Six Reasons You Need A Retail Consultant

I used to be a body builder in high school and throughout my twenties. That's because I used to look like this in Jr. High; ET had bigger arms.

The year before this picture was taken, I wore a 33 waist with 27" length . Over that summer I became a 27 waist and 33" length.

I hated the way I looked and knew I had to get help. I paid a trainer to give me the body that would give me confidence. I had read many of the books on nutrition and joined a gym but it wasn't giving me the results I wanted. I needed a fitness consultant who could make my dreams come true.

How about you, could you use a fitness coach for your business; a retail consultant?

As the Owner, President, CEO, COO or CMO, have you read the E-Myth, Good to Great, How to Win Friends and Influence People, See You at the Top, The Magic of Thinking Big, or Purple Cow and still find your brand could be doing better?

Are your employees willing to crawl over glass naked to win the game of retail?

Here's six reasons why you might need a retail coach like me:

1. Getting rid of dead wood.
Sad to say but having a team for a long time isn't always the best thing. In fact, it often can mean glossing over performance issues in the hopes of "keeping the peace." Sometimes we have the right person but not necessarily in the right position.

2. Independent eyes.
You can become insular that your way is the best way - even though it may not be working. Whether it is your store layout, your training program, your hiring process, your merchandise selection and pricing or marketing, the person with nothing to lose often can give you the most valuable insights. When they have done it for thousands of other businesses and a proven track record, they can not only help you see what a new customer sees but also how to correct any deficiencies.

3. Hidden opportunities.
Many times the focus can be on one item or service to the exclusion of far more profitable revenue streams. Examining the business for such possibilities can be like lighting a match to the fuel that is already there.

4. Leverage.
Face it, free advice is well, free advice. We rarely take action on things that are free. But when you put thousands of dollars behind it, you'll find your will to change significantly enhanced. Much like a personal trainer, you take each visit seriously and achieve your goals because you are paying someone.

5. Focus.
When I ran track in high school I needed a running buddy. Someone that, when the going got tough and I didn't want to do any more would keep me solely focused on winning the race. In a business setting a great retail coach keeps you and your team focused on what is most important and sometimes bluntly tells you, "this is a distraction."

6. Proven results.
No one wakes up when they are nine and says, "Mom, you know where I want to work when I grow up? Retail." I didn't either. But by getting in on the ground floor of one company and growing it to 55 stores, taking a startup to over 125 locations, and consulting with some of the best brands in consumer goods, you learn what works and doesn't. Whether it is in food service, hospitality, apparel, consumer goods or home products a great retail consultant should be able to customize their approach to your offerings by bringing a proven system of results.

Are you a regional chain, a national chain or multi-national brand? Have a full compliment of departments that work more like silos than collaborators? Sales slipping and you have fallen back on discounts? Have a luxury brand growing but looking to do even better?

A retail consultant can help you achieve the best possible results with a business success program.

The old saw that consultants are just looking for ways to get long contracts isn't true. What a retail consultant does is help you win the race to the top.

If you are tired of making excuses, tired of sleepless nights, tired of hitting your head against the wall trying to "do something" to grow sales, get a retail coach. I suggest using this one, of course.

To checkout some of the results my clients have enjoyed, go here.