A cup of Yo!

There are, I have decided, several self-evident truths in this world. For example, I have waited three decades plus for a phone call from the staff of People magazine to inform me that I have been named “The Sexiest Man Alive.” I am finally conceding that said conversation won’t take place—or, at least, that the People people have misplaced my telephone number.

Another thing of which I’m virtually certain: There aren’t many real geniuses, but the guy at Starbucks who figured out a way to sell a cup of coffee for five bucks-plus is one.

Think about what this fellow accomplished: First, he elevated coffee from commodity status to a chic luxury item simply by paying attention in Italian class the day the professor asked the students to compare/contrast “grande” and “venti.”

Then, he set about meeting the needs of a perpetual customer base, what with coffee’s addictive powers. Finally, he convinced practically every one of those customers that coffee is a magic elixir that promotes social interactivity; otherwise, how else do you explain the fact that there are 16 gajillion Starbucks locations—all packed to walls from opening to close and some within mere walking distance of another Starbucks store? Yes, that guy was smart.
 

Speaking of smart, you no doubt fit the bill, given how you have kept your business in “go” mode throughout a three-year proliferation of yellow and red lights. You accomplished this through a variety of means that have included savvy trend watching, smart buying practices, prudent use of New Age marketing platforms, wise use of Old Fashioned customer service, effective marketing strategies that entice people to come to the store, and practical/profitable merchandising tacks that convince them to spend more money once they get there.
 

This month, we take an expansive look at that last great trait in our special section “All about Merchandising” that begins on page 33. Just as the Starbucks braintrust spent its formative years converting a branded ambience at its collection of stores into the gold standard for caffeine consumption, you’re constantly crafting your retail operation to stand apart from the competition.

Our exclusive report will give you tips and strategies and tried-and-true measures from inside and outside the industry that will help ensure your success in that endeavor.

Or, better ...

... That will help ensure you become a principal player in the latest self-evident truth —the one that says your store is the one where people like to shop.

yyoungblood@gie.net