Creative Marketing Ideas For Hardware Stores

With large nationwide chains that dominate the market, small hardware stores sometimes have a difficult time being competitive. The key is to find a unique selling proposition for your business and to capitalize on it so customers see the value in choosing you over one of the bigger stores. Here are some great ways to make your business stand out.

1. Giveaways-When your store first opens (or even if you're just looking for an extra push), offer small giveaways to your customers with their purchase. These will be tools or products they can use that are branded with your store's information-hammers, tape measures, levels, etc. When a customer is using this product and runs out of something or determines the need to visit a hardware store, they'll see your information and immediately head your way!


2. In-Store Classes-Hardware stores often form a bit of a culture and social atmosphere, so find ways to play this up. One great choice is to sponsor training classes and educational seminars in your store. Work with your vendors to provide information that your customers will find valuable. Even your employees can instruct these classes-anything from minor home renovation products to full-scale remodeling. List the classes you're offering that month above your cash registers with a large, visible vinyl banner which clearly-informs customers of their opportunities to expand their skills.


3. Charity Donations-Offer your products to charity groups and organizations in-town which build or repair homes for the less-fortunate. This is great PR for your business, it makes you look more-credible, and in return you're often able to advertise at the home-site using a banner or yard sign. When customers see that you're giving back to your community, they are more-inclined to shop with you.


4. Ladies Night-Most hardware stores predominantly-market towards men. While the majority of your customers are probably male, don't neglect the ladies. Host a "Ladies Night" at your store that offers your educational classes and even a special discount on purchases made by women. Use removable window clings to give your store a slight feminine touch. There's a huge potential market here that is somewhat-untapped, and with the right approach, female customers can dramatically affect your business.


5. Personal Shoppers-Some customers complain that hardware or home improvement stores are overwhelming. Counter this objection by providing customers with a personal shopping service. Your employees already help customers find products daily anyway, but creating a formal program provides a revenue opportunity. Customers can have one of your employees guide them around the store and help them find exactly what they need for their project, or for even-more convenience, your employee can preselect the products they need so that when the customer arrives, all they have to do is check out.

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Creative Marketing Ideas For Hardware Stores

Creative Marketing Ideas For Hardware Stores

Michael Allen works as a Director of Marketing in Boston, Massachusetts. He has worked with both large companies and small local businesses for over 20 years. His vast experience in the field of marketing positions him as an expert in helping businesses expand by using marketing tactics.

As a seasoned expert in Marketing and Branding, Michael has a wealth of knowledge in the use of car signs and retail signs. In his articles, he covers tips and techniques for effective use of window clings, vinyl decals, and vinyl banners for small businesses.

Creative Marketing Ideas For Bookstores

The most-successful bookstores are the ones that encourage customers to spend time in the store. By creating an experience for your customers, you're becoming more than just a store; you're part of your customers' lifestyle. Unique and outside-the-box marketing techniques are the tool for taking your store from just a quick stop to a place to spend the day.

1. Coffee - Books and coffee go hand-in-hand. The smell of freshly-roasting coffee (and baked goods) creates a warm, inviting atmosphere that makes customers want to curl up in one of your chairs and read a book. Every good bookstore should offer beverages-make sure you have more than just coffee for those who don't like it.


2. Book launch parties - Host a release party for highly-anticipated books. Welcome customers and their families, who will be eager to be among the first people in the area to purchase the new book. Plan activities and games that are related to the subject of the book, and provide refreshments for your customers while they browse through the aisles. Hang vinyl banners up in your store letting customers know when the book will be released so they can mark their calendars for the launch event.


3. College discount programs - College textbooks are a huge market, and a great way to capitalize on them is by offering a discount program for college students. Textbooks are incredibly-expensive, so by showing you're willing to make a little less money on each one, you'll gain a lot of new customers-both students and their parents. Most campuses have their own bookstore, so going through the college probably isn't the best approach, but contact student groups and post vinyl decals in your store that let them know about your program.


4. Readings/signings - Signings are an always-effective tool for increasing traffic in your store. Contact lesser-known authors that have a loyal following, and encourage their readers to bring friends to the store to learn about the book and meet the author. Have book readings to bring in children and their parents. This shows that you support literacy in the community and the parents have an opportunity to shop your products while their kids are listening to the reading.


5. Donation programs - Another great way to show support for the community and boost your PR is to host book donation drives. Offer customers a percentage discount on a new book purchase when they bring you gently-used books, which you can donate to children's shelters, hospitals, etc. Use a banner outside your store, or even yard signs around your book donation parcels to let customers know where and when they can donate.

