Yesterday my Friend Pamela and I were asked to do a Presentation for our Antique Mall at the Dealer Roundtable on the Topic of Enthusiasm Fueling Sales. It was being recorded for the BRASS ARMADILLO i ANTIQUE site {this is the FB Link, I'm not adept at Navigating the i Antique site yet}... which was a bit nerve wracking for me, knowing it was being video taped as well as talking to a live Audience. *LOL* But I did feel it is an Important Topic to discuss... and to Encourage others doing what we do. We really Love what we do so we're always really Enthusiastic about it and have a lot of Fun in the Doing of it. I do firmly Believe your Attitude and Expectations are Mirrored in your Retail Spaces and contribute to the Outcome in a Positive or Negative way.
I Expect to do Well, if I didn't have that Expectation then I wouldn't be Surprised when the Outcome wasn't so good, because I would Feel that having low Expectations and a Negative Attitude likely Contributed to that Outcome. That's not to say that having Enthusiasm alone is enough, it isn't, but if you're Passionate and Excited about what you're Doing, it tends to be Contagious and brings an Energy to the table that is Evident to others and Shows in your Work and your Countenance... and that is Attractive.
Success leaves Clues and every Successful Person I've ever known has been Passionate about what they do for a Living, they're immersed in it. In such a way that you know they're 'doing them' and it's an extension of themselves and being In Purpose... so it's just a matter of Refining the Process to get it just where it needs to be.
And it's Vital that during the Refinement Process that you Maintain your Enthusiasm and Joy, resisting the Temptation to Give Up, Give In or Give Out prematurely. Or get all Gloom and Doom... since all Good Things worth Doing and Having take Time... and a certain amount of Educating yourself about... and require WORK! Just because you're drawn to and Love something doesn't necessarily mean you will become an Expert instantly... and there's always so much more you can Learn and be Mentored by those who know more than you do about it. And nobody becomes Successful taking shortcuts, being lazy or laissez-faire about your Business.
There will be bumps in the road of any Journey, even those worth taking that have a Fabulous Final Destination. Expect them and continue to move forward with Confidence and Tenacity, Maintaining your Focus and your Drive! Utilize the slower periods to do those things that will require the Freedom of Exploration since you won't be so Busy that you cannot Remodel, Reinvent, Experiment and Explore Refining your Vision and your Retail Spaces. I Intentionally Enlarged the Vision during the Summer months because I wasn't so swamped with the busyness of the Holidays and times of the Year that Seasonal Visitors abound and my Retail Spaces would be more crowded. It gave me the Luxury of Time and not such an intense sense of Urgency to Rush forward and not get it right and just the way I wanted it to be. It could be a Work In Progress, being Refined and Evolving without as many Distractions.
I also take the Time to cultivate Relationships with my Customers and potential Customers, to find out what they're Passionate about or Hoping to Discover, what they may be doing and trying to Source for? I've heard some Wonderful Stories and been able to better Assist those Customers in finding the Found Treasures Available for that Special Project, Client, Creation, Event, Brick and Mortar Shop they are Sourcing for, Room they may be Transforming, Personal Collection they're adding to or the Gift they Hope will blow the Recipient away! Shared Loves and Enthusiasm between Like Minded Souls makes for Stimulating Conversations, Cultivated Contacts and a Following of Loyal Customers with the Bonus that some even become Friends! And being a part of a Bigger Picture at an Antique Mall, I don't just do it for myself and my own Personal Gain, but for the other Vendors as well... I don't want to be the only one Prospering, I'd like for us ALL to Prosper and Enjoy Success so we can Rejoice in it as a Team for our Mall and have Customers Satisfied with every visit! Self-Promotion is Good Business, but Promoting and Encouraging other Small Business Owners and Artists is just as Important IMO... the Laws of Reciprocity never fails to Add Blessings!
My Sales have remained Constant Year Round and I attribute that to the fact that I Work the Spaces often and pay Attention to what seems to Work and what doesn't seem to Work in the area's Demographics and I make constant adjustments accordingly. I try to keep things Fresh, pay Attention to Presentation and Ambiance, bring New Inventory in often and try to find out what my Target Audience wants in our Location.
When I enter certain Fav Retail Spaces often, I ask myself why do I Enjoy that Atmosphere and Space so much that I return again and again, even wanting to Share the Experience...what are they doing Right and what is Drawing me in and keeping me Interested? Is it the Inventory, the Styling, the Look, the Presentation, the Vibe, the Ambiance, the Visual Impact, the Mood it all Evokes... or a blend of all of that? Or something more Specific and Special that the Vendor Offers? And even... the Vendor or Artist themselves... because lets face it, we've all done business more often with those whose Personality and Treatment of us was a Positive Experience and not a Negative one! No matter how Talented... or what is Offered... Negativity or Bad Customer Relations is Off-Putting for sure!
I do 'Me' in my Retail Spaces and therefore I don't particularly Feel any sense of Competitiveness towards any other Vendors or Artists even though there are over 500 separate ones in our 55,000 Square Foot Antique Mall because they're doing 'Them' in their Spaces and it all can Enhance the whole Shopping Experience for our Customers and Offer them so much more Variety!
And I can be as Eclectically Fun and Funky as I wanna be in what I Offer because that is doing 'Me' Authentically. It's how I Roll in Real Life and in Decorating my own Home... and my Retail Spaces are just another Extension of my Personal Aesthetic, Personality and Passions. You can find anything from Collectible Wood Faced Limited Edition Teddy Bears to Antiques and Architectural Salvage... my Love of Old is vast... my Passion for Vintage, Collectibles and Antiques is wide and many things Intrigue me... so if I Love it and think you will too, I'll Source it and have Fun Styling my Showrooms with it... the Weird and the Wonderful combined! *Winks* I Hope you stay Enthusiastic too my Friends... because I truly Believe Enthusiasm Fuels Sales and Success!
Blessings from the Arizona Desert... Dawn... The Bohemian