Suggestive selling is also known as “up selling” or “add-on selling”. Customers generally expect suggestive selling. If you are selling them a game system and don’t let them know that the controller is separate, then they would leave feeling like you didn’t do your job. You should always try to let the customer know about products related to what they are buying so that they can decide if they want it or not.

Suggestive selling can even be used on your web site. If someone is looking at an item or selects it for their cart, you can have a pop-up that shows them the accessories and products that go with it. You can even use that point to offer a discount if the products are bought together. Up selling someone often gives them a better deal, even if they are spending more money.

Offering benefits to your customers that accept the up sale is a great way to gain customer loyalty. Even customers that don’t buy more appreciate that you offered them a deal and remember that the next time that they are shopping.

Retail workers should always at least ask if the customer would like to upgrade or add on to their order. If you don’t ask, you don’t sell. Suggestive selling is an easy way to offer customer service in a way that also increases profits and salespersons’ confidence.

Train your staff to make a habit of asking for sales. Instead of saying, “That shirt looks great on you!” your staff should say something like; “I’m going to let you see how great that shirt looks with this skirt and hat. We also have really cute jewelry that really brings the whole thing together. Oh, that all looks great! Would you like for me to hold it at the register for you?” Making suggestions will help customers to see what all you have to offer just in case they didn’t think of it before.

You can use garment rack displays and mannequin displays to accomplish suggestive selling without saying a word. Hang shirts and skirts that look good together on the same garment racks so that customers will automatically assume that they go together. Dress a mannequin with all of the matching accessories so that people will consider more products to go with the featured one that they really like. Suggestive selling is something that can provide a service to your customers while increasing your sales and profits. Make sure that your staff is trained in the art of suggestive selling and see how your profits can soar.

About the Author: John Garvey is on the staff of Only Garment Racks, a leading online source of garment racks including clothing racks. Find a high quality garment rack or clothing rack at http://www.onlygarmentracks.com.

1) When satisfied customers are interviewed, they usually mention a few of the same things that they liked about their shopping experience. The first thing that they will usually say is that they thought the sales staff was friendly and not oppressive. Being friendly is important because your attitude is a reflection on the store. People make judgments about you and your store the second they lay eyes on you. If you’re smiling, you’re off to a good start.

2) Being able to see the customer’s side of things is an important skill to master. Let them do most of the talking and listen intently. Drop whatever you are doing and give them your full attention. Try to talk conversationally with them. Do not drop sales lines or try to sway their opinion. Agree with them as much as you can without seeming like you are just trying to butter them up. Don’t overdo it, just talk to them on their level.

3) Don’t get defensive if someone has an objection or complaint. Take full responsibility, apologize and then offer a solution. If you can’t solve their problem, admit it and then let them know that you want to help. Take the issue to a supervisor or manager that can help to make the problem right.

4) Be knowledgeable about every product possible. Customers really appreciate their questions being answered by someone who really cares enough to know a lot about a product or brand. Don’t be afraid to point out negative qualities from time to time. You’ll gain the trust of the customer, possibly for life.

5) Offer information. If you see that someone is interested in a certain brand or product, calmly tell them something that you know that makes the product unique. Don’t hound them, following them around talking about everything that they look at, but offer valuable information if they seem like they are trying to make a decision.

6) Keep the store neat as you work. Keeping your garment racks and displays fully stocked will make customers feel like you care about them finding what they need. Don’t overstock, however, because a crowded garment rack or display makes customers feel like you are trying to get rid of as much merchandise as possible and they may not feel like looking through everything that you have.

About the Author: John Garvey is on the staff of Only Garment Racks, a leading online source of garment racks including clothing racks. Find a high quality garment rack or clothing rack at http://www.onlygarmentracks.com.

1) Because boutique owners are extremely involved in every aspect of the business, they become personally involved. After all, your boutique is your creation. It says something about you as a person, and you want it to reflect your personality and taste. So, every business decision that you make is also a personal one. It can be hard to remain objective. Hiring a professional management consultant can be valuable if you need an outside opinion. Retail consultants with experience can give you valuable advice, help you to avoid mistakes, and give you that external view that you just don’t have.

