A Retailer's Guide To Frugal In-Store Promotions: How-To Increase Profits And Spit In The Eyes Of Economic Downturns Using Thrifty Events And Sales Te [Paperback]

Carolyn Howard-Johnson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 23, 2009

Retailers need more than crossed fingers to get and keep customers. In-store promotion-everything from in-store branding to events-is the most effective and economical way to do that. A Retailer's Guide to Frugal In-Store Promotions gives retailers the benefit of Carolyn Howard-Johnson's nearly three decades experience as founder and manager of her own chain of stores, a stint as a New York publicist, and as a retail consultant and journalist. It is the first in the Survive and Thrive series for retailers in her USA Book News award-winning HowToDoItFrugally.com books.

Editorial Reviews

Review

...a practical book on inexpensive promotions from an author who understands that independent retailers need a detailed roadmap on how to self-promote. Don't buy another expensive ad until you read this book.
--Joan Stewart, The Publicity Hound

About the Author

Carolyn Howard-Johnson puts nearly three decades of retail experience plus oodles more in the fields of journalism, public relations, publishing, and marketing into this Survive and Thrive series of books. She consults in the three Ps: publishing, promotion and publicity and is the author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers and award-winning books of fiction and poetry. Howard-Johnson has 30 years of retailing experience. She founded and operated stores ranging from home décor to gifts to antiques and other collectibles. She owned and operated the souvenir shop at the world renowned Santa Anita Race Track. During that time, she served on the boards of directors of the malls where her stores were located, of the boards of cooperative catalogs her stores utilized, and on the board of the California Gift Show. She puts this world of experience in retailing to work for you with this series of Survive and Thrive books or in private consultation sessions. Howard-Johnson was named by members of the California Legislature Woman of the Year in Arts and Entertainment and American Women Business Association (ABWA) Impact Council's Woman of the Year. Her Web site is www.HowToDoItFrugally.com.

Product Details

• Paperback: 120 pages
• Publisher: CreateSpace (February 23, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1441467246
• ISBN-13: 978-1441467249
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 5.9 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #263,368 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Hi.
I am best known as The Frugal Book Promoter, but I want to be known as a literary writer, poet, and all round smart and giving marketer. You can see I have a problem with branding, not because I don't know how to brand but because my career is so diverse. Ha!

As a college freshman, I was the youngest person ever hired as a staff writer for the Salt Lake Tribune--"A Great Pulitzer Prize Winning Newspaper"--where I wrote features for the society page and a column under the name Debra Paige.

Later, in New York, I was an editorial assistant at Good Housekeeping Magazine. I also handled accounts for famous fashion publicist Eleanor Lambert. She was the one who developed the first "10 Best Dressed List," and it was my fun job to write releases for celebrity designers of the time including Pauline Trigere, Rudy Gernreich, and Christian Dior.

I have also been a consultant for the Oak Park Press in the Chicago area.

In my many former lives I have also written columns and reviews for The Pasadena Star News, Home Decor Buyer, and the Glendale News-Press. I write a "Back to Literature" column for www.Myshelf.com where I also give an annual Noble (Not Nobel!) Prize.

I studied at the University of Utah, graduated from USC (University of Southern California) and have done postgraduate work in writing at UCLA. I loved the UCLA and San Diego State Writers' Conferences I attended and I'm now an instructor for UCLA Extension Writers' Program. You can find all their classes at www.UCLAExtension.edu.

I adored studying writing at Cambridge University in the United Kingdom; Herzen University in St. Petersburg, Russia; and Charles University in Prague.

My first novel, "This Is The Place," and my book of creative nonfiction, "Harkening," are both multi award-winners. A chapbook of my poetry, published by Finishing Line Press was named a Ten Best Reads by the Compulsive Reader (www.compulsivereader.com) and the Military Writers Society of America honored it with a silver medal for excellence. I have also partnered with Magdalena Ball for the Celebration Series of poetry chapbooks including "She Wore Emerald Then," "Cherished Pulse," "Imagining the Future" "Blooming Red," and "Deeper Into the Pond," a chapbook with a feminist theme. I also wrote a screenplay, "The Killing Ground."

