When I was a young man, I often wondered about Bigfoot sightings. Pictures, always grainy and out of focus, bubbled to the surface of the news media, with the National Enquirer usually running the lead story. A common element surrounded the Bigfoot phenomenon: Hippies were often the closest point of interaction with this half-man, half-bear creature, who was much sought, hard to see, and impossible to verify. Who could trust the long-hairs who told their tale to a publication of dubious repute?
Now, as an older professional, I see similarities with the new sales model, which has much the same personality problem. The description of this new market interaction is grainy, out of focus, and hard to track down to a reliable first-person accounting. People of questionable character are most often tied to its tracking and origin. Yet I have seen this new Bigfoot. Let me bring it into sharper focus.
A little history first. For many years, the corner store was the backbone of our small retailer model. Shelves teemed with locally sourced or manufactured items. Items were not labeled "organic" or "Made in America." That's because shoppers knew the items' origin. The manufacturer was a known entity, often behind the counter or one step away in degrees of separation from the sales person.
The big-box retailer changed all this. Small town USA began losing its product-specific retailers. Hardware stores, car part stores, local grocers, and knickknack shops gave way to larger retailers like Kmart, Target, and Wal-Mart. These stores allowed for one-stop shopping. Lower costs per square foot and common warehouse and distribution models combined with more buying power and a deeper reach into the manufacturing space to knock out the small guy. The local specialty retailer went away. New generations of potential retailers refused to don the mantle of shop owner. Instead, they attended college and moved to the big city in pursuit of other dreams.
The real issue here is sales footprint. The last hurdle from marketing to sales has been luring the buyer through the store's doors for an opportunity to exchange hard-earned, after-tax dollars for needed products and services. Until recently, the retailer's ability to make a sale was dictated by the visible sales footprint. This footprint is defined by market visibility -- marketing and word of mouth.
Small retailers that have survived the last round of economic woes and big-box competitors are specific and very good at what they do. It is time for these little guys to punch back, leveraging their competitiveness and true product base: knowledge and excellence in product/service delivery. This is possible through digital retail sales and service delivery, which allows the customer experience to be accessed through all current tools.
These tools are common and often free or freemium. Think Facebook Business Pages, Pinterest, and a properly implemented static business URL. As a small, specific retailer, the key is to enable your client base to spread the good news about your products and services. Excellence to market in a specific vertical must be lauded and showcased.
The footprint of the small retailer can grow beyond its region's physical limitations. Engaging prospects and marketing to new clients can be a smooth transition. Molding these technologies to traditional sales paths is the key to success.
Or you could grab your phone and hide away in the wilds of the marketplace. Bigfoot is near!
I will be on the lookout for your Facbook Business posting with a sharp, clear picture of yournew market entry -- your traditional win in your vertical market.
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