2) Many people turn to professional consultants to learn more about the industry. It can be helpful to learn about the “best practices” of the boutique world. There may be no need to test your theories of how to best solve a problem if hundreds of other companies have already figured out the best way to do it. This is where professional advice can come in handy. However, boutiques are very specialized and the best practices of the industry may not be the best thing for you. Don’t be too afraid to trust your own instincts on certain things.

3) Certain types of software, policy standards, and industry organizations can help you to create a solid foundation for doing business. Keeping track of money, inventory, payroll, and taxes automatically and electronically can help you to avoid mistakes. Investing in the best for your business can help to eliminate the need to hire a professional, even if you don’t have a lot of experience.

4) One of the main reasons that retail boutiques hire professional consultants is to try to make more sales. Nothing can drive you to invest in some professional advice like a slump in sales. Professionals can advise you on marketing strategies, merchandising, and even closing sales. The way that your store looks can be almost as important as any strategy or computer system that you have. Create a statement about your store and center the theme around it. Make every display and garment rack an impressive advertisement as to what you stand for. Your garment racks and other retail displays should not be crowded, boring, or under-stocked. Showing your customers exactly what you want them to see can have a big impact and eliminate your need for hiring outside consultants.

About the Author: John Garvey is on the staff of Only Garment Racks, a leading online source of garment racks including clothing racks. Find a high quality garment rack or clothing rack at http://www.onlygarmentracks.com.

1) Use a gridwall or slatwall system for your displays. These systems are sturdy, inexpensive, and last a long time. They could be one of your greatest investments. Display systems such as these allow you to hang your merchandise on the wall as far up as the ceiling. With just a few inexpensive accessories, you can display your merchandise, jewelry, handbags, and other products without using any floor space. Additional benefits include being able to keep an eye on shoppers, controlling what goes into the fitting rooms, and customers can see what all you have to offer without having to dig around.

2) Utilize sneaky ways to store your inventory. If you use furniture to decorate, choose chairs, couches and chests that open up to reveal storage. You can use tall tables with a table cloth to cover the stored items underneath. Use your imagination and create storage in places that you may not have originally considered.

3) Don’t forget about the ceiling. If you have a storage room or office, you may be able to install a ceiling rack. These normally come as a wire grate that hangs from the ceiling. This is a really good way to create storage for your mannequins, hangers, bags, inventory, or anything else that you don’t need right away.

4) Shelving systems are great for storing items up to the ceiling in your office or storage room. Using adjustable shelves will let you maximize the little bit of space that you have. You may even consider using shelves on casters so that you can roll them. If you have a few in a back room, you can push them together for storage, then simply slide them apart when you need to get to something.

5) Use rolling garment racks or clothing racks for inventory that needs to be hung. A rolling garment rack is great for storage. It keeps your clothing from getting wrinkled and damaged. You can steam out wrinkles from garments directly on the clothing rack right out of the box. Then, when you’re ready to put them out, simply roll the rack out to the sales floor.

About the Author: John Garvey is on the staff of Only Garment Racks, a leading online source of clothing racks including garment racks. Find a high quality clothing rack or garment rack at http://www.onlygarmentracks.com.

Consumers have changed their behaviors. There is a more frugal mindset, meaning that people are not spending as much money, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that they won’t shop at boutiques. Shoppers are not just looking for low prices, but value. People are trending more towards buying in bulk. They are also buying just as much name brand and private label product as before the recession. This has come as a surprise to market analysts.

Usually during a recession, customers will trend towards buying more generic products or cutting down on spending any extra money at all. However, today’s consumers are much savvier, they have more resources, and they’re ultimately more educated than they have been in the past. Customers aren’t just looking to save a few bucks. They’re being selective about where their money goes. They are shopping online to find the best price for the highest quality product. They want to spend their money where it counts on things that will mean more to them or serve them for a longer period of time. Generics and lower quality items are, in the customer’s mind, moving from “a good deal” to “a waste of money”.

