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IPI’s essentials for success

Fort Worth Cameras and the IPI Member Network are unveiling the third Print Refinery store this month in Fort Worth, Texas.
The Print Refinery combines consumer and B2B photo services ‘departments’ unified by Print Refinery branding, a sophisticated, contemporary store fit-out – and much more.

In developing The Print Refinery concept over the past few years, IPI has distilled the essence of what it believes is needed to succeed in specialist photo retailing in the 21st century. With The Bogeyman  Amazon apparently putting the frighteners on Australian Retail, we have re-published below the IPI Network’s 2017–2018 Formula for Success, using the ‘action items’ IPI has identified as essential factors in the formula which will enable specialist retailers to compete against the various mass merchant and online juggernauts.

How many of these can you tick off for your store?

IPI’s ‘Formula for Success’
1. You need a robust and mobile friendly website that matches your in-store brand experience. Use Google Analytics to track your results and adjust accordingly.
2. Thoughtfully designed retail experiences allow you to compete against online giants. Moreover, create a customer journey. Make it one that takes your customer from brand discovery to a store visit, from the purchase process to packaging, from the use of your product to repeat business.
3. If what happens in-store is your best offense, put your best foot forward. A clean, modern store design that incorporates smart focal points, effective lighting and clutter-free digital displays will impress.
4. Carefully curate product selection and displays to highlight what’s new and trendy, plus top sellers and high-margin items.
5. Offer unique products and services; think local and personalised.
6. Hire the right team by clearly communicating your culture, brand story, vision and values from the beginning.
7. Incorporate a stellar initial training program and offer continuous team training.
8. Position your business as the local expert. Promote your team’s expertise and offer an engaging curriculum of classes and events.
9. Develop a local following by partnering with local influencers/groups. Also host neighborhood events and empower team members to share their excitement.
10. Deploy highly targeted marketing campaigns (Facebook makes this easy!); track your results to adjust future efforts.
11. Hold an annual open house to engage your local community.
12. Creatively partner with other local businesses to fulfill their design, printing and photography needs.
– Ron Mohney, IPI (Adapted from  Digital Imaging Reporter’s State of the Industry 2017 report.)

 

 

 

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