S. Denise Hoyle | January 27, 2009
In a previous post, we briefly mentioned using technology to increase sales, as well as the fact that 94% of Internet users report that they watch online videos with some frequency. Additionally, a recent Neilsen report estimates that people will spend 46% more time watching online videos this year. Since these numbers are sure to only increase [...]
S. Denise Hoyle | January 23, 2009
Louise Russell’s company in Duluth, Minnesota is the largest maker of dog booties in the world. Russell has seven employees who work with her full time at sewing tables stacked with colorful, yet tough fabrics. Dogbooties.com has quietly grown over the years and now ships booties to mushers and dog owners in all fifty states [...]
S. Denise Hoyle | January 22, 2009
New federal requirements will take effect in February 2009 that are intended to make children’s products safer and lead-free. In response to recent problems with alarmingly high levels of lead in imported products, Congress has mandated the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA).These new rules apply to retailers, manufacturers, and importers and most of them are [...]
S. Denise Hoyle | January 20, 2009
The majority of adults in the United States (69% of them) reveal that they plan to spend less on retail shopping this year than they did in 2008. Random telephone interviews conducted nationwide in the 2009 Consumer Shopping Intentions Study also indicate however, that 58% of young adults age 18-24 plan to spend the same or [...]
S. Denise Hoyle | January 9, 2009
Mel Pennington and Tygh Bailes stumbled on a new clothing market when Pennington had some khaki pants embroidered with University of Virginia insignias for Bailes. “People just went nuts over it,” Pennington remarked. “We immediately thought about the collegiate market.”Since then, the business partners have created their own line of collegiate inspired pants, in a [...]
S. Denise Hoyle | January 8, 2009
Loyalty programs can have a tremendous impact on the bottom line for your business, and they are very easy and inexpensive to get started. This type of advertising program can be started for a few bucks and is a terrific way to encourage customer loyalty and word of mouth advertising.During these times of economic instability, it is increasingly important [...]
Sarah J. Doyle | January 7, 2009
The New Year is upon us, and sometimes we start to visualize, or dream, about how great this new year will be. The facts are that we have to do more than just dream and wish – we must take ACTION! Action requires us to think about things, write some things down and begin to [...]
S. Denise Hoyle | January 6, 2009
Big companies know the value of using promotional products to promote their businesses – you see them everywhere, pens with the name of the latest prescription drug on them, calendars from the local bank, t-shirts displaying the name of the latest website. Your business, no matter how big or small, can also benefit from using these [...]
S. Denise Hoyle | December 30, 2008
J&A Shoe Company of Gardena, California produces over 50,000 pairs of wedges, heels and other shoes every month. While most Americans step out in foreign made shoes, this domestic shoemaker continues to battle the foreign competition who can make shoes for just pennies a pair.“Being a domestic manufacturer, one of the biggest challenges is competing [...]
S. Denise Hoyle | December 26, 2008
Apparel retailers would seem to be taking a lesson from grocery stores. The days of the black and white generic label on a can of vegetables is over and sales of private label goods are on their increase. Retailers believe they know what their customers want and they are taking it upon themselves to give [...]
