Retailing: From A to Z | Live Life Every Day!! | Page 258

Understanding the Social Media Platforms You Use

Posted on October 9, 2014 by bermanevansretail

It is not just consumers (people) who need to understand and utilize the proper style and good manners with each social media platform. This is also true for businesses! Proper style and etiquette will enable us all to make our desired points while still being civil and polite while doing so. 🙂

As Jennifer Landry, a Web journalist who specializes in articles about business management and the current social media landscape, notes for BLUE by Cox Communications:

“Of course, you can’t employ the same methods for the different social platforms. Each site offers users a different experience. Twitter users want quick and casual communication while Linkedin users expect professional and well researched conversation. In order to get the most out of these sites, you’ll need to make sure that you understand what users expect from each platform and how to mold your posts to suit that need. In general, the posts that do the best are ones that either entertain or inform others.”

“Besides following the basic style of each social site, you must make sure you follow the unwritten etiquette rules. While they might seem like common sense, you’d be surprised how often companies do not follow them. If you can understand and implement the information from the infographic below into your campaigns, you’ll be more likely to attract new followers to your profiles and keep your old ones interested.”

Here is a good infographic from Landry’s article.

Posted in Online Retailing, Part 1: Overview/Planning, Part 2: Ownership, Strategy Mix, Online, Nontraditional, Part 3: Targeting Customers and Gathering Information, Part 5: Managing a Retail Business, Part 7: Communicating with the Customer, Social Media and Retailing | Tagged customer expectations, customer loyalty, customer service, etiquette, experiential retailing, good manners, infographic, multichannel, opportunity, planning, social media, tips, trends, trus | 1 Comment

A Small Florist Flourishes

Posted on October 8, 2014 by bermanevansretail

Today, times remain tough for a wide variety of retailers — both large and small. But, as always, there are some shining stars. And we can learn from them.

**One such star is Andrea Glass, a florist in Louisville, Kentucky, who was recently singled out for recognition by the UPS Store in Inc.:**

“Boston-based floral designer Andrea Glass was looking for a change in her life. So, she headed to Louisville, Kentucky on a whim. Over time, Glass missed working in floral design. She began researching florists in town. She saw a number of businesses using traditional techniques, but she saw an opportunity to combine her knowledge and signature style to create something new in the market. So, she opened Boston’s Floral Couture in 2007. ‘Boston’s’ for her hometown, of course, and ‘couture’ meaning ‘to make.’ Her ability to stay on top of floral industry trends, bring a fresh look to her designs, and work with local growers and use local products whenever possible quickly helped her make a name for herself and grow her business.”

“It’s not easy to win over the who’s who of an insular city like Louisville. But Glass’s attention to detail and the contacts she made while waitressing were a good foundation for helping her spread the word. Soon, she was providing floral arrangements for some of the most lavish events and weddings in the city. Her work is regularly seen at Kentucky Derby events hosted by socialites, celebrities, and ambassadors, as well as in some of Louisville’s finest homes. Glass has also taken Derby culture one step further and created her own line of hats and fascinators. She also has lines of ornate linens and handmade jewelry.”

Click the image to read more of the story.

Posted in Career Useful Information, Careers in Retailing, Part 1: Overview/Planning, Part 2: Ownership, Strategy Mix, Online, Nontraditional, Part 3: Targeting Customers and Gathering Information, Part 4: Store Location Planning, Part 5: Managing a Retail Business, Part 6: Merchandise Management and Pricing, Part 7: Communicating with the Customer, Part 8: Putting It All Together | Tagged Andrea Glass, Boston’s Floral Couture, competition, customer expectations, customer loyalty, customer service, entrepreneur, experiential retailing, florist, Louisville, merchandising, small business, strategy, success | 2 Comments