Ottaway Communication, Inc.

Prediction #1: Big retailers will need to downsize. How can this help you?

Prediction #2: Big catalogs are getting downsized. How can you benefit?

Prediction #3: “Charity begins at the office.” Well, it should. Read why.

Here are some ideas that you can put to work today:

1. One major problem for many store chains in that they’re too big according to analysts at Bain & Co. Too many stores for the new consumer. Too much square footage with more and more Internet sales. So, the perceived “big box” halo seems to be coming crashing down.

SOLUTION: Create an “experience zone”. Is there a way that you can turn a part of your store into an interactive area? This is just a Ten Dollar word for a testing or sampling area. Look how much mileage Costco gets out of all of their free food samples. People wait in line!

2. At J.C. Penny Co. Inc. its twice-yearly big-book catalog is out and a stronger focus on eCommerce is in. J.C. Penny’s own marketing officer, Mike Boylson, says: Big-book catalogs have become less relevant as customers have embraced shopping online….

SOLUTION: Here’s another point of differentiation that the “big” stores had over the local merchants and now it’s being abandoned for the Internet. Our advice, beef up your Web presence including social media. You can look just as “big” as they do on the Internet, in fact, the sites built by our team are better.

3. Take your charity dollars and PUBLICIZE. Google guru, Perry Marshall, tells the story of how Oprah dressed a children’s choir in Perry Ellis tuxedos. You may not be able to call up Mr. Ellis, but there are hundreds of charities that you could call. Younger consumers are especially motivated to buy from you based on your “giving back” program.

SOLUTION: First of all, this can’t be short-term. This is a multi-year program unless you’re real big, and can make it work in the short-run. We bring this up to clients over and over, and few do it: give a percentage of your sales to a non-profit. Do it strategically, but DO IT. It will make a difference. (Did you see where Kroger raised $342,000 at check-out last month for cancer research…in Detroit!) C’mon, you can get free publicity too!

If you’re a client looking for a talented, passionate agency that‘s also lean and efficient, please call us and take advantage of the tips below:

1. With the dramatic aging of the population, there will be more focus on people in their 40s. Are you staffed accordingly?

2. Name your keyword and search it for sales trends for your city or region for free. Logon: google.com/insights/search.

3. Click-to-Call ads are coming on mobile devices from Google AdWords. It will be on a fifth line of text. The cost of click for the call is the same as a click to your website. Available now.

4. Thinking about a “refreshed” logo. Think “warmer and fuzzier”. See Walmart.