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Are you overlooking what your customers are looking over?
Harry J. Friedman RetailMost retailers spend a great deal of time making their stores visually appealing. Whether your merchandising style projects an opulent, prestigious image, or a carnival of bargains, you’re no doubt attempting to attract customers.
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Affluent are browsing online, but are they buying?
Michael J. Berens Interior Design, Furnishings & FixturesSmartphones and tablets have transformed the ways consumers are shopping. But market research experts say technology has had little impact on the buying habits among affluent consumers and purchasers of luxury goods.
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Do you have the right focus?
Adrian Davis Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementTypically, 80 percent of your profitability comes from 20 percent of your accounts. Yet, if you are like most businesses, you spread your attention across 100 percent of your accounts while you scramble to acquire even more. Salespeople often hunt for business, which provides some reward in the short term, but ultimately, is bad for your business.
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Supreme Court supports religious freedom of businesses
Jessica Taylor Civil & GovernmentA potentially landmark decision on religious liberty occurred today in the U.S. Supreme Court — and religious freedom won. The court ruled that business owners can object on religious grounds to a provision of the Affordable Care Act.
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4 quick tips to make presenting simple
Catherine Iste CommunicationsAre you ready for your TED talk? In the expert hands of John Bates of Executive Speaking Success, you could be. I had the pleasure of hearing Bates, who specializes in helping people convey their stories in a TED-ready format, speak at a recent Women in Technology International event.
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3 secrets to successful leadership
Greg L. Alston Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementGood leadership is a curious thing. Lots of brilliant minds have tried to describe it, and lots of feeble minds have misunderstood it. Does personality define the leader, or is it something else? And how does someone travel from being inexperienced to becoming a good leader?
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Webrooming is the new showrooming — and other retail trends
Danielle Manley RetailA new concept facing consumers and retailers now is webrooming. Consumers look online for different products and then go to the brick-and-mortar store to make the purchase. There are many reasons for this action, but one of the most common is the consumer wants information. Instead of going to the store itself and asking an employee about the product, the consumer does his or her own research ahead of time.
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Amazon enters the smartphone battlefield
Ross Lancaster Science & TechnologyAnother tech giant has joined the smartphone wars. In a presentation by CEO Jeff Bezos on Wednesday in Seattle, Amazon unveiled its long-rumored Fire Phone. But as Amazon launches what it hopes will be its next sensational multimedia device, it must avoid the fate of past phones with well-known brand-name associations.
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Is your store dying a slow death — without you knowing it?
Harry J. Friedman RetailIt always amazes me how many big retailers don't see that they're dying a slow death because of their unwillingness to change the sales culture in their stores. Even if they're lucky enough to have a good merchant at the helm who drives the business, many sales are often lost despite great merchandising because management is still married to the formula that made them successful years ago. Know anyone like that?
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Increase revenue through customer service
Greg Witz RetailToday's business world has gone beyond simply having a good product or service at a reasonable price. Social media has increased the importance of customer service, with 78 percent of online customers recommending the brand to a friend after having a great service experience.
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