George of all trades – HFA Member Profile: George Perry
February/March, 2017— Truck driver, salesman, floor sweeper. These days George Perry does a little bit of everything at Sherwood House Furniture. All of them with a smile. For every home…
Top Stories
Trends and challenges for 2017
January, 2017 — The holidays are over. It’s time to get down to business. We asked HFA members what they’re excited by—and worried about—for the New Year. For retailers, 2016…
Sweet Dreams – Product Focus: Mattresses
January, 2017— The mattress industry is taking sleep seriously, are you? The world of mattress manufacturing is now a world of science, technology and innovation. The mattress you buy today…
Why retailers are lining up for Big Data
We just witnessed yet another record retail holiday season. Online sales for Thanksgiving Day and Black Friday reached $5.27 billion, up a strong 17.7 percent from last year, according to Adobe. Black Friday set a record by ringing up $3.34 billion in sales, a year-over-year increase of 21.3 percent. As retailers geared for the biggest selling season, use of big data gained momentum due to its role in increasing sales.
Spontaneous Promotions
January, 2017— Not all sales have to be drawn-out events. Here’s a quick and easy alternative. Here’s a fun in-store promotion that I think can attract a flood of people…
Good sales meetings come in many forms
January, 2017— But the end result should be the same—increased profits! Editor’s Note: This is the last of a three-part series of effective sales meetings. Sales meetings come in many…
Decoding your targeted audience
January, 2017— No two customers are alike. That’s why the right message to the right customer is so important to your store’s success. The best marketing campaigns resonate emotionally with…
4 Stages to Family Business Success
January, 2017— Understanding where your store is on its journey can help you grow. Bobby Martin has never owned a home furnishings store, but I bet a lot of home…
The perils of assumption
January, 2017— When you prejudge, you misjudge. In our business, that can prove costly. Days before the presidential election, I was reading a magazine article in which the writer wrote…