This is good for boutiques. If you can hit it at the right angle, then you can bring in customers that are looking for those higher quality products. They may not be in your store spending wildly, but they will appreciate the high end clothing and product lines that you carry. You need to make them comfortable with the quality and value of your product. You should also concentrate heavily on making the customer comfortable with you.

Coming across as a dependable, trustworthy, advocate of small or local businesses can go a long way with your customers. Be active in the community. Not just to get your name out there, but to portray your boutique as one that cares about the local economy and small businesses in your town. Instead of advertising trends, advertise quality.

You may need to change up the look of your store to get the right message across. From the moment people enter the store they should feel like you offer high quality goods that will add value to their lives. Your garment racks should be kept neat and stocked at all times. A messy or under-stocked garment rack gives the impression that you don’t care anymore or that you’re going out of business. Don’t give your customers something to worry or wonder about in these trying times. Treat everyone with the utmost respect and you’ll start to see your business emerge from the grips of the recession.

About the Author: John Garvey is on the staff of Only Garment Racks, a leading online source of garment racks including clothing racks. Find a high quality garment rack or clothing rack at http://www.onlygarmentracks.com.

1) First you should determine the goal of the promotion. If it is to boost sales, then you can reduce prices. If you want to get new customers into your store, then you should use catchy signage outside of the store or in the storefront window. You might contact current customers via e-mail and send them a coupon for a discount if they bring in a friend. If you want to create loyal customers, then you should promote items that need to be replaced so that the customers you draw will have to come back again when they want more.

2) Make sure that the appearance of your store communicates your mission, your style, and your intention. Your window displays should be interesting and eye catching. Use multiple products in the windows to help boost the sales of accessories. People that see accessorized outfits on mannequins are more likely to buy multiple pieces of the outfit, not just the shirt or jeans that you have on sale.

3) Use appropriate signage and displays. If you are having a major clearance sale, then it is absolutely appropriate to bring a garment rack packed with clothes outside of the door. This is a great way to grab customers as they pass by and communicate to them that you’re selling deeply discounted clothing. Bright and bold signs are appropriate for this kind of sale as well. For more refined or conservative sales and promotions, you should use only small tasteful signs. The message should be understated. Garment racks should not be stuffed full and display tables shouldn’t be stacked high.

4) Train your staff on how you want the customers treated. If you’re promoting higher end clothing and accessories, your employees should dress the part. No one wants to buy a $1000 dress from a kid in a t-shirt and jeans who waves at them from the register and continues with their cell phone conversation. People shopping for more unique or sophisticated clothing want to be taken care of, or even pampered. Make sure that your employees are attentive and aware of the tone that you want them to use with your customers.

5) Keep it clean. As people come in and check out your promotional items, they will most likely be unfolding, feeling, and investigating your products. People don’t want to spend all day refolding the clothes that they were looking through. It is expected that an employee of the store will take care of it. Have your employees be proactive, folding clothing or straightening a garment rack as they patrol the floor. If they see someone trying to refold something, they should go take it and say, “Let me get that for you so you can relax while you shop.” Little gestures like these will help you to sell more, create good impressions, and keep customers coming back for more.

About the Author: John Garvey is on the staff of Only Garment Racks, a leading online source of garment racks including clothing racks. Find a high quality garment rack or clothing rack at http://www.onlygarmentracks.com.

A mannequin wearing your boutique fare may not be very interesting standing alone in your storefront window. You will need to use your imagination to make grab attention if you’re on a budget. Here’s some food for thought. If you’re in a boutique, then you’re selling interesting and unique items, right? So it stands to muster that if you use something really unique in your visual display, then it will lend itself to being a hip and fashionable choice. After all, you’re the one setting the trends here.

