DiVAS LiMiTED

NEW FEATURE - DiVAS MAGiC

2009-11-02T07:13:00.000-08:00

DiVAS MAGiC - Click on the Link on the Right

DiVAS will be updating all of our Customers relative to new products of the Magic Scarf Company, merchandising and suggestions to assist you in the growth of your business. We will honestly review products and let you know what's HOT and what's NOT.

Branding is Simply Distinguishing Yourself

2009-10-29T19:54:00.000-07:00

Branding is one of the single most misunderstood terms in business today. Branding is NOT about your signs, ad campaigns, brochures or other marketing materials. Branding, simply stated, is a way of life for your company and your employees to be successful. Branding is about sending a consistent message to your customer that identifies who you are, what you sell and how being who you are benefits your customers. Your brand is conveyed in your marketing materials, but branding is actually your way of doing business.

To have a successful brand, you must accomplish a great deal more than just identifying and carving out your niche in the business world. You must educate and devote your ENTIRE organization, (from the janitor on up), to understanding and becoming the very best in your niche market.

The best method of branding your company is to distinguish yourself by having a combination of specific products at reasonable prices in significant quantities to create an efficient, rewarding and memorable shopping experience for your target customer. Accomplish this and you don’t have to worry about the rest.

Build your reputation by consistently stocking brands, colors or styles that set you apart from the competition. Sell what mass retail can't and doesn't. You must become a problem solver and interact with your customer by offering solutions and by also offering assistance you’re your customers’ ultimate decisions. You must have the foresight to carry products that will allow the customer to take home a complete complimentary to the items you already carry.

One of the hardest concepts for a retailer to grasp and understand is that you may not be a great store for everybody and you may have to intelligently sacrifice certain customers and merchandise categories that may be yielding profitable results to achieve long term consistency and profitable returns.

"Branding" entails identifying specific customers and delivering them something meaningful that they can't get from the competition. Your vision and the driving force behind your business should revolve around becoming the best at one important criterion to that specific group of customers that you have identified as your target market.

Without defined positioning and branding, a company faces stagnant sales growth, low customer retention, loss of customer loyalty and declining profits. Building your reputation around your brand allows your company to be viewed as an entity that is truly unique and distinct from any other. When you achieve this, your business will grow and become spectacular because your customer is thinking and buying for a reason beyond price.

Di

Buying Strategies

2009-10-25T09:47:00.000-07:00

Keep a fresh perspective and an open mind when purchasing inventory. Don't become addicted to your favorite color or pattern. Be open to evaluate and try new items. Communicate with your supplier or your representative. Your representative will tell you what's selling and what's not. Contrary to popular belief, your representative will not try to sell you items to "get them out of the warehouse." They want product to move through your store as much as you do. That's how they make their money!

Having products in stock that are new and refreshing is one of the most important factors to success. If you don't have the products in stock that the customer is looking for, you are literally sending an unsatisfied customer to the competition.

Identify your niche in the market. A market niche offers growth potential and clearly distinguishes where a business is coming from and should be utilized to form the company's focus and strategy. This focus must become the heart of the decision making and purchasing process in its daily operations as well as the foundation for strategic planning and purchasing in the future. If you try to be good at everything and provide solutions to all of the market, you will more likely wind up mediocre at everything and you will become just another retailer.

Buy the most dominant assortment of products in a specific category of merchandise. Carry the largest selection of products in your category. Your strategy as a buyer is not to carry the largest selection of merchandise, but to carefully select an assortment that is pleasing to your customers, offers variety and satisfies your target customer. You must accomplish this in a economical manner, achieving a balance that allows your customer the ability to purchase multiple items at an affordable price while still providing enough selection to allow the next customer the same opportunity.

Stocking a store with everything is not only expensive; it is a disservice to the customer. You must find the "sweet spot" between having too much and having too little. Either is dangerous. Understand your customers wants and needs and the costs associated with fulfilling those requirements. Your customers’ needs and wants are always changing. The challenge lies in understanding what the change signifies and whether it is sustainable or simply part of a temporary trend.

