2010 In-Store Lighting Summer Edition

�e Small �ings Matter

END LINEMASTHEADEnd Page: logo, history, staff name, address

JA Show (New York) .................... 25th

IN STORE LIGHTINGIN STORE LIGHTING

Summer 2010 Issue

by Eastern Lighting, Inc.

by John MartzMarketing [email protected]

SJTA (Atlanta) ............................... 7th

ASD (Las Vegas) .......................... 8th

July 2010

August 2010

September 2010HK Jewelry& Gem Show ............ 21st

(Hong Kong)

Does your store smell better thanyour competitors do?“

UpcomingTrade ShowSchedule

Y ears ago when an executive of the highest rated airline was asked, “What one thing does

your organization do that causes your company to stand out among all your competitors?” His reply, “There is not one thing that we do significantly better, but 100’s of things that we do slightly better”. This may seem surpris-ing on the surface but dig deeper and it truly makes a lot of sense, because a sale actually is nothing more than trans-ference of feelings. The objective facts about a transaction are merely the logical justification a customer needs to support their emotional decision! So how can we as retailers apply this lesson by making our customers “feel” better and stand out among our competitors? Be different by engaging all the senses. Large retailers have made a science out of this.

Be Di�erent! by Darrin DavisLighting [email protected]

George Whalin, a well- known retail consultant, spoke in April to the Ameri-can Gem Society Conclave in Boston. During a Q & A session, one jewelry storeowner asked him what the one thing all storeowners could take back and implement immediately. His response was simple, “Go back and be different from your competition.”

In his book “Retail Superstars” Whalin writes about 25 of the best of indepen-dent retailers he has worked with. After reading this book, I found that each of these 25 retailers had done exactly what he spoke to that one jeweler about. Each of these stores has made customer service a top priority, maintains a focus

on quality products, and finds ways to make them stand out from their competition.

How are you standing out from your competition? Do your lights make your

Continue page 2a ...

Continue page 3b ...

13004 Murphy Road, Ste. 212Stafford, TX 77477-3961

Prior to joining Eastern Lighting, Inc. in March of 2003, Senior Lighting Consul-

tant Brent Neal served in the U.S. Marine Corps for four years. After completing

his service, he earned a B.A. in International Studies from Texas State University.

After graduation, he began his career in the financial services industry and ten

years later he made a career change to joined Eastern Lighting, Inc. Applying the

sales, marketing and customer service skills acquired in his previous career, he has

been influential in helping the company grow to its current size.

General InformationTel: 800-839-3604 | Fax: 281-980-4157E-mail: [email protected] All Rights Reserve ©

DirectoryWarren Wang -- [email protected]

Darrin Davis -- [email protected]

John Martz -- [email protected]

Brent Neal -- [email protected]

In this issue: Brent NealSenior Lighting Consultant.

Eastern Lighting

Employee �o�le

Mail-inRebate Form

$25SuperLux (Premium)Showcase Lighting System

No Limit, Expires September 30, 2010

Signature

Company Name

Cree DiodesPowerful Q5 LED’s from Cree, Inc. manufactured in North Carolina are among the best-performing in the industry.

Thermal ManagementA well engineered thermal management system takes heat away from the LED diodes and is critical to maintaining performance for years to come

Semiconductor RegulatorFor added insurance, a semiconductor regulator is included providing clean power in the correct polarity to the diodes extending life and performance.

PatentedRotary DesignThe rotary design allows flexibility to put your merchandise in the best light by providing the freedom to aim the intense beam precisely where desired.

Have you ever noticed the warm feeling in some establishments versus the cold feeling of others? As much as we desire our lighting to be the warmest part of your showroom, the reality is that there is something much more e�ective and powerful…

Your smile! Warm stores are inviting, attract people and make them want to stay. They are comfort-able and cause customers to want to do business with them. Top performing retailers incorporate this into their culture by hiring people with a positive attitude and training them on how to interact with customers in a positive way.

Encourage everyone to put on a bright smile and thank each customer for coming as soon as they walk in. Remember they could have went somewhere else! Set an example for each other by treating co-workers the same way, it will make your work place a fun environment. Happy employees produce happy customers, smiling is contagious.

Warm up your store by smiling, and then keep smiling all the way to the bank!

Sales CornerSales CornerIs Your Store Warm or Cold?

Messy Desk? Prioritize Linda StarrStarr CTC | www.starrctc.com

Staring at a stack of papers on your desk that require action? Wondering where to start? Here is my favorite remedy to the paper-covered desk: First, gather them all together into one big stack. That’s right, one enormous pile. Sort - Now, create enough space for three separate stacks just above your single stack of everything. Picking up one piece at a time and assign it a priority of either “A” which means absolutely must be done today, “B” which means best, if done today and “C” could be done today. Sort your entire stack into these three categories.