Some stores have successfully used recycled and reused items to create stunning displays that didn’t cost them a dime. One store used an old oil drum cut up into a giant sheet of stars to create the background for their new summer line display. They painted multi-colored stripes on an old curtain and hung it behind the stars, adding depth and texture to their window mannequin display. It didn’t cost but a few bucks to the welder the cut out the stars, but the display ended up being pretty effective.

They dressed the mannequins in clothing that had lots of prints, plaids, paisleys, and spots. Sounds just awful against that striped and starred background, but when they added in some banana tree leaves and piles of pots and pans around the bottom, the mismatched assortment helped to communicate the unique nature of the clothing that was offered inside the store. People just couldn’t pass that window without wondering what in the world it meant!

Creating a little intrigue can go a long way. You can bring the theme of the window display into your store if you want. For example, take the store that we just mentioned. They could have the welder put together some structures made out of old pots and pans to put on top of their garment racks. They could take it a step further and fashion the pots and pans into chairs or even a tall column to display in the middle of the store. They could use pots and pans to display accessories, socks or tank tops.

It doesn’t really matter what you use. It could be petticoats, water bottles, CD’s, or old TV’s. You can decorate or paint reusable or recycled items to make them into works of art. You could even take various items, like softballs, flower pots, and computer keyboards, and turn them into a mannequin that displays your clothing.

The point is that you run a boutique. You can do whatever you want. The more “out there” your designs, the more attention you’re going to get. You can top each garment rack in your store with a mannequin’s head, a leg, or a giant stuffed bird. Use your imagination. If you get interesting enough, you may start to see people getting their pictures made next to your oddly intriguing visuals, and then just imagine how far the word could spread! Talk about effective marketing on a budget!

About the Author: John Garvey is on the staff of Only Garment Racks, a leading online source of garment racks including clothing racks. Find a high quality garment rack or clothing rack at http://www.onlygarmentracks.com.

If you’re considering starting up a boutique, there are a few things to consider. Think about how you will compete with big retailers. There is actually a lot that you can do to take advantage of the shortcomings of big retail stores. Customer interviews over the years have revealed that customers are a lot savvier than they used to be. They have the internet at their fingertips to do research and really know what they’re looking for.

Retail stores may be able to offer more products at lower prices, but think about what customers want that they can’t get in a big department store. They crave knowledgeable employees. Retail stores often hire employees for very little pay and give them very little training. Their job may consist of straightening or stocking shelves and little else.

Customers love to shop at boutiques because of the atmosphere. Not just the decorations and eclectic appeal, but the attitude and knowledge level of the employees there. Successful boutiques educate their employees about the details of the products that they sell. Boutique owners don’t have the luxury of carrying every brand of a particular item. They have to be picky and choose the ones that have a higher quality or more unique details than the mainstream clothing lines. Then, they make sure that their employees know how to communicate these special features to their customers, helping to make sales.

Customers love to feel like they are special, not just another face in the crowd. When they shop at a boutique, they can get personal service, honest advice, good information about the products, and the employees might even know their names when they come in. This personal type of experience is an important part of what you should offer your customers when you run a boutique.

Make sure that you respect each and every customer, whether or not they are buying anything. Make sure that they can see everything you have to offer in a unique and efficient manner. Don’t cram everything on to a shelf or one tiny rack. A garment rack should not be overstuffed. Spread items out so that they can be seen and admired. This also helps to promote the idea that the garments are unique, or maybe even one of a kind. Consider using specialty garment racks designed especially for boutiques. These may have varying levels of hanging bars, or mix bars and shelving, giving your store a more textured look.

When you start your boutique, remember these tips. Treat the customer like a valued individual. Be honest, give good advice, and offer information about your products that no one else can. Keep the store tidy and easy to shop through. With these things in mind, you’ll be able to take advantage of the things that make boutiques unique.

About the Author: John Garvey is on the staff of Only Garment Racks, a leading online source of garment racks including clothing racks. Find a high quality garment rack or clothing rack at http://www.onlygarmentracks.com.

