Creative Shop Talk with Wendy Batten

Show Notes

A runway to freedom - doesn't that sound amazing!? My guest today, life coach and operating systems expert Andrea Liebross, helps ambitious women find just that - freedom. Freedom in their lives and businesses so their quality of life is exponentially better, balanced, and harmonious.

Most everything in your life really boils down to confident decision-making. Andrea discusses how to avoid that feeling of being stuck or stagnant and learn how to continue to grow and take action in a way that's right for you.

We discuss time, energy, mind management, confident decision-making, S.M.A.R.T.E.R. goal setting and so much more! I hope her advice and stories of past clients really help open your mind and help you begin building freedom and harmony in every aspect of your life.

"Confidence. It's a journey. It's a process. It's a practice." - Andrea Liebross

Full show notes here https://wendybatten.com/124-2/

Show Notes

Today we are talking with my former right-hand woman, unicorn Digital Marketing Assistant - Emily Reagan. As a military spouse, Emily was moving a lot and trying to find a career that could move with her. For the past 13 years, she has been freelancing with mainly creatives, helping them with their Pinterest accounts and digital marketing strategies.

Now, Emily is helping other people build their unicorn Virtual Assistant businesses and helping them become well-rounded, multi-passionate freelancers who act as that unicorn that can do it all. From digital marketing, administrative tasks, social media, etc. - Emily helps upcoming VA's with the ins and outs of what they need to start their business.

Wondering how your business can benefit from some extra help?Emily dives into the various types of VA's that are out there, what they do, and how they can help you and your brick and mortar business! Remember, just because you can do it, doesn't mean you should be doing it. She also shares how you can get training for your own team to support you more.

"The whole goal is for you to be working 20% in your business, on the things only you can do that are true moneymakers and hiring out the other 80% to people who can help you do the work." - Emily Reagan

Full show notes here https://wendybatten.com/123/

Show Notes

Another Inner Circle and Accelerator member I'm excited for you to meet, Sylvia Davis is sharing her retailer journey with us. To say she's an accidental entrepreneur is an understatement. She had the idea of being a shop owner after years of a career in finance, found a vacant space, and on a spur of the moment, three hours later it was hers back in 2016!

Six years later, Louisville Mercantile now has two locations in her small town of Tennessee (about 4,000 people) and grew from only selling painted furniture to now selling DIY, gifts, consignment, home decor, vintage, and offering workshops. Not to mention she sells online on Facebook every week!Learn how she grew into a CEO and manages two sister stores. Take in her sound advice on managing it all so beautifully. From hiring, inventory, marketing, standard operating procedures, and knowing her audience - we talk about it all!

"Business is a journey. Failure is not a failure. It's just a learning opportunity." - Sylvia Davis

Full show notes here https://wendybatten.com/122/

Show Notes

We are ramped up right now in the middle of our Retailer's Inner Circle Holiday Bootcamp! Sharing new ideas to help with foot traffic, marketing, growth, profits, and how to compete with the big box companies throughout the holiday season.

Whether you've owned your business for years or this is your first holiday season, there is always room for refinement. Our Holiday Boot Camp is really just a formula. Take notes because I'm going to share that 5 step formula with you, friends.

1. Know what you need and where you are headed - Identify specifically what you want from your business. Set your calendar for those big events and think about the time and profits you need.
2. Have a Revenue Plan - What are you going to sell? What types of products or events are you going to offer in order to reach your revenue goals? Know your average order value.
3. Map out your Calendar - Include a promotional calendar - set it and implement.
4. Set Up Your Marketing Plan - Know how you are going to consistently attract new customers and keep the existing ones happy. Marketing is not just about social media and Facebook ads.
5. Mindset - You have to make the decision that this is all going to work and that you are going to put forth all of your efforts to make it happen. But it's also about taking care of yourself.

Set it and IMPLEMENT. Plan now so you can focus on doing what's important during the holiday rush.

More show notes here https://wendybatten.com/121/

Show Notes

Inner Circle member Louise McManus has managed to find that balance - a profitable and enjoyable shop, balanced with a great quality of life! She's here to share with us how that's possible!

Seven years ago Louise McManus bought a house, built in 1856, in historic Erie Canal hamlet and had a dream of creating a beautiful shop the community would love, and the rest is history! This was a new venture for Louise, as she came from working in a bridal boutique and as a jewelry designer.

The Vischer Ferry General Store is both a café and a retail gift shop. Her journey as a retail shop owner has been one to watch not only because of her multiple buckets of revenue streams, but the atmosphere she has created for her customers - it truly is a destination shop!

I have watched her grow into a CEO who is flexible and knows how to think in the future. I know her journey will help yours as well. Take some notes, Louise is living her best life as a shop owner and is still in love with it all!

"It's my business, and it can be whatever I want it to be." - Louise McManus

More show notes here https://wendybatten.com/120/

Show Notes

My expert guest today started out as an owner of a website development agency as well as an owner of a professional organizing business. Brenda Cadman is now one of 25 people in the world who are verified, global Canva experts. She is here to talk to us about more advanced ways to use Canva for your retail business.

