This time of year’s a good time to examine why you are…or aren’t… better than your competitor. And why. And to plan out what you can do about it.

There are 20+ consignment and resale shops in my area. So how come I only ever visit 3 of them?

Oh, okay, I will visit several other consignment/ resale shops in town…if I happen to be driving by and if I happen to have some free time. But how often does that happen in real life? Not often.Your customers’ lives are too busy and too booked up for you to rely upon if-come-maybes.

What would make me likelier to go directly to a shop? You know. I don’t have to tell you that if a customer feels she has a relationship with you (Ann is always so honest and helpful when I shop, Terry gave me that free sample of hand lotion I love) or if the shop has something irresistible (I gotta see if any of her local crafters have brought in some new one-of-a-kind accessories), that shop moves to the top of my mental list. So does the probability of lots of new arrivals: the busiest shops make every visit a “whole new store” experience.

Think about how you can cultivate real relationships.

Then there’s the “nag” and I say that in the kindest possible way. The shop showing up in my social media, or my email, even with as basic a message as We Have A Dozen Great Handbags from Kors & Coach Right Now Hurry In, will remind me of that shop. And every reminder moves that shop up a notch on my mental list.

How can you remind them you exist?

If I get a push notification from their app, a coupon whether electronic or paper, or if I have a vested financial interest in a particular shop because I am a member of their Preferred Customer Club or I hold a Frequent Buyer Card, it’s more likely that I’ll go there first before their competitor (think Best Buys Rewards.)

How can you motivate their wallets?

Just a few areas to think about, ideas that might make your shop take a few giant steps past your competition.