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Creative Marketing Ideas For Bookstores

Creative Marketing Ideas For Bookstores

Michael Allen works as a Director of Marketing in Boston, Massachusetts. He has worked with both large companies and small local businesses for over 20 years. His vast experience in the field of marketing positions him as an expert in helping businesses expand by using marketing tactics.

As a seasoned expert in Marketing and Branding, Michael has a wealth of knowledge in the use of car signs and retail signs. In his articles, he covers tips and techniques for effective use of vinyl decals, vinyl banners, and window clings for small businesses.

Five Dangerous Myths About Prescription Drugs

Every day doctors write prescriptions, many of them for standard ailments in modern American society: diabetes, high blood pressured, elevated cholesterol, and depression. Some of us have multiple doctors, from our primary care physician to orthopedic surgeons, GI specialists, and cardiologists. Americans spend more on healthcare and prescriptions than any other nationality, and some studies say seniors may be taking, on average, as many as 15 different prescriptions.

This sounds like a recipe for disaster. Drugs can interact with each other and even amplify or diminish the effectiveness of each other. Most of the stories we hear about celebrity overdoses list numerous central nervous system (CNS) depressants, which in combination can create a deadly cocktail. In fact, in the last decade prescription opiates have overtaken illegal drugs as a cause for emergency room visits.

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The fastest way to get into trouble with prescription drugs is to simply trust that they are fine as long as the doctor prescribed them. All drugs have side effects, and any drug can be dangerous if taken improperly.

Five Dangerous Myths About Prescription Drugs

Here are five myths about prescription drugs that could get you into trouble.

1. Drugs prescribed by your doctor are always safe

Drugs are drugs. They might be safer than street drugs because you can't control the quality of the latter, but many prescription drugs have a profound impact on the body and/or mind and their power should never be underestimated. Many drugs have later turned ou to be more harmful than helpful, so stay informed about reported side effects or problems with a specific drug you are prescribed.

This myth is the most common rationale for people abusing opiates. They believe they are not real drug addicts because a doctor prescribed them the pills. They will believe this even after resorting to doctor shopping to get more of the prescription than any single doctor could recommend.

2. I can take some of my friend's pain pills and it will be fine

Pills are prescribed for specific people. The doctor should take into consideration what other medications you are taking, any allergies or sensitivities you have, and in the case of opiates, drinking habits. Did you know many opiate painkillers include analgesics such as aspirin? If you are allergic to aspirin, and don't realize a particular pill contains it, you could find yourself in the emergency room.

3. I have no liability if I give my friend my bottle of leftover Vicodin

This is essentially prescribing medication without a medical license. Don't think this can't come back to haunt you. Did you know that you might have liability if that friend then drives after taking your Vicodin? Personal injury attorneys regularly look for opportunities to find deep pockets when a third-party is injured. In Massachusetts and a few other states, doctors who do not advise patients of the side effects of drugs (such as reduced ability to drive a motor vehicle) can be sued by third parties. By handing over your Schedule II narcotics you have essentially become a drug dealer.

4. I can drive after taking a prescription medication

Whether or not you can drive on your prescription medication depends on the side effects. Some drugs reduce your reaction time or may make you dizzy or sluggish. Some drugs will impair you as much as alcohol would. Most doctors will tell you to take a new prescription when you know you won't have to drive a car, so that you are aware of the effects it has on you and can assess if you indeed can drive after taking the drug. Opiates are one class of drugs that have dramatic effects on perceptions and reaction time, and you should not drive after taking them under any circumstance.

5. If my doctors prescribe me multiple medications, it's safe to take them all around the same time

Not necessarily. Let's say your primary care physician prescribes you one medication, your psychiatrist two others, and your orthopedic surgeon yet another. What if a few of these drugs are CNS depressants: an opiate painkiller, an anti-anxiety medication, and a sleeping pill. Taking all three of these around the same time could be dangerous; the higher the dose, the more risk. If you also drink alcohol you may be creating an even more lethal cocktail. CNS depressants do exactly what they say: they depress your central nervous system, which includes control over your respiratory system. Take too much, you stop breathing.

If you hold a deep respect for the powerful impact prescription medications can have on you, you can protect yourself and your loved ones from the consequences of uninformed decisions. Some believe the modern world was made possible through the discovery of penicillin because antibiotics meant fewer deaths due to common infections and an overall healthier population. Prescription drugs can save lives. Taken incorrectly or without due consideration, they can also be deadly.

Five Dangerous Myths About Prescription Drugs

Vera Appleyard is an author and VP of Internet Marketing for Elements Behavioral Health. She has an MFA in Dramatic Writing from Tisch School of the Arts, New York University. She has worked in the addiction treatment field for 10 years and blogs about recovery from addiction at http://addiction-recovery-blog.com and http://www.addictiontreatmentmagazine.com