New Self-Help Books Aid Independent Dealers
Alan Wolf -- TWICE, 8/6/2001
WEST HOLLYWOOD, CALIF.— Two new tomes have been penned to help independent dealers compete in an over-stored marketplace.
From Eddy Kay comes "Thriving in the Shadow of Giants: How to Find Success as an Independent Retailer." Kay, a principal of the Eddy Kay Group, which specializes in retail management and sales training, has been a featured speaker for Circuit City and Sony, and has conducted seminars for the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA).
He brings his credentials to bear in a book that stresses the competitive advantages small retailers could have over major chains in such areas as customer service and product knowledge. The volume, which features a forward by CEA president/CEO Gary Shapiro, will be published February 2002 by The Armarium Press, here, with advance copies available at the 2002 International CES.
Meanwhile, sales trainer Rick Segel has produced "Retail Business Kit For Dummies," an information-packed book and CD kit that offers advice on everything from marketing and merchandising to creating eye-catching displays. Among his suggestions:
- Create nooks and crannies in the store to encourage customers to explore.
- Follow up larger sales with a phone call, card or e-mail to ensure that the transaction went well and to let customers know you care about their business.
Published by New York-based IDG Books Worldwide, the kit is in bookstores now for $29.99.
