Customer Loyalty Programs 101

Implementing a customer loyalty program is a simple yet highly effective way for retail businesses to increase their number of returning customers. Of course, this translates into more sales and ultimately higher profits. If you shop around at some of the nation's leading retail shops, you'll probably notice that many of them have a customer loyalty program in place. Whether it's an electronics, grocery, sporting goods, apparel, pet supplies, or practically any other store, these programs offer too many benefits for retail businesses to pass up. But what exactly is a customer loyalty program? And how do you implement one in your retail business? To learn the answers to these questions and more, keep reading.

By definition, a customer loyalty program is a form of reward-based marketing that encourages customers to come back for future purchases. Rather than crossing your fingers and 'hoping' that a customer chooses your store for their future purchases over your competitor's, you can persuade them to come back with a rewards program. If a customer knows he or she will receive an incentive for shopping at your store, there's a good chance they'll choose it over your competitor's.

There are dozens of different types of customer loyalty programs out there, but the most basic is a point system attached to the customer's unique account. Each time a customer makes a purchase, they'll swipe their loyalty card to gain points. Some stores offer 1 point per dollar spent, while others offer more. As the customer builds their points, they can eventually spend them on various goods, services or coupons.

One of the nation's largest grocery stores, Kroger, has a customer loyalty system in place known as Kroger Plus. Members of the Kroger Plus program reap the benefits of lower prices along with savings on gas. When you're shopping for groceries at Kroger, you'll see a 'normal' price along with a Kroger Plus price. The savings shoppers receive for being a Kroger Plus member keeps them coming back for grocery purchases in the future.

If you're going to implement a customer loyalty program in your retail store, you should weigh the pros and cons beforehand. Launching a full-scale loyalty program costs money, time and resources. Small retail stores may not have luxury of investing their resources into programs such as this. With that said, customer loyalty programs are fairly easy and inexpensive.

Mobile Marketing Strategies For Retail Businesses

According to a study performed by Strategy Analytics, there are now over a billion smartphone users throughout the world -- and this number continues to grow with each passing month. Retail store owners can take advantage of this massive, ever-growing market by incorporating mobile advertising strategies into their portfolio. But how exactly can retail store owners promote their products through mobile devices? And what kind of return on investment can retailers expect from this type of marketing? To learn the answers to these questions and more, keep reading.

QR Code Marketing

QR codes have become one of the hottest tools in modern-day mobile marketing. These otherwise ordinary barcodes allow business owners to build a stronger online following with minimal effort. If this is your first time hearing about QR codes, let me give you a quick breakdown on how they work: QR stands for Quick Read, and that's exactly what happens. Business owners spread through QR codes on flyers, mail advertisements, cards, posters, banners, or even fast food beverage containers. When someone scans the QR code with their smartphone (all major smartphone platforms have this feature), they'll be taken to the company's website.

As a retail store owner, you can build more traffic to your website through the use of QR codes. You can launch promotional material with QR codes that link to specific in-store coupons. With the holidays upon us, you can expect plenty of users to take advantage of these coupons. QR codes are a nifty little invention that all business owners should take advantage of.

Build an App

Of course, retail store owners can also build an official smartphone app for your retail store. I know what you're thinking -- how am I supposed to build an app without any prior coding knowledge or experience? While having this type of knowledge would certainly help, there are dozens of companies out there whom specialize in mobile application development. You simply convey your objectives and they'll take care of the rest.

If you need a little inspiration on designing an app for your retail store, check out some of the other apps for the nation's leading retailers. Browsing around on the Android and Apple marketplaces will reveal plenty of store apps. While some of these are based around simple games, others are designed with news and/or coupons.

Recognizing Soccer Athletes With Trophies (And How To Display Them)

Recognition and positive reinforcement in youth soccer helps to build stronger athletes (both physically and mental) with more confidence. When players are recognized for all of the hard work and dedication they've given the sport, they'll continue to give it 110%. Whether you're a team coach or a parent of a young soccer athlete, you should consider using 3D soccer trophies as a form of recognition. As you can see in the image to the right, it's a brilliant trophy that's guaranteed to leave a lasting impression on any young player.

Youth Benefits of Learning Soccer

Soccer, or football in non-US countries, is a fun and rewarding sport that offers many benefits to young children. If you're a parent who's still on the fence about letting your child participate, check out some of the top benefits listed below:

• Encourages players to follow directions from the coach.
• Builds stronger teamwork skills (soccer is a focused around teamwork).
• It's a moderate form of cardio exercise; therefore, combating obesity and encouraging better all-around health.
• Allows children to socialize and meet other like-minded soccer-enthusiastic children.
• Gives players a sense of accomplishment after winning a game.
• Teaches players to be competitive.
• Let's face it, soccer is fun!

