If you own and operate a small retail business, this guide will give you a proven system for marketing your store, allowing you to compete with online merchants and big-box stores alike. Full of fresh and innovative ideas for promoting small stores, it will show you how to create a great in-store experience and build loyal, long-lasting relationships with customers.

Most store owners get into retail because they have a love for both people and the products they sell. They build their stores, hire friendly staff, unlock the doors and wait for the world to come in. The question in their minds isn't if customers will come, but when. All too often, retail business owners fall victim to "the new guy" syndrome: they build a new store, open their doors, and rest on their laurels only to see their sales erode--rapidly. It's easy to get excited about your new business when your store first becomes visible to customers during your grand opening, but it's another thing to generate this customer excitement some two years later. Successful retailers don't fall for "the new guy" syndrome and develop marketing strategies to maintain their sales momentum well beyond their break-in period. These marketing strategies may include brand advertisements in newspapers, direct mail, radio and television-all the usual advertising options available to retailers.But where the real war is won is in the trenches at the local store marketing (LSM) level. The most successful retailers win the battle for customer traffic because they make an operational commitment to local store marketing. They know local store marketing captures the entire customer base in the critical three-mile radius surrounding their store. In addition, they know that implementing local store marketing is low cost or no cost. (Notice I didn't say "no work," though!) Successful retailers effectively infuse their year-long promotional campaigns with local store marketing, building a strong sales foundation for sustained and long-term growth-and you can too! That is where this manual comes in. Local store marketing is a "must" for you to fully capitalize on the sales potential of your store. Successfully capturing these customers will translate into both short- and long-term sales growth--in addition to effectively locking out your competition. The sales success of your store depends on you proactively going after sales using local store marketing, instead of passively waiting for customers to find you.The decision is yours: you can either choose the passive route --letting your success or failure be predicated on customers opting for your store--OR you can aggressively maximize the sales opportunities within your three-mile business area. Prudent store operators take control of their marketplaces to maximize every sales opportunity. This manual is designed to help you do just that by tapping into the power of local store marketing for your own store.

The weak economy has taught us all some serious lessons about what customers are really looking for. These lessons have demanded some serious adjustments in how we do business-the way we evaluate our business, the way we market our business, and the way we conduct our business. And, of course, everything costs a lot more money. Retail is failing left and right, and anybody that isn't a chain retailer has twice as much of a challenge ahead of them in terms of attracting and keeping business. Especially since the retail slump isn't entirely about the economy-it's also about the internet. Retailers have got to work harder than ever to compete with the in-home shopping experience.

YOU CAN COMPETE WITH THE BIG-BOX STORES! Whether you're a seasoned merchant or retail newbie, Retail 101 is the guide you need to successfully manage, market, and grow your retail business, brick and mortar or online. From two of today's top retail thought leaders, Retail 101 serves both as a strategic planning guide and as a hands-on practical reference that answers your critical questions along the way. "The ultimate how-to guide for independent retailers. Each chapter addresses a vital ingredient for retail success, including helpful ideas, useful lists, and action guides." -- Ted Teele, Chief Executive Officer, SnapRetail "While small retailers may feel like an endangered species, those who read this practical guidebook to retail survival will come away confident that they have unique assets they can turn into sustainable profits." -- Molly Love Rogers, President and CEO of Internet Retailer "If you've ever felt alone or frustrated building your business, read this book today!" -- Joe Abraham, founder of BOSI Global, author of Entrepreneurial DNA