Incorporate the best selling colors and patterns into your inventory. You are not required to carry every color and pattern available in a particular style. Carry multiples of your best sellers and integrate complimentary pieces into your selection. Scrutinize each and every item you sell to determine whether the item provides the customer with a choice that is in line with your branding and your image. When the customer leaves your store with a purchase they acquired from you, they are walking out of your store and becoming an advertisement for your store and the items you carry. Your customer carries your image out into the public and ultimately is your best, or worst, advertisement.

Pinpoint Coin

2009-10-12T22:46:00.000-07:00

Magic Scarf has introduced a new style of "One Size Fit" shirt called the Pinpoint Coin Shirt.

This shirt incorporates an intricate abstract lace design with coin fishscale styling. This shirt is available with Three Quarter Sleeves and is offered in thirty rich and vibrant colors.

Click here to view the new Pinpoint Coin Shirts.

Di
DiVAS LiMiTED

Sell A Lifestyle

2009-10-12T16:56:00.000-07:00

You're not "just selling merchandise", you're selling a lifestyle!

Every piece of merchandise in your store plays an important role in the success of your store. Each piece should be selected with thought and consideration and should be complimentary in style and price to the other products displayed in your store.

Carefully select accessories that increase the dollar value of your average transaction. If selling apparel, add items such as belts and jewelry to your inventory. These types of items maintain the customer's interest and keep them in your store for longer periods of time. The longer a customer stays in your store, the more likely you are to obtain a sale. Accessories also build intrigue and these items tend to have a higher margin.

PLAN your displays and plan to change them at least every two weeks. If you don't, you risk boring your customers. Always having something new and interesting on display gives your customer a new perspective on your store and maintains a higher level of interest. Accessorize your displays and stock products that create visual impact and a distinctive flair.

Purchase inventory that will "sell itself." Inventory that contains pieces with vibrant or rich colors and interesting patterns will capture the eye of the potential customer. Try to maintain inventory that lends itself to a "mix and match" strategy. This allows the customer the opportunity to purchase an ensemble that will provide for multiple usage and lighter travel.

Allowing the customer the opportunity to select pieces that complement each other, provides the customer with an increased appreciation and perception of the value of their purchase, thereby making the customer feel good about themselves and their purchase.

Lastly, love the merchandise you're selling, wear the merchandise you sell, believe in your products and share your enthusiasm with your customers! Enthusiasm is contagious. If you do these things, selling is easy, because you're not just selling a shirt, you're selling a lifestyle!

DiVAS LiMiTED

Merchandising in a Small Area

2009-10-04T22:50:00.000-07:00

Many of you saw the Divas Limited / Magic Scarf booth at WWIN. Many of you commented on the fact that we had "so much merchandise." In fact, we had over 1700 pieces of apparel and we had them all visible and accessible in just 235 square feet!

I would like to share some merchandising concepts with you so that you can create maximum impact in a small space with your displays:

Make use of vertical space. Utilize as much vertical space as possible. Use varying degrees of height to promote interest. Use the space above 6 feet for mannequins and signs. Remember, where the eyes go, the feet go.

Create a focal point. Plan your display space and always locate a focal point to place your best displays. Your displays are sales people that you don't have to pay!

Use color. Merchandising in a small space requires displays that call out "buy me." In a small space, your displays are vital to capturing interest, so make them bright and colorful.

Utilize signage. Signs are vastly underrated and underutilized. Signs are also silent sales people. When a customer comes in and says they're "just looking", the sales staff has lost the ability to communicate with the customer. The sign, however can still communicate with the customer. Make sure your signs are informative and properly placed.

Add impulse items to your displays. Add accessories like shawls, scarves, belts and jewelry to your display. Make a concentrated effort to utilize contrasting colors and bling to attract attention. Add items that complement the main piece and promote a harmonious display.

Properly light your display. Lighting is one of the most important facets of an attractive, eye-catching display. Lighting is always important, but in small spaces, it is one of the most significant factors in promoting your products.

Get rid of clutter. Remove anything from around your display that detracts from the piece you are presenting to your customers.

You can always obtain mannequins and signs from Diva's. Click here to go to DiVA'S display and merchandising page.

