Month: March 2012

Events Ideas and Free Publicity

Posted onAuthorericw@specialtystoreservices.com

Effective business owners and store managers are always looking more ways to obtain more attention while keeping costs down. Enter in-store events, press releases and word-of-mouth publicity! I know we’ve lightly touched on this before but it bears repeating in more detail.  Here are some event ideas that involve a small or minimal monetary investment but can garner a lot of attention.

Give and you shall receive. Donate your products or services to a local non-profit or other worthy organization. How does giving away your merchandise or knowledge benefit your store or company? Two words: free publicity. Newspapers will print or post online news about events benefiting the community and non-profits for free.  
  • If you own a beauty salon, offer a day of pampering to the residents of a local assisted living home, senior center or women’s shelter. Contact the activity director, pack up your gear and go give free hair trims, comb-outs or mini-manis to people who would like a little pick-me-up.
  • Own a restaurant? Choose a day to offer military veterans free dessert and coffee or have a little 3-hour reception with finger foods, beverages and desserts for the vets.
  • Owners of pet grooming salons can offer free nail trims and ear cleanings for dogs and/or cats and ask for donations which will benefit a local animal shelter. Give it a party-like atmosphere by setting up a tent outside where you can work on the less skittish visitors and do face painting for the kids.
  • Owners of clothing stores can contact a local homeless shelter or women’s shelter to offer some people in need nice new clothes for job interviews or clothing for their children.
Put on your thinking cap and think about what events you can hold at your location or what services you can offer off-site. What can you do to make the events fun and newsworthy? The event will be more effective if your heart is in it – the sincerity will show through and speak for itself. In turn, people will talk about it in a positive way and spread the word about your company. And there you go – more publicity. 
Make sure you spend extra time cleaning your store and organizing everything! After all, there will be potential customers coming to your place for these events, so give them a great first impression. Be sure to have business cards or flyers with your company’s information to give to visitors, especially if your event is off-site.
Spread the news. Write an effective press release to let the local news outlets know what you’re doing. Make sure you get the press release to the Events Editor at least 2-3 weeks before your event and take pictures at the event so they can print a follow-up story (which you will also provide in a press release format). Press releases need to have a title that both grabs attention and gives info of the event. Be sure to give all pertinent information in a summary paragraph at the beginning of the press release before delving into details. If you don’t, you may not grab the attention of the editor – no attention from the editor, no free publicity. Check out this article on how to write an effective press release for some helpful hints. Don’t forget to advertise your event with posters in your store, on your website/social media page and via email to your mailing list.

So, you’ve got some new fun and profitable event ideas to generate interest and get publicity. Please let me know what events you’re planning and how they go!

Visit the Specialty Store Services website for products to help you promote your events and for links to more tools to help you run your business effectively.

Luck o’ the Irish Giveaway

Posted onAuthorericw@specialtystoreservices.com


This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations to Paige, the winner!


Good luck is not just for the Irish! Luck seems to come and go, Irish or not, so many of us have little charms that we carry or quirky things we do when we need a boost in the luck department. Some of us may pick up pennies from the sidewalk or wear a lucky shirt when watching our favorite team play.

But we cannot just rely on luck to bring in customers or make our promotions known. That’s why Specialty Store Services is giving away a deluxe write on/wipe off markerboard with chrome stand and markers to help one lucky winner promote sales and events! Just post your comment below saying what your lucky charm is or what you do to bring on the luck. One person will be selected to win. Good luck, everyone!


No purchase necessary, must be 18 or older to enter. One comment per person, please. Void where prohibited by law. Contest valid in the US and Canada only. This contest starts today, Monday, March 12, 2012 and ends Sunday, March 18, 2012 at 11:59pm, central time. Winner will be announced Monday, March 19, 2012. Prize valued at $70. 

EAS Systems: RF vs. AM

Posted onAuthorericw@specialtystoreservices.com

Shoplifting is a problem faced by all retailers but, according to experts, shoplifting theft can be reduced by 60% when using a reliable Electronic Article Surveillance system (EAS). The two most widely used EAS systems are Radio Frequency (RF) and Acousto-magnetic (AM). The question most business owners ask is “Which security system should I use in my store?”

 

I took this question, and several others, to Julie Mitchell, Merchandising Manager at Specialty Store Services and all-around knowledgeable and helpful person.
Just how do the RF and AM systems work?
The RF system works like this: a label or small hard tag – basically a miniature, disposable electronic circuit and antenna – is attached to a product and responds to a specific frequency emitted by a transmitter antenna, usually one pedestal of an entry/exit gate. The response from the label is then picked up by an adjacent receiver antenna. This processes the label response signal and will trigger an alarm when it matches specific criteria. The most popular RF is 8.2MHz.
With the AM system, a transmitter creates a surveillance area where hard tags and soft labels are detected. The transmitter sends a radio frequency signal in pulses, which energize the tag in the surveillance zone. When the pulse ends, the tag responds, emitting a single frequency signal. While the transmitter is off between pulses, the tag signal is detected by a receiver. If the correct criteria is met, an alarm occurs.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of the RF and AM systems?
The RF system is the most widely used system in the United States. The tags and labels are getting increasingly smaller which is beneficial from a visual standpoint. The RF system is not as sensitive as the AM system but it is also less expensive, which makes it an economical choice for small and mid-level retail stores. However, the tags and labels are slightly more expensive than AM tags and labels.
The AM system was the first EAS system in the market and is used in most large high-end retail stores and other large retail, hardware, appliance and discount stores. The AM system is very sensitive which means that there are sometimes false alarms. AM tags work well when they are close to metal and so the AM system works well in stores that use metal shopping carts.
Loop tag for sunglasses, purses and shoes

What type of security tags or labels are available?

 

Both security systems use hard security tagsand soft security labels specific to each system, available deactivatable and non-deactivatable. Soft labels are ideal for use with books, media, and any merchandise with a hard, flat surface. Hard tags are perfect for use with clothing. Hard tags are also available as blister pack tags for pegged items, loop tags for sunglasses and shoes, box wrap alarms and loop bottle tags for wine and liquor bottles.
How are security tags and labels deactivated?
Both systems require that the labels or tags be pressed against or waved over a deactivator pad, depending on the system and deactivator being used. Non-deactivatable hard tags must be removed by the store clerk at checkout; however, deactivable hard tags are also available.
To disarm the RF tag, a radio frequency pulse blasts the tag and burns out the diode so the tag does not emit a signal and trigger the alarm. When the AM tag is demagnetized, it is deactivated. When the AM tag is magnetized, it is activated.
Please visit the Specialty Stores Services website to learn more about RF and AM security systems offered. Do you have questions? Please call the helpful Sales Representatives at 800-999-0771.