May Day is Lei Day in Hawaii
The transition from April to May (in Hawaii) is always a tough one. Traditionally May is a late travel month. Spring break is over and summer isn’t quite here yet. If you are dependent upon travel, the good news is that we see an older, more mature and financially better off visitor during May, so remember, it only takes one.

The Wealthy (Spoiled) Traveler
People with money are accustomed to the “royal treatment” at home. They have maids and service people. They get the best seats and service in their favorite restaurants. When shopping they are known and as a result the sort of attention I would like to see every customer get. Too often they don’t get that attention when traveling and as a result spend less.
Treat all customers as though you know that they have the ability to buy the most expensive thing you sell, and they will buy more; it’s not rocket science.

“Hawaii Retailers Show Less Confidence in Economy”
There’s one thing for sure; headlines like that will not help boost anyone’s confidence. I would prefer the headline for the same article to read:
“Hawaii Retailers Getting Creative to Overcome the Downturn in Visitor Numbers”
But then again I’m not focused on selling newspapers. My focus is on the survival of my clients in the face of the doom and gloom they are having thrust upon them almost daily. You bring about what you think about, and if you want to bring about prosperity you must displace all of this negativity with some positive thoughts.
It is also crucial for retailers and other businesses to start focusing more on the top line than the bottom line. Cutting costs and lowering margins can lead the way to failure. A strong selling effort will do just the opposite. This article said:
“Despite the numbers, store owners said they are using a variety of sales tactics to ride out the downturn.” The “tactics” mentioned were all about merchandise and price. Selling techniques and skills will get more results than “tactics” will. Lowering prices to attract customers will have a more negative impact on your bottom line than learning how to “sell” and preserving your rightful margins. That can be done, I help people do it every day.
I liked this quote by Jen Kunishima Sarsuelo, owner of Cottage by the Sea, Hawaii Doggie Bakery & Gift Shop and The Growing Nest; “It’s about setting ourselves apart from other competitors.” Now you’re talking! She went on to say, “Shopping is a very emotional experience and people want to feel good when there’s so much gloom and doom out there.” YEAH!
I challenge everyone to start looking for positive examples of selling success and spread those stories around. If you don’t know of any, call me, I have lots of them.

“General Growth’s Bankruptcy Spooks Its Hawaii Tenants”
This headline in the Honolulu Star Bulletin is scarier than the bankruptcy itself is. The United States offers what is called “Bankruptcy Protection” under chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code to essentially “Protect” troubled companies from thier creditors, allowing them time to re-organize and become profitable again, and hopefully pay off those creditors.
A chapter 7 Bankruptcy is quite different. That’s when the company throws in the towel and the creditors are hung out to dry. They may get something, someday, but not soon and not much.

Focus on Results
While nobody likes to think about bankruptcy, those forced into it are more respectable for going 11 than 7. We need to wish them well and give them the time they need to get things going back in the right direction. A company (or country) in financial trouble didn’t get there overnight. Change takes time.

Better Times
General Growth is not the first company with a huge stake in Hawaii to seek Chapter 11 protection. On March 21, 2003, Hawaiian Airlines, Inc. filed a voluntary Chapter 11 petition for reorganization. Fortunately for us all, their creditors, employees and customers stuck with them, and today, in spite of the current challenging times, they are one of very few airlines that are profitable, and proudly post the best on-time record in the industry. It took some time, but they did it and did it well.
By contrast, when faced with the same challenges, Aloha Airlines was not willing to spend the time and money needed to fix things, they shut down virtually over night stranding their employees, creditors and customers.

Ala Moana Shopping Center
General Growth owns Ala Moana Center, Ward Centers, Whaler’s Village and several other properties in Hawaii. They reported $29.6 billion in assets and $27.3 billion in debts. Those are some ptretty hefty numbers, and turning things around will be a pretty hefty challenge, but I think they deserve our support and patience as they seek to make things better for everyone.

Seek harmony on the sales floor as well as at home
Disagreements over little things can become big things if not handled properly and nipped in the bud. Anger is only one letter short of danger. Salespeople squabbling over a sale is one of the worst things that can happen in a store. I advise managers when this happens to just make it a “house sale.” People start working together pretty quickly when neither of them has anything to gain from the argument.
I read an article today offering advice on settling spousal disagreements. Hasn’t everyone had one of those? I found the tips to be just as valid as in the case of salesperson disagreements.
To read the article, CLICK HERE and give it some thought. 

Great Lesson Here
I read a very interesting story today about the manager in a jewelry store who asked this question of his salespeople. After hearing some real big numbers, one salesperson said, “My best sale was for $49.00.” What?
He went on to say, “One day a lady came into the store and, after a lot of serious deliberation, bought a necklace for $49.00, and financed it. She was so pleased with that necklace. She obviously showed it to everyone she could because over a period of several weeks, one person after another came into the store and made purchases of their own, and each time telling me this customer had sent them. One lady who came in spent over $5,000 could not say enough about the good friend who had sent her to the store.”
He continued, “The lady who made the original $49.00 purchase came into the store every week and made a payment on her necklace. On the day she made the final payment, she looked around for quite some time and, once again, after some obvious inner debate, she bought a bracelet, this time spending $145.00. She hasn’t spent even $200.00 in our store, but she has sent customers in to see me personally who have purchased merchandise totaling over $10,000. That $49.00 sale was absolutely my best sale so far in my career! I’d love to have more of those.”

My Comment:
Never “look down” on a small sale; you never know where it will lead. When you place the best effort in the interest of your cutomer, your reward will surely come, sometimes from where you least expect it.

