Oklahoma Retail Breakfast

I’m happy to announce another Oklahoma Retail Breakfast! If you are an independently owned retailer in the OKC Metro, please join us. This is a one-hour meeting to focus on one small topic that affects small retail (like PR, branding, social media) and bond over the shared experience of being a local retailer. During our first OK Retail breakfast last summer, Mary Ann Osko, owner of Osko Communications walked us through public relations basics. This time around, we will be joined by a consulting team that I have personal experience with, Braid Creative. March 27th,...

Are your windows Instagram-worthy?

When you aren’t available to market your shop personally, your windows do the talking. What are they saying? Are you writing a visual story? What mood does your seasonal product evoke? How does that compliment your shop’s philosophy? For Holiday 2011, Black Optical installed modern trees illustrating vintage Christmas ads from the 1950′s. Not only did these windows coincide with current eyewear trends, they also evoked a glamourous feeling, reminiscent of holidays in previous eras. Not every window needs to be a statement window. But, make it worth your...

NY Times Article: All that Authenticity ...

All the Authenticity May Be Getting Old by Emily Weinstein I found this article to be an interesting read. Mainly because I don’t think it applies to homeowners as much as it does to retailers. Reflect on whether putting your personality on every store fixture, tag, sign, or display is causing kneejerk reactions from customers. Considerations… Are you wanting to grow your market, but find that you can’t expand past a very niche group of customers? What will make your shop more approachable to new tastes and interests? Example: You try to market menswear,...