Sunday, April 18, 2010
If I build it, will they come?
Well it has been slow customer-wise. I mean, alot of people are coming by to check us out but sales are a bit slow. Can't make the rent at this speed! lol! However, our sales this week are already above the sales of last week. A nice steady increase, thats always good!
We sent out flyers to our preferred customers with e-mails, and postcards to the others. If you are on our preferred list and didn't get either, check your junk mail or come by to pick up your membership card and make sure we have all your information correct. Sometimes its difficult to read handwriting and we may have put it in wrong.
We also have an ad coming out in all the Neighborhood Newspapers. They had an awesome deal for Mother's day and we took advantage or it! We are also discussing an ad in the Urban Tulsa. Tulsa World is a bit more than we can afford at the moment, but we have also checked into Billboards.
I am also making flyers for our grand opening. I will take some to the flea market, and hopefully hand some out at Rooster Days in Broken Arrow. I think the kids can go around to the neighborhoods too. Any more ideas for bringing more people in?
We sent out flyers to our preferred customers with e-mails, and postcards to the others. If you are on our preferred list and didn't get either, check your junk mail or come by to pick up your membership card and make sure we have all your information correct. Sometimes its difficult to read handwriting and we may have put it in wrong.
We also have an ad coming out in all the Neighborhood Newspapers. They had an awesome deal for Mother's day and we took advantage or it! We are also discussing an ad in the Urban Tulsa. Tulsa World is a bit more than we can afford at the moment, but we have also checked into Billboards.
I am also making flyers for our grand opening. I will take some to the flea market, and hopefully hand some out at Rooster Days in Broken Arrow. I think the kids can go around to the neighborhoods too. Any more ideas for bringing more people in?
Friday, April 9, 2010
Starting to shape up
Well I have been so busy in the last week plus that I've barely watched TV and haven't been on my computer. We had our first sale on Tuesday. We have had people come in every day to check us out. But we have been very topsy turvy! Today I can finally see hope in getting all our product up on shelves. It has taken so long to check it all in, set up shelves and tables, put all the product by the shelf they will go on, sorting through it all, unpacking the display items, whew!! And of course tagging everything. I still have alot to do, but I think I have passed the middle point. We did get our security installed and got our insurance quote. Our business cards are being printed. We installed pegboard on the wall. Janna super cleaned the bathroom. And we keep filling up the trash can with empty boxes. I still have not gone through my lucky bamboo. I need to finish getting fairies on the shelves, and we have the wall items and knives/swords. Once I get the sales floor done, I have to rearrange the back room. We did get a refrigerator back there for food, since we will almost be living there!
I go home late at night sore and tired. I haven't had much trouble sleeping! I guess I'm too tired to worry about much! Alan is having his usual panics, but thats normal for him! I need more tables. I'm getting to the point where I have space to put things but need a table to set it on!
We have some awesome new products! If you do get a chance, stop by and see us! Not only could we use the company, but we could use some sales to pay the bills! lol! Please do stop by and tell your friends! Have a great day!
I go home late at night sore and tired. I haven't had much trouble sleeping! I guess I'm too tired to worry about much! Alan is having his usual panics, but thats normal for him! I need more tables. I'm getting to the point where I have space to put things but need a table to set it on!
We have some awesome new products! If you do get a chance, stop by and see us! Not only could we use the company, but we could use some sales to pay the bills! lol! Please do stop by and tell your friends! Have a great day!
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Busy doesn't even begin to explain it
So sorry I haven't been able to update! Let me try to summarize. Last week we got the electric and the gas turned on. The water is there but we don't know what switch actually turns it on to our store. The person that was supposed to be fixing the floors and such at the store hasn't been able to do anything yet. We have been assured it will be finished by this weekend. The floor tiles are coming up in the back from water or condensation. This has dried since we have had the heat on, but we need the tiles replaced. There are some other things that still need to be finished.
We finalized the signs. They were supposed to be up by now but we had a couple wet days. Hopefully they will be up this weekend. We are supposed to get rain again today though. We also ordered business cards and a parking sign. I want it to say Parking for A Darn Good Gift Shoppe, Violators will be Fed to the Dragon. hehe!
Tuesday Alan and I went to Dallas. We only got to one store. We had a borrowed truck (Thanks Julie!) but we bought more than we could fit into it. We packed the truck full and had them set aside the other half of what we picked out. We still have more to pick out and a couple more stores to visit down there. I rented a cargo van for this Tuesday.
Friday we received three deliveries for product, incense, oils, and oriental. Greg is working on the new POS systems, trying to learn it and trying to check the product in. He has been there all day and will be this weekend. Meanwhile, Janna and I and Kyleigh are working the closing store trying to sell all our display items for 25% off. Today is Janna's birthday so she isn't too happy about having to work. But she is going to spend the night at her sisters.
So, all week long we have been packing up my Honda Civic and Alan's Ford Contour. We fill them up as much as we can, drive them to the new store, unload, and come back for more! This is very exhausting and I've found muscles that have been inactive a long time. I also am not eating much, or well, so I hope I am at least losing a few pounds through all this!
Some nights I can't sleep at all and some nights I drop into bed and forget about everything. The nights I don't sleep I'm planning how to organize the store, or how to paint the pegboard... the mind just won't quit! You should see all of us at the end of the day, we look like zombies!
So we think we have been busy this week, I have until Thursday to get things somewhat organized. Monday we have the phone/Internet hookup, and security, and maybe the insurance man coming out. Tuesday I go to Dallas. Wednesday we get the display cases and the rest of everything left out of the old store and move it to the new store. Thursday we open the new store. Grand Opening won't be until May 1, but we will be open for business before then.