Steve Hofer
20 years ago I had the opportunity to teach my Pro-Active, No Pressure Selling System to Steve Hofer while at his first job after college.
Steve has been successfully applying these concepts throughout his career. Steve founded and operated four businesses, including jewelry, cellular phones, software and outsourced services. His experience in retail sales and operations management, local Business to business and national corporate sales as well as franchise operations brought valuable insights and a consistent ability to organize and drive sales.
Steve has consistently risen to the challenges he faced throughout his career. He increased sales 50% after a major earthquake in San Francisco, become a #1 cellular dealer within 9 months, grew a startup from $0 to $2M revenue in 2 years and doubled sales providing services to homebuilders in the current housing market. He thrives on turning challenging issues into success stories.
I am very excited with the opportunity to have him working with me again. Steve will bring an added dimension to the things we have to offer our clients.

Pamala Alualu
Pamela is a retail sales consultant who has joined Team Success Dynamics. Pamela graduated from the University of Hawaii with a degree in counseling psychology. She recently moved back to Hawaii after spending 12 years on the mainland managing and consulting in the retail industry. During Pamela’s time on the mainland she became an expert at coaching, marketing, advertising, customer service training, merchandising, display presentation, sales and management training, as well as recruiting, hiring, interviewing, relationship selling and much more. She spent three years as a franchise owner of USA Baby and Child Space in Sacramento, California. 
Pamela’s entrepreneurial spirit led her career into the consulting business. Her most recent client, the owner of three large Ashley Furniture Home Stores in New Jersey; is a testament to her ability to teach and implemented a proven selling and management system. I am as excited as Pamela is to see her meet Hawaii’s business owners and introduce them to our coaching services and The Morning Report.

Dig Into It
Too many retailers are content to make a sale and then forget that customer. Others capture e-mail addresses and then do nothing with them. I see people standing in stores today complaing about traffic when they have hundreds of thousands of customer names in their data bank.
Now more than ever is the time to reach out to past customers and let them know that you appreciate their business. Invite themm to your store to see what’s new, or just to see you. I know one retailer that sends e-mail to his client list every now and then offering special deals to them alone. He has after hours events by invitation only, warehouse sales to see new merchandise before it hits the floor, special deals on close-out mechandise, gifts with purchase, drawings for vacations and much more, all promoted via e-mail, which as you know is free.

Celebrate Buying Occassions
Make a list of the times in the year that people buy gifts for others. There’s bithdays, anniversaries, graduations, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Easter, Valentines Day, and of course Christmas. See how many of these important dates you can tie to your best customers. Get involved, help them with these buying obligations. Get busy talking to your past customers and you won’t have time to whine about traffic today.

April 12
Last year Easter fell in March. It was the earliest Easter in 15 years and resulted in one of the poorest Easters, sales wise. Part of the reason for that was colder than normal weather, but an even bigger reeason was a lack of preperation by retailers. When you are living day to day it’s sometimes tough to look ahead. But, in retail if you don’t look ahead for upcoming opportunities you will soon be looking back at missed ones.
Start now to decide how to help your customers (that celebrate Easter) have a good one. Candies, chocolate and hard boiled eggs are the best sellers, but not the best healthwise. What do you sell that can be packaged into an Easter Basket that will be well received both emotionally and physically? Get creative now; the clock is ticking.

Saying the Right Thing
Knowing what to say and when can make a big difference in selling to your Japanese customers. These phrazes will help you. Print them out, learn as many as you can, and don’t be afraid to read them aloud to your customers. They will appreciate your efforts to help.

Please try this on. - (As in jewelry) TSUKETE-MITE-KUDASAI (sue-kate-ay-me-tay-kuta-sigh)
Please try this on. - (As in clothing) KITE MITE KUDASAI (key-tay-me-tay-kuda-sigh)
How about this one? - KORE WA DOO DESU KA (core-ay-wah-doe-des-kah)
It looks nice on you. - TOTEMO ONIAI DESU (toe-tay-mo-oh-knee-eye-des-yoh)
Please wait just a second. - CHOTTO OMACHI KUDASAI (cho-toe-oh-mah-chi-cuda-sigh)
More expensive. - MOTTO T AKAI (moe-toe-tah-kai)
Less expensive. - MOTTO YASUI (moe-toe-yah-sue-ee)
Bigger (than) -MOTTO OOKII (moe-toe-oh-key)
Do you prefer this one, or this one? - KORE GA II DESU KA, SORETOMO, KORE GA II DESU
KA? (Core-ay-gaw -ee-des-kah -sore-oh-toe-moe-core-ay-g aw-ee-des-kaw)
I understood - WAKARIMASHITA (wah-car-ee-mosh-ee-tah)
I don’t understand -WAKARIMASEN (wah-car-ee-moss-en)
Thank you - DOMO ARRIGA TO GOZAMASHITA ( doe-moe-are-ee-got-toe-go-zye-mash-tah)
Your welcome - DOO I TASH IMASHITE (doo-ee-tash-eh-mash-teh)
Please come back again. - MATA DOOZO IRRASSHATTE KUDASAI
(mata-doe-zo-ear-ah- shot-teh-kuda-sigh)
One more phrase, Happy New Year - SHINNEN AKEMASHITE OMEDEETO GOZAIMASU
(She-nen -ah -kay-mosh -tay -oh-may -day -toe-go -zye-moss)

Gift Packaging
Since much of what’s being bought is OMIYAGE, packaging TEISAI (tay-sigh) is very important. These customers will want a separate bag; FUKURO (foo-koo-row) for each purchase. Be prepared to make this offer. Once your customers see that you understand the importance of gift packaging, they will buy more from you.