabric or an interesting tool. Some people prefer to post based off the day of the week, such as “Top Tool Tuesday,” “What’s New Wednesday,” and “Show and Share Sunday.”

Don’t be hesitant to repost the same topic again; in the world of marketing a consumer has to be exposed to a topic or product seven times before they’re compelled to take action.

Take the photo

Now that you know what you want to post about, take a photo. Use your phone and remember these three rules: lighting, background, and focal point.

Make sure your product is the focal point of the photo, there’s good lighting, and the background is not distracting. Be sure to take several photos at different views and angles. The more photos you post the better.

Write a caption

Writing a caption is the second hardest part of social media. If you’re struggling to come up with copy, answer these three questions:

What is it?
Why do customers need it?
What do you want them to do? (Call to action.)

Simply answer these questions as if you were talking to a friend. If you’re posting a product, don’t forget to tag the company and add a hashtag so your image is exposed to as many customers as possible.

Keep a consistent social media schedule

Now that you’ve got content down, create a schedule so you can stay up to date. Google calendar offers an easy, color coded way to plan your social media posts. Make sure to display holidays, events, and classes, and fill in accordingly.

Inspiration for this post came from “Social Media Magic in 5 Minutes,” by Kate Colleran, Joanne Hillestad, and Kris Poor published in the October 2020 issue of American Quilt Retailer.

Posted on January 5, 2021January 5, 2021 by AQR Piece by Piece

Ringing in the New Year

Everybody is ready to wish 2020 goodbye, but unfortunately some of last year’s problems are still with us. Check out these ideas for your business as we kick off the New Year.

Safety Matters

Continue to let shoppers know what you’re doing to ensure safety. Consider addressing the topic under your “FAQ” section on your website, and make sure to keep (or create) signage in and around your store. Include a snippet on each of your email blasts, and post reminders on social media as well.

Go back to the basics with good phone etiquette. Thankfully our phones do much more these days and some retailers have offered personal shopping via video. Not all of your customers are going to be tech savvy though so make sure you know product specifics (such as dimensions) and remain helpful throughout the conversation.

Another way to ensure safety is to take the product outside. Don’t bring out random merchandise, but plan your outdoor goods like you would an indoor display.

Other Ideas for the New Year

Fallen out of habit of offering a bag stuffer? Make one and train your floor clerks to say a 15 second pitch as they place one in a customer’s bag. If you don’t know what to put on the bag stuffer, brag about your store. Put every brand, item, service, or offering your business provides. Customers want to know what’s available so don’t take this as the time to be humble.

Hopefully by now you’ve gotten rid of most of your 2020 inventory and are ready to bring in new stock for the New Year. Show off this new merchandise by going Live with an unboxing video that you can later post on your social media platforms.

Inspiration for this post came from “Ring in the Season” by Rich Kizer and Georganne Bender published in the October 2020 issue of American Quilt Retailer.

Posted on December 30, 2020December 30, 2020 by AQR Piece by Piece

Happy New Year from AQR

Happy New Year from your friends at American Quilt Retailer! Even though we’re all ready to say good riddance to 2020, now is a perfect time to reflect on some of the lessons we should take with us into 2021.

Lessons to take into the New Year

On a business level, 2020 showed the importance of digital media. Every aspect of your brick-and-mortar should have an online equivalent. Hopefully this year saw you try new mediums (anybody new to video? social media campaigns?) and expanded your horizons into trying more.

This year also highlighted how quilt retailers provide a source for community. Even though online content is important, it by no means replaces the real thing. Online options provide convenience, but brick-and-mortar stores are here to stay.

2020 has taken a lot, but it’s given as well. It’s given us time, even time to slow down. It highlighted priorities we have long been neglecting, and showed us our resilience with every punch we took. These may not be things we wanted, but they were given to us none the less.

And finally, as we say good bye to 2021, we would like thank you for sticking with American Quilt Retailer. Happy New Year and we wish you all a happy, healthy, and prosperous 2021.

Posted on December 23, 2020December 23, 2020 by AQR Piece by Piece

We Have More In Common Than We Have Different

Businesses have more in common than you think. Often times, we get bogged down on the amount of resources another business has access to, or how different their products are.