Clear the Decks - Gather your entire “C” pile and move it off your desk. Odds are that you will not be working on this group today. My favorite place to put this stack is in the lower right drawer of my desk. Next, gather your entire “B” stack and put it out of sight. My favorite place for this group is the middle right drawer of my desk.

Now, you are left with only the highest priority items which will require your atten-

tion today. Your job is to put them in the order of importance. A-1 goes on top of the stack with the others placed in order of importance as you move deeper into the pile. My favorite place to put this stack is in the top right drawer of my desk.

With all the piles out of site, you have a clear surface to attend your top priority. Pull out only the top item from your “A” drawer and focus your entire attention on it until it is completed. When you complete this task, file it away and go after your next highest priority.

Moving all distractions from your line of vision allows you to focus on one thing at a time and will yield enhanced productivity and satisfaction.

Linda Starr is one of Houston’s most experienced Productivity Coaches. She can be reached at [email protected]

Notice the contrast between the warm environ-ment and showcase displays

Horologio, Las Vegas

A recent example was seen at the Sands Convention Center at the annual Global Shop show (www.globalshop.org) which brings the latest in store design, planning, and technology. I was amazed to find a vendor that specialized in Scent Marketing(www.scentair.com). This is just another way to involve yet another sensory percep-tion to invoke an emotional response. One walk down Las Vegas Boulevard proved that corporations were buying into this as each resort “branded” itself with a unique scent. Some of these scents evoked the emotion of comfort and relaxation while others caused one to feel energized, yet each one was unique. Does this have a place in your establishment? Does your store smell better than your competitors do?

Muzak (www.muzak.com) offers “More than 100 unique music programs for an engaging customer experience” empowering you to select specific programming for a defined target audience. Hobby Lobby stores, in an effort to reflect their Judeo-Christian ethics, plays symphonic hymns creating a relaxed atmosphere while subtly reinforcing their value system. To prove that music communi-cates emotions, think of how you felt due to a movie soundtrack when something is about to happen in the story line. Does your store sound better than your competitors do?

While walking the expo floor at a lighting fair my tired feet noticed that certain vendors felt better than others did! This was due to the extra-thick padding placed under their carpeting that felt cushy and comfortable

when compared to the bare concrete under the carpet of most of the exhibition hall. I found myself staying a little longer and gathering more information from their sales representatives, so it worked! Real or perceived, another impression was that only the high-end or better vendors were thought-ful enough to do this! Does your store feel better than your competitors do?

Walk in a mall and observe the lighting in different stores. (You knew we would bring this up!) What kind of lighting makes the merchandise look it is best? When it comes to diamonds and finished jewelry, nothing causes them to “pop” out of the showcases and into the customer’s heart better than LED lighting. These high color temperature and multi-point light sources cause a sparkle that attracts the most discerning eye. Although late, our competitors are even admitting these advantages and scrambling to acquire LED lighting options in their offerings. However, we have been working with LED’s for five years now and are well ahead of the curve. Currently, multi-color LED lighting systems are under evaluation that would allow you to change the color of your store with a remote control! What color would Spring look like?

Summer? What about Christmas or Valentine’s Day? Be one of the first five to email your feedback to me on this concept ([email protected]) and we will ship you an LED Desk Lamp! Does your store look better than your competitors do?

All fast food establishments are alike… NOT! On a recent visit to a large chain not only was the service staff exceptionally friendly but the store was also very clean. And there was something extra – a plate of after dinner mints. Pretty common in better eating estab-lishments but very rare and unique in a fast food setting! I have seen this in some of your stores. Specialty mint patties or luxury dark chocolate set out for your customers to enjoy. Does your store taste better than your competitors do?

Continue from page 1a ...

Continue from page 1b ...

products shine and sparkle better than the store around the corner from you? What can you do to make your store a destination, a place that customers remember and want to come back to? All of this can be achieved, and you too can be a superstar retailer!

My suggestion is that you take a long look at what your competition is like, what is to be a customer in their store, then find ways that you can stand out. Does your merchandise look better than theirs when you approach the showroom? This can be accomplished with proper lighting, and being more creative with your displays. You might even decide to start serving fresh baked cookies or cupcakes daily. The possibilities are endless! Make your store stand up and stand out.

Happy Retailing!

If you agree that sales is a transference of feelings and want to stand out from your competition, engage as many of your customer’s senses that you can to get them feeling good about you and your products. Each of these examples individually may not leave much of an impression, but together can make a huge impact on your customers’ emotions. Just like the executive of that top rated airline, recognize that the small things matter and combine to make a huge difference!