The Economy, The Economy, The Economy

2009-10-04T00:46:00.000-07:00

We all know the economy is in a down turn, but that doesn't mean YOU have to be.

A depressed economic situation can actually be good for our industry. This type of economy forces us to run "lean and mean." It also instills in us an awareness we've long forgotten.

We have the ability to operate at a higher level of efficiency with less staff than we ever thought possible. We now maintain a higher quality of inventory control. This type of economy should compel us to make better choices about the inventory we stock and the products we sell. It forces us to deliver and commit to superior customer service.

A depressed economy allows us to maintain a more competent and committed staff. It also causes us to reflect on our business practices and find ways to cut costs and generate additional revenue through creative new approaches. In a rough economy, we must take action and implement change.

Focus on what's selling and sell more of it. Make better choices about the inventory you stock. In an economic recession, it's tempting to hold back on your inventory purchases especially when margins and cash flows are tight. You can't sell what you don't have. You must find a happy medium. Product selection is always important, but in times like these, unique quality products at reasonable prices are essential.

Fortunately or unfortunately, depending on which side of the equation you're on, bad times eliminate competition.....

Di

You Asked for It, Now You Better Read It....

2009-10-03T13:53:00.000-07:00

I've been asked by so many of my customers to start a blog. I really didn't want to commit the energy or the time to this type of endeavor, feeling that it could be a futile effort. However, being determined to do "whatever it takes" to keep you, my customers happy and assist you with selling, I have decided to make the commitment. So, here we are.

I spent a lot of time trying to figure out what would be good for this forum and how to structure a mutually beneficial exchange of ideas. I've spent many weeks, if not months gathering information I think you will find informative and useful and so hopefully, you'll keep coming back for more. Divas Limited and Magic Scarf want to share not only our products with you, our customer, but also we wish to exchange knowledge, ideas and information that enable us all to better succeed.

I'll be posting photos from all of the shows we attend. So many of you have requested photos of mannequins so you can go back to your stores and re-create the displays you were so enamored with at the last several shows. I will continue to update the photo gallery so that all can benefit from the work we do here at Divas.

I would like to present you with an outline of what's to be presented so that you'll know that this blog isn't going to be mere words, but will be dedicated to focusing on the issues and the tasks facing us in the industry every day. I hope as we go forward, that we'll all gain knowledge and come away with a determination to succeed.

I intend to touch on the topics listed below:

Visual merchandising
Improving sales through Customer Service
Marketing through the use of VIP programs
Merchandising in a small area
The use of contests to promote sales
Buying strategies
Distinguishing yourself from the competition
Direct low or no cost marketing through the use of the Internet
Products and presentation of these products
Up - Selling and Branding
Developing customer awareness

These are in no particular order and serve only as a place for us to start. Please give me your opinion and feel free to add to the list.

Model Your Business After a Successful Business

2009-10-03T12:58:00.000-07:00

Most of you reading this are familiar with DiVA'S LiMiTED and the MAGIC SCARF COMPANY. I am using the Magic Scarf Company as an example, not to attempt to lure customers, (if a few get lured, so be it) but as a solid basis for comparison and understanding of the principles of running not a good company, but a great company.

Why do you buy from Magic Scarf? The answers are simple but you've probably never thought about it, because you haven't had to. That's one of the innate benefits of partnering with a great company. Magic Scarf is a wonderful company! They are dedicated to deliver unique products with superior customer service at a fair and reasonable price. A great company incorporates all of the following into their business and seamlessly integrates these business principles into their procedures and their daily business practices:

Reliability - You can always count on them;
Service - They're available to assist the customer and they listen;
Quality - The merchandise provided is quality merchandise that is unique;
Consistency - They always supply a consistent product and you, the customer, know they will always do so;
Value - The Company delivers value for your money and you'll get your money's worth;
Speed - They're quick to respond and if you need product tomorrow, they can, and will, supply it;
Security - It's safe doing business with them and you know they will be there tomorrow. They operate ethically and have your best interests at heart;
Dependability - They are always dependable and will do almost anything to enable their customer to succeed;

I am proud to be a part of such a superb and growing company. Incorporate the fundamentals listed above into your business and watch your business grow and gain customer awareness, loyalty and brand recognition.