Some promotions and displays should be rotated regularly into your schedule, rather it be seasonally or annually. Promotions that come around regularly are called cyclical promotions. When a season or holiday is approaching, you can prepare by figuring out the best way to promote your products. Get visual ideas or inspiration from other stores, art, or online displays. If you can make your store’s display unique, it is sure to attract attention and help people to remember you when the promotion is over.

You will need to adequately inform your customers of your promotions when they come around. Try to collect e-mail addresses or physical addresses throughout the year. Send out newsletters and special offers periodically so that your customers will be aware and look forward to your events. Use signs and your staff to communicate promotions to your in-store customers or people passing by.

There can be many opportunities year round to have a promotion. Local sporting events or other celebrations can be used to draw attention to supporting your local organization. You can donate money to different local causes and gain attention for yourself as a valuable local business. Offer discounts or early bird specials to local college students, or people that donate to your charity. Feature local artists’ work in your store and bring community awareness to your door. You can collaborate with other businesses in your district or area to offer block parties, sidewalk sales, and other promotions that get attention.

Lowering your prices isn’t always the best idea. Find ways to make people see the value in the items that you offer, rather than making them think that something must be wrong with the merchandise for it to be so cheap. You might make some money in the short term, but you’ll make people want to wait for your big sales to shop at your store. Or worse, you’ll make them think that you are normally overcharging, and lower their impression of your entire business.

Keep things changing by rearranging your clothing racks and displays on a regular basis. Choose an interesting garment rack that people don’t see in every store. Breaking up the monotony of shopping is the easiest way to start making your store unique. Most stores use garment racks with function in mind, but if you choose ones that are functional as well as unique, you will stand out from the competition.

About the Author: John Garvey is on the staff of Only Garment Racks, a leading online source of garment racks including clothing racks. Find a high quality garment rack or clothing rack at http://www.onlygarmentracks.com.

There are a few ways to help your business control theft. Your staff is your first line of defense. A simple training session could help you turn your existing employees into loss prevention machines. Tell them to think about what a customer needs to be able to shoplift. They need to feel anonymous, inconspicuous, they want some privacy, and they definitely don’t want to be bothered by sales associates. Simply greeting them and then a minute or two later asking them if they need help will make them feel uncomfortable enough not to shoplift.

A majority of shoplifting happens in the dressing room. Keeping fitting room door locked will force potential shoplifters to have to talk to an employee. Have employees offer to hang garments on the fitting room door. Have them count and limit the number of items that can go into the dressing room. Have them ask customers if they can find them a different size while they’re trying on.

Besides employees, there are other ways to deter shoplifters while they’re in the dressing room. Hang signs that say shoplifters will be prosecuted. Hang mirrors all the way around. Use bright lighting. Shoplifters love dark corners, dressing rooms, and privacy. The less of this you provide, the better.

Use the same concepts in your store. If you can’t afford the real thing, try to invest in dummy alarm systems that make people think you have a sensor at the door. Put tags on the clothes that have to be removed at the register. You can install mirrors and domes from the ceiling so that people feel like they can be seen. You can even use dummy cameras in the corners of your store.

Set up your store in a way that deters theft. If you have a corner that can’t be seen from the register, use bright lighting and mirrors to make shoplifters uncomfortable. Even mannequins give people the feeling that they are being watched.

Position your garment racks so that they don’t encourage shoplifting. Shoplifters say that they target stores with crowded garment racks that are positioned close together or where they’re view is blocked from the register. They can easily maneuver garments off of the hangers and down into a shopping bag or up their sleeve by working inside the garment rack, away from the view of cameras or employees. Choose garment racks that display clothing on the outside. Space them out so that you can see between them. Keep your employees asking customers if they need help, and use things like ceiling mirrors to deter theft.

About the Author: John Garvey is on the staff of Only Garment Racks, a leading online source of garment racks including clothing racks. Find a high quality garment rack or clothing rack at http://www.onlygarmentracks.com.