If your area doesn’t have a brochure of local resale shops to offer customers, and if you’ve tried to rally your peers to create one without success,
Click the pic to visit Journey Home Thrift’s website.
Do one yourself anyway.
Why?
- It impresses your clientele. Thus making your shop all the more memorable.
- It saves your clientele money — money which could then be spent in YOUR shop.
- It’s the right thing to do.
Here’s an example from Journey Home Thrift , a non-profit thrift. It’s their printable layout, so you’ll have to envision it folded into thirds. Weren’t they great to do this for their community? Kudos to them!
Points to remember:
- It’s an advertising piece for your business: be darn sure the reader gets plenty of helpful info on YOUR shop. There’s not even anything wrong with including a coupon to your shop in the brochure.
- It’s your customer amenity. If you wish to not include some shops for reasons of your own, that’s your privilege.
- Make the debut of, and every update of, your helpful customer guide an occasion. Send press releases. Social media/ blog it. Toot your own horn: “Terry James really believes in helping the people of Community save money and save the environment. To this end, TheShop publishes their very own list of resale shops to help everyone enjoy… “
- Remain open to alteration: If other shops want copies to hand out, want to be able to include an offer to customers in your brochure, think about making it a group effort. What starts out as a simple self-printed handout could become a glossy, full-color group effort.
- Don’t have expectations. It could be that the other shops never say a word of thanks, never offer to help, never share printing costs. Remember, you’re doing this because… see under “Why?” above.
Auntie Kate The Resale Expert 
We just published a little map called “Affordable Luxuries” which includes a sample itinerary for visiting the resale shops in Grandview, OH. Of course our logo and information is everywhere on the piece but placed around town its a nice way for us to help one another since we all have our own specialty.
Would love to see this! I assume you mean Grandview Heights, my old stomping ground? Post a photo, if you can, over on the TGtbT Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/2Good2BThrew/
I’ve been handing out a list for nearly 6 years. I get a great response. New customers think I must be the nicest person ever! My reasoning is that it is difficult to find all of the stores and since most have random hours, the list allows people a better chance to shop. And if I stick out in their minds as the “Go To” store for info, they will be back. 6 years in business and just opened a 2nd store, so I’m hoping I’m on the right track!
Kindra, thanks for the validation! And congratulations on your growth and success.