What If…

you thought of your consignment, resale, or thrift shop just a little differently in 2012? Would your shop be more successful? More fun to run? Would you find unexpected supporters and fervid fans if you just approached things a tiny bit differently?

This week we’ll present a few What Ifs for you to consider. And what if you took the kernel of one of my what ifs and modified it for your business? What if my idea, and your interpretation, and someone else’s version combined… can you see where this is going?

What if you dared to be greater than you already are?

What If? You could get some positive publicity for your shop? It’s easy!

Reporters in all media, print, broadcast, Internet and social, are in search of “good news” stories. Especially in the beginning of the year. And guess what?

Your business has good news to share!

Think of it. You can make the “Shop Local” concept shine brightly on your business. Get some astounding figures together, write up how much your business contributes to your town, city, county economy, and start marketing that press release around.

Did your business…

• Employ fellow citizens for a total of 8900 hours in 2011? (Don’t forget to include all the hours you and your family worked at the shop!)
• Pump back $500,000 into the local economy? (Think of all you spend: overhead, COG, even sales tax collected and remitted!)
• Help 1200 households keep their closets clean?
• Help 4900 local folks shop without taking their business out-of-town or out-of-county?
• Recycle 25,000 items, giving them more useful life while saving your shoppers half a million dollars?
• Provide LocalCharity with enough clothing/household good to help 125 families stay productive members of your community?
• And think of the gas saved, the local cafe lunches served to folks who were in town to shop in your place of business, and so much more…

Figure out the feel-good figures that apply to your town and your shop, and get that press release out now!

Now remember, the figures you create are not auditable figures, so don’t drive yourself crazy trying to figure it out to the last decimal point. Be truthful, be reasonable, and be positive: it’s good news!

There’s more What if‘s all this week… look forward and back. Also, see the original What if… which I mistakenly published with a 2011 date instead of a 2012 date. Stuff happens.

Photo courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/libraryman/