Increase Your Sales with “Retailment”

Get ready to razzle dazzle your clients with “retailment!” We’ve all seen the massive gain of online shoppers since the Pandemic. Smaller retailers were already challenged by big box store competition. Year after year increases of online shopping moved clients from IRL (“in real life” for novices without teens at home) to online shopping. owning friends in the pet industry used to create “retailment” in order to get those clients coming back for more.

Not only will some of these ideas create more revenue and client loyalty, but they are affordable, and will bring more joy to your store every day!

With all the doom and gloom there are still HUGE opportunities in which online shopping and big box stores cannot compete. We’ll call it “retailment” or “in store experiences.”

In my own 15+ year store ownership experience there are a few tricks and 22 Copyright © 2013 Find A Groomer Inc. All rights reservedtreats that me and many of my store Subscribe www.egroomer.com

The “3rd Space” in retail is the additional space that people like to gather other than home and work. This “3rd Space” can be a mall, coffee shop or bar. On a much smaller scale than a mall, you can create a mini “3rd Space” in your own grooming salon or pet store by creating “retailment.” (Continued on page 23)

In order for clients to LOVE your business, they need to connect with your business because “people buy from people, not just businesses.” If you provide interactive experiences in your business, you are more likely to build a devout clientele that will sing your praises and keep you in business for years to come! Since we are so lucky to be in the pet industry, it makes creating “retailment” so much easier for us! There are some tried and true examples of “retailment” below.

Selfie Wall

We’ve all experienced serotonin inducing social media feeds full of the cutest pets on the planet! Why not make an experience in your business that creates an opportunity for you and your clients?

Have signage made, include your business hashtag, and or have a mural painted in a corner for your clients to show off! You can have an artist friend paint a mural or even buy affordable decals or banners for seasonal moments online.

Make sure this space is on brand & sneaking in a logo and a hashtag never hurt anyone! Make sure to carry this same idea in your grooming salon. A An Entrepreneur in the Pet Industry since 2006; Leél Michelle previously owned an award winning brick & mortar pet boutique (1st Place "America's Coolest Store; Pets+ Magazine,) grooming salon, and pet bakery. Leel sold her grooming salon & boutique to former employee and "Pooch Perfect" semi-finalist; Gabriel Feitosa to scale her commercial dog bakery business. Dog Cake Bakery was created to provide the pet industry & pet parents a collection of premium, Instagrammable dog treats, and dog birthday cakes. Award winning Retro Stylist Wear was also founded by Leél Michelle for Groomers, Barbers, & Hairstylists. Following a career in corporate retail management and corporate amusement park management, Leél was inspired by her own pets to create brands that utilized her skills, creativity, and passion to build memorable businesses catering to pets, pet parents, & retailers nationwide. Leél enjoys giving back to the pet industry with trade show speaking engagements such as SuperZoo, Barkleigh Productions, and Global Pet Expo. Leél also consults with pet stores and grooming salons to improve their pet retail merchandising & grooming salon operations. Leél Michelle loves sharing her passion for animals in the pet industry and looks forward to sharing her passion with you!

cute backdrop behind your grooming table will give a branded punch to those “beast to beauty” photos taken of your furry clients. Seeing their beloved “Bella” in your social media feed is still giving the client a positive “experience” with your business.

Dog Bakery Display Case

Have you ever considered selling dog bakery treats? After years of selling them in my old store, I finally bought a bakery display case and wished I’d done it 10 years prior!

How is this “retailment” you say? Think about it, when have you been in front of a bakery display case in a bad mood? There is something so tactile and inviting about choosing items from a large, shiny, beautiful bakery display case. Even though you and I know that Fido doesn’t really care about what comes out of that bakery display case, the experience that your client gets bonding with her furry family member over what “treat” he’s going to eat in 3.5 seconds is priceless! bought and sold so you can often search locally for a deal! Make sure to measure your space 1st and always merchandise them well for maximum exposure!

Self Serve Fridges & Freezers

Bakery display cases come cold and “dry” which means with & without refrigeration. They are constantly being The 1st photo with the pink/green fridges are of my beloved “Lucy & Ethyl” original 1940-1950 fridges. I purchased 3 of these beauties and had them refurbished for my 50’s store theme. They were the #1 reason someone would walk in from off the street. I sold dog treats, dog cakes, dog cupcakes, dog beer, and even dog toys out of these beauties!

You don’t need to sell raw dog food to have fridges or freezers in your business. Other items that sell really well and have a seasonal “retailment” experience to coincide are Swell Gelato, Puppy Ice Cream, and even Bowser Beer!

When a client's dog was turning 3, I would mention a dog beer for his “21st” birthday might be fun! Summer Ice Cream Socials are very popular when selling dog ice cream and Swell Gelato. Although not pictured above, I often had a price menu on the outside of my fridges which made retailing those items so much easier and kept down payroll because all the questions were answered on the menus provided. Dog Treat Bars are a wonderful way to introduce your client to something new without spending $6-$10 on a new bag of dog treats their picky pooch won’t like. Sell biscuits, chews, and meat treats. Include signage, sell in multiples, (2/$3) provide tongs, bags, and make it a destination. Once your furry client is hooked on an amazing treat… offer the retail packaged bag so they can take more home or gift to friends! Whether you use baskets, penny jars, or metal bulk bins, there are endless possibilities of how you can do this! Pro Tips: Make your dog treat bar waist height & above or you’ll be cleaning “yellow liquid tips” and wet noses off your containers constantly!

Amazing Customer Service

We’re all experiencing small and large businesses struggling with customer service due to their lack of training and or lack of employees. This makes providing excellent customer service even easier in our smaller businesses. Taking the time to genuinely connect with your clients and offer VIP socials or community events are a few ways you can create amazing customer service in your grooming salon and pet store.

The knowledge that passionate Groomers and pet store retailers have about pet health, dog grooming products, and pet food are much higher than the average consumer so why not share the knowledge with your clients?

As small businesses we can make changes to our businesses in an instant without having to wait for board approval. This enables a business to quickly create new opportunities to increase cash flow and give clients what they want as consumer demands change. In addition; the “woke” generations don’t blindly follow every company and want to support someone they know, they bond with, and they believe in. Razzle dazzle with “retailment” and keep a client for life!

Leel Michelle

Also visit FB Group “Pet Boutiques.”

www.dogcakebakery.com

www.retrostylistwear.com