This happens in the craft industry as well. Owners of a quilt shop think they have nothing in common with a needle shop, or (in some eyes, especially) a boutique.

Every business is unique, but our problems aren’t. Common problems, like dealing with landlords, insurance, inventory, etc. are problems every business faces.

Read on to discover what you can learn from the next guy.

Translate common ideas

Do you ever read business books about Nike or Coca-Cola and have a hard time translating the concepts into your own business? Even though our businesses operate on a much smaller scale, some of the common themes (such as consistent training, empowerment, etc) still apply.

This includes how other industries have learned to innovate as well. Instead of a wine tasting, have a fabric tasting. Instead of renting tools and equipment, rent out your long arm machine quilter. Simply ask yourself “how might that work for my business?”

Plan, evaluate, repeat

Once you start thinking of ideas, it can be easy to want to implement them all. Start with one to make sure you do it well. Evaluate the idea once it’s at its first evaluation stage to see if the idea is worth keeping in your store. If it’s not, scrap it and move to the next one.

Inspiration for this post came from “Play Big!” by Gwen Bortner published in the October 2020 issue of American Quilt Retailer.

Posted on December 17, 2020December 17, 2020 by AQR Piece by Piece

Start a Business Advisory Board

Networking during a pandemic is difficult. Now is the time to reach out to local business leaders to hear what great ideas they’ve had this year.

Local Advisory Committee

Pool your community for local retailers. The range can be everything from your local pharmacist to the local floor-covering business. The one thing you all have in common is that you pool from the same client base.

A breakfast meeting on alternating months is a great start to handle the logistics aspect of creating an advisory board. As for meeting quality, take turns hosting the meeting. If content ideas are running low, brainstorm hot topics during one of your sessions.

Leave time at the close of meetings for members to share how the ideas helped them (or didn’t help). And if ideas do start to run low, consider making a book list consisting of leadership and self help titles.

Quilt Market Buddy

Similar to a community advisory board, do you have an advisor for quilt markets? If you don’t, make a friend at the next in-person market. This could be someone you see frequently, and start with a simple introduction. The best advisor you could find is someone in a similar, but not necessarily the same, business as yourself.

Go out for coffee, and determine what vendors are on each other’s lists. Agree to meet up at agreed-upon times throughout market, and share the promotional information you gather. As this relationship develops, you could even attend meetings you, or your advisor sets up.

Inspiration for this post came from “You Dont’ Know What You Don’t Know,” by Tom Shay published in the October 2020 issue of American Quilt Retailer.

Posted on December 9, 2020December 9, 2020 by AQR Piece by Piece

Q&A with Gudrun Erla of GE Quilt Designs

Want to know how other industry professionals responded to the chaos of a global pandemic? American Quilt Retailer picked the brain of Gudrun Erla of GE Quilt Designs to learn how she was able to transition from a hectic travel schedule to creating a community online.

Quarantine Quilt Along

Thanks to a well established email newsletter list, and already hosting two Facebook live shows a week, Erla had the foundations laid pre-quarantine to share information fast.

In late March of this year, Erla hosted her first Quarantine Quilt Along (QQAL). The event included a new quilt pattern she designed titled “Elvira.” The event was free, and included a quarantine playlist on Spotify for participants to listen to while they quilted.

The response was incredible, with over 16,000 quilters from 37 countries participating. From that initial QQAL, Erla has seen her mailing list, Facebook group, and online sales explode. GE Quilt Designs is still hosting QQAL’s, with proceeds from the pattern going to charity.

How Erla Creates Community

With the cancellation of quilt markets, Erla has been inviting guests onto her QQAL’s. Consumers love being able to still hear from representatives and designers.

Above all, Erla also remains true to herself, sharing what’s important to her and letting her personality shine. Erla’s significant other is African American and grew up in South Minneapolis, blocks away from where George Floyd was killed. On her first Facebook live after the murder, Erla urged viewers to stand up for what is right. The response from the quilt community was amazing, confirming what we already know—being candid always pays off.

To read the full interview, check out “Connecting Through Quarantine,” by Millie Kehrli published in the October 2020 issue of American Quilt Retailer.