Writing this while hopping up and down to wait on customers has been fun! At least we are selling! yeah!
We finalized the signs. They were supposed to be up by now but we had a couple wet days. Hopefully they will be up this weekend. We are supposed to get rain again today though. We also ordered business cards and a parking sign. I want it to say Parking for A Darn Good Gift Shoppe, Violators will be Fed to the Dragon. hehe!
Tuesday Alan and I went to Dallas. We only got to one store. We had a borrowed truck (Thanks Julie!) but we bought more than we could fit into it. We packed the truck full and had them set aside the other half of what we picked out. We still have more to pick out and a couple more stores to visit down there. I rented a cargo van for this Tuesday.
Friday we received three deliveries for product, incense, oils, and oriental. Greg is working on the new POS systems, trying to learn it and trying to check the product in. He has been there all day and will be this weekend. Meanwhile, Janna and I and Kyleigh are working the closing store trying to sell all our display items for 25% off. Today is Janna's birthday so she isn't too happy about having to work. But she is going to spend the night at her sisters.
So, all week long we have been packing up my Honda Civic and Alan's Ford Contour. We fill them up as much as we can, drive them to the new store, unload, and come back for more! This is very exhausting and I've found muscles that have been inactive a long time. I also am not eating much, or well, so I hope I am at least losing a few pounds through all this!
Some nights I can't sleep at all and some nights I drop into bed and forget about everything. The nights I don't sleep I'm planning how to organize the store, or how to paint the pegboard... the mind just won't quit! You should see all of us at the end of the day, we look like zombies!
So we think we have been busy this week, I have until Thursday to get things somewhat organized. Monday we have the phone/Internet hookup, and security, and maybe the insurance man coming out. Tuesday I go to Dallas. Wednesday we get the display cases and the rest of everything left out of the old store and move it to the new store. Thursday we open the new store. Grand Opening won't be until May 1, but we will be open for business before then.
Writing this while hopping up and down to wait on customers has been fun! At least we are selling! yeah!
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Things are coming together
As of yesterday and today we are seeing progress. Yesterday we signed the contract with COX communications and got a good deal for our move. That is so very nice, we get two months free and no installation fee for the move. They will have it installed just before our opening at the new store.
Today we looked at the workup for the signs. The gentleman that is doing them, Chambers Signs in Broken Arrow, really knows his business. The sign over the door and the sign on the pole at the street will cost almost $1000. Its a lot of money, but it is a marketing expense and necessary to draw customers in, so that makes it a bargain. No one said opening a business was cheap!
The building owner is checking things out that we notice and fixing them. We will have the electric and gas on early in the week. They can then check the heat and air and we should be able to start moving things in next week.
We are putting orders together now and can have them delivered starting next week. Just the incense order is over $500, but we are adding so many new scents that everyone should be able to find something they like. We are increasing so many items and will then increase our product lines. Finding new products is so exciting, but we always have to think in the back of our mind: How much can we charge and will customers buy it? It is so disappointing when I find something I just love and no one wants to buy it! We try to find good quality products at a good price so that we can be a great bargain for the customers.
But on to other challenges! Our car broke down yesterday. I was so hoping for no problems with the car, but it is the fuel pump and will cost about $500 to fix. That is that much less money to spend on the store! But we do need to get around. Everything can't be easy!
Today we looked at the workup for the signs. The gentleman that is doing them, Chambers Signs in Broken Arrow, really knows his business. The sign over the door and the sign on the pole at the street will cost almost $1000. Its a lot of money, but it is a marketing expense and necessary to draw customers in, so that makes it a bargain. No one said opening a business was cheap!
The building owner is checking things out that we notice and fixing them. We will have the electric and gas on early in the week. They can then check the heat and air and we should be able to start moving things in next week.
We are putting orders together now and can have them delivered starting next week. Just the incense order is over $500, but we are adding so many new scents that everyone should be able to find something they like. We are increasing so many items and will then increase our product lines. Finding new products is so exciting, but we always have to think in the back of our mind: How much can we charge and will customers buy it? It is so disappointing when I find something I just love and no one wants to buy it! We try to find good quality products at a good price so that we can be a great bargain for the customers.
But on to other challenges! Our car broke down yesterday. I was so hoping for no problems with the car, but it is the fuel pump and will cost about $500 to fix. That is that much less money to spend on the store! But we do need to get around. Everything can't be easy!
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Crossing things off the list
Well, today I:
Called the sign people and took a copy of our business card. Now I'm waiting on a quote.
Called the landlord and left message about the water coming in the back door and putting caps on the water lines. Haven't got a call back yet. Forgot to ask why my key doesn't work in the back door now. I stopped by and they have painted the back room cream colored and put in new ceiling tiles. Toilet is still brown but may need water on for that.
Greg emailed Cox for a quote on moving the phone and internet. He also emailed Windstream, the other service in the area, for a quote on using them instead of Cox.
Greg got the new quote on Quickbooks POS System.
Still have to call the power people. I also have to make out orders for new product and try to find how I might want to pain or decorate the store. I think each day I cross something off the list I add two more things!
Called the sign people and took a copy of our business card. Now I'm waiting on a quote.
Called the landlord and left message about the water coming in the back door and putting caps on the water lines. Haven't got a call back yet. Forgot to ask why my key doesn't work in the back door now. I stopped by and they have painted the back room cream colored and put in new ceiling tiles. Toilet is still brown but may need water on for that.
Greg emailed Cox for a quote on moving the phone and internet. He also emailed Windstream, the other service in the area, for a quote on using them instead of Cox.
Greg got the new quote on Quickbooks POS System.
Still have to call the power people. I also have to make out orders for new product and try to find how I might want to pain or decorate the store. I think each day I cross something off the list I add two more things!
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