A child isn't going to learn the ins and outs of soccer after a single practice session. In order to learn all of the positions, rules and regulations, they'll have to fully commit to the sport. And while soccer takes lots of hard work and dedication to learn, the payoff is well worth it in the end. The dozens of positive skills and traits it promotes travels with young players throughout their life.

Why Recognize Youth Soccer Athletes

Recognizing youth soccer athletes encourages them to continue pushing themselves on the field. Even if the opposing team won the game, coaches should remain positive to keep the mood upbeat and happy. Allowing negativity to spread will only hinder youth players' progress. Thankfully, you can encourage a positive atmosphere among youth soccer players by recognizing them personalized trophies engraved with their name.

If you're a soccer coach, consider using a glass display case to show off players' trophies. Setting up a display case in the school, locker room, office, etc. is an excellent way to show your team's hard work and dedication. Some coaches may simply place their team's trophies on a shelf, but this doesn't offer the same level of protection as a glass display case.

5 Tips To Grow and Expand Your Retail Business

One of the single most common mistakes retail store owners make is allowing themselves to become complacent with their current size and revenue. Even if you're currently making a decent profit on your business, chances are there's room for improvement. By expanding your business, you can open up the doors to even greater success, which should be a top goal for all retail store owners. In this post, we're going to cover 5 key tips to help you grow and expand your retail business.

Tip #1) Take Your Business Online

If you aren't selling product online, you're leaving tons of untapped sales on the table. The fact is that a brick-and-mortar store can only sell so much product in a given location; however, offering the store's product through a website allows the business to reach customers from all over the country (or world if you don't mind shipping internationally).

Tip #2) Renovate

Expanding a retail business can be as simple as performing some renovations to the store. Lets say you run an apparel store and want to start offering swimsuits. Rather than taking some of your current inventory away, you can build an additional wing on to your store. Before you go jumping into a major renovation project, consult with the building owner along with your city's commercial planning office to find out what's allowed and what's not.

Tip #3) Open a Second Store

Of course, you can also expand your retail business by opening a second store. Once you've turned your first store into a success, you should start scouting locations for a second store. Assuming you follow the same steps as before, you can replicate the blueprint used for success in your first store. Things should be easier the second time around since you know the basic process of opening a retail store. And besides, you'll already have the professional connections in place to fill your new store with inventory.

Tip #4) Don't Stop at Two

There's no reason why you should only stop at expanding your business with two stores. When you are comfortable with your second store, move on to a third and then a fourth. Forcing your business to grow and expand is the secret to becoming a true powerhouse company in your respective niche.

Tip #5) Hire Additional Employees

A fifth tip for expanding a retail business is to hire additional employees -- lots of them. There's only so much work you can do yourself, which is where your employees come into play; they'll be able to handle smaller tasks while you focus on bigger tasks of expansion.

How To Reduce Your Store's Overhead Expenses

The single greatest expense of running a retail store is overhead. Whether your store sells apparel, electronics, sporting equipment, pet goods, groceries or any other consumer product, you can expect to spend money on overhead. It's a fundamental cost that's associated with all direct-to-consumer businesses. The good news is that you can typically reduce these costs by following some simple steps. For some helpful tips on how to reduce your store's overhead expenses, keep reading.

Technically, overhead is the term used to describe a broad range of operating expenses, some of which includes the following:

• Payroll
• Electricity
• Gas
• Water
• Telephone
• Official website
• Advertising and marketing
• Insurance
• Security system
• Accountant
• Taxes
• Travel
• Store and/or product repairs

Store Leasing

Reducing your overhead starts with choosing the right location for your store. Some retail business owners continue to pay an overpriced lease without realizing they could save thousands by moving to a new location. Sure, no one wants to spend the time and resources trying to move into a new location, but it could end up saving you tons of money in the long run.

As the very least, you should scout around for other potential locations for your retail business. Next, give the owner or property manager a call to find out how the lease costs. You can then talk to your current lessor to see if they are willing to negotiate a better deal with you. If not, then you should carefully consider the pros and cons of moving your business.

Utilities

Another area where retail business owners can oftentimes save money is with utility costs. Most city commercial districts have several different utility providers. Rather than 'hoping' that you're getting the best deal on your power, gas, water, phone and security, spend an evening calling around to the different providers to see what their current rates are. As long as you aren't locked in with a contract (which is never recommended), you should be able to switch without any problems.

Again, utility companies may be willing to negotiate lower prices to keep you as a customer. Don't be afraid to ask them if they will reduce their rates to keep your business. You might be surprised at just how many utility companies will drop their prices just so you're happy. And remember, the worst thing that can happen is the company saying no to your request.