We're discussing how to easily use Canva properly for your business so your online branding and overall marketing presence are consistent, well thought out, and make you easily distinguishable.

But we also discuss how Canva is perfect for the shop owner and what else you can use it for besides just social media. Greeting cards, welcome packages, signage, bag stuffers, ads and so much more. Listen in and find out how Canva can work for you and how to organize it properly:

1. Delete and Archive
2. Review and Rename
3. Inventory your graphics (use Canva folders)
4. Create a hierarchy of folders
5. Create Brand Kit

Canva is an awesome tool that can really save you time as a shop owner and I hope these steps will help you save time in the long run.

Full show notes here https://wendybatten.com/119/

The worst thing that can happen when you ask is they say no. Well, my guest today said YES! I am thrilled to introduce our featured guest expert, author, and speaker: Shep Hyken. Shep knows retail and is a customer service and experience expert and a New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestselling author.

We talk a lot about the customer experience and customer loyalty in my Retailer's Inner Circle program, and Shep's books are always suggested reading. His teachings focus on building loyal customers, how to be just a little better than average, and how that can help shop owners have an advantage over the big box competitors and even thrive, not just survive.

We talk everything from:

• His many books and the lessons inside
• The importance of community involvement
• Local advertising & marketing
• Hiring staff and including them in the customer experience
• Customer Behavior (CSAT)
• The top reasons customers come back
• The customer journey map (and a great exercise for you to do)

This is an episode you do NOT want to miss - so get your pen and paper ready, share this episode with a biz buddy, and listen closely. Learn the what and how of your awesome responsibilities of providing an amazing experience for your customers.

"Customer service, it's not a department. It's a philosophy." - Shep Hyken

Full show notes here https://wendybatten.com/118/

I just recently returned from a beautiful two week road trip. When I travel, I make it a point to shop small and visit as many shop owners as I can. Today, I want to share with you my experience and five important lessons that will help you be better found and look at occasional visitors in a new, lucrative way.

1. Get Found - Are you on Google My Business, Google Maps, are you in local business directories, etc? There is such value in being found by new people.
2. Get Reviews - Include them on your website, Google My Business, and social media platforms. They matter.
3. Shop Front & Signage - Is it visibly appealing, inviting and clear?
4. Do local businesses know you? - It's all in the power of conversation. When other local businesses talk up your shop, it only brings more people in.
5. A reminder - take the vacation! - Refocus. Reset. Take care of your mental health and wellbeing. Make this a priority. It will help your business in the long run!

Put yourself in a position where you are easily found by as many awesome new humans as possible.

Full show notes at https://wendybatten.com/117/

There's always going to be seasons of quiet. Many times that happens in summer. Times when things are a little slow at the shop, not as busy… but don't panic. This is normal.

So, for this episode, I have five strategies to help you optimize those slow seasons. Strategies that will help you move forward during a not-so-busy season.

1. Embrace a little downtime - Be OK with your shop not being crazy busy. Allow the slow times to happen and embrace the fact that rest is essential.
2. Refresh your space - This is not so much about the merchandising, but regular shop maintenance. Need touch-up paint? Need to organize? Dust? Try and focus on the little things you never have time for during the busy season, and don't be afraid to get your team involved.
3. Plan your events - Have a team meeting and start planning for Q3 and Q4. Fill up your idea parking lot. No idea is a bad idea here!
4. Update your operations - Your contracts, policies & procedures, manuals, opening and closing checklists, operations etc.
5. Learn something new - What do you wish you were better at? We all have something. Use this time to fill your skills gaps - our numbers, marketing strategy, POS systems, social media, your website, take a course. Whatever it may be, it's time to level up!

Maybe you just need to rest.

That's ok too.

We want to show up at our very best when it gets busy again. Utilize your downtime to better prepare for what's coming in Q3 and Q4. Be on the lookout for our Holiday Boot Camp in August!

NAME it. CLAIM it. Then you can TAME it.

Full show notes here https://wendybatten.com/116/

Have you grabbed my four module Retail Made Simple course yet!? It's now available on demand! It's a success path for creative shop owners just like you.

We're entrepreneurs, we're creatives. We are naturally idea machines.Having so many ideas, though, is a blessing and a curse. So how do you tame all of those wonderful ideas? How do you know which ideas to say yes to and which to say no to? Here are three steps that will help you control and funnel through all of those thoughts in your head and help you put them in the right place:

1. Big Picture Planning - Put things through a funnel. Does this idea fit into our plan? Do you have the bandwidth to follow through?
2. Is it Passion Project: - Is this idea something you'd be willing to get up at 5 am for?
3. The Ideal Parking Lot - When a wonderful idea comes to you, write them down either on paper or digitally.

Stay focused on what's moving the needle and what's making you revenue. Stay in the lane that's working and add creative things as you pull them out of your parking lot when the timing is right.

Full show notes here https://wendybatten.com/115/