My stories and poems have appeared in anthologies like: "Pass/Fail," edited by Rose A. O. Kleidon, PhD; and in journals like Pear Noir, Front Range, The Pedestal Magazine and many more. One of my poems won first place in the Franklin Christoph prize, 2010.

I was given the Woman of the Year in Arts and Entertainment Award by California Legislature members, Carol Liu, Dario Frommer, and Jack Scott. I can't help but be proud of that.

In it's first edition, "The Frugal Book Promoter" became an instant best seller as an e-book on ebookad and the paperback opened to rave reviews here on Amazon. It it now in its second edition, expanded and updated. It became the first in a the How To Do It Frugally series. "The Frugal Editor: Put YOur Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success" is the next. I published a couple booklets to go with it. One on word trippers and other gremlins lying in wait to trip you up. It is "Great Little Last-Minute Editing Tips." The other is "The Great First Impression Book Proposal."

The Book Publicists of Southern California honored me with their Irwin Award and the "Pasadena Weekly" for literary activism. My hometown's Character and Ethics Committee honored me for my work promoting tolerance with my writing.

Yes, I am having fun yet!

Find me at:
Sharing with Writers and Readers blog (A Writer's Digest 101 Best Websites pick!), www.sharingwithwriters.blogspot.com
www.HowToDoItFrugally.com
www.CarolynHoward-Johnson.com
My newsletter by sending an e-mail with "subscribe" in the subject line to [e-mail].

First person essay: http://www.howtodoitfrugally.com/published_works_almanac.htm

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Frugal Retailing at it's best! A bible for the small business owner!, May 24, 2009

By 

Shannon L. Yarbrough "Shannon L. Yarbrough" (St. Louis, MO USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Retailer's Guide To Frugal In-Store Promotions: How-To Increase Profits And Spit In The Eyes Of Economic Downturns Using Thrifty Events And Sales Te (Paperback)

I love Carolyn Howard-Johnson's Frugal Book Series. The first two (The Frugal Book Editor and The Frugal Book Promoter) are must-haves for any self-published author! Her latest is geared toward retailers, primarily independent business owners, but I jumped at the chance to review it only because I knew I'd find something I could use toward my own book marketing and indeed I did.

The first thing you have to know about Carolyn is that she demands organization. She's a note taker, a list maker, and a thank you card writer. And she doesn't assume everyone has a computer to help them do it. A lot of her philosophy is based on the old-fashioned file keeping and letter writing techniques that have worked for businesses for years. We've just forgotten about them! Carolyn also appreciates a nice piece of stationery and even devotes a page in her book strictly to note writing.

Leaving no stone unturned, for the business owner Carolyn's book discusses how to capture a mailing list and cater it to each individual customer's needs, how to keep customers in your store longer by offering satellite services (packing, shipping, stamps, and the like), how to use your public bathroom or waiting area as advertising space, how to organize a yearly calendar, how to gain repeat business with reward cards and referral programs, how to host in-store contests, and much much more.

For the author in me, I loved the section on how to build a contact list. Most of us think of a mailing list as being a name, street address, and zip code. Carolyn takes it a step further and says you should try to obtain email addresses, birthdays, and even anniversaries. Don't categorize them by zip codes, but rather by what aspects of your business each person likes best. For business owners, record what each customer bought or browsed. Use these features of your contact list to help build and promote future events. Also add media contacts to your list to help you promote those events. Having your staff ask for this information is the most logical way to get it. For the writer at home with a computer, they might opt to offer a newsletter which visitors can sign up for on a blog or website. They might offer small freebies to their readers for signing up.

Bag stuffers, post cards, phone greetings and recordings, window signs, viral marketing, coupons, and themed give-aways, there are numerous sections in the book to help you plan and promote events to build a customer base. And I found a list of at least two dozen ideas that could easily be applied to an author event like a book signing or club reading. For instance, offering customers something free at check out. Carolyn even plugs Vistaprint for marketing materials. Authors could print up bookmarks to give away with each purchase, or give readers several to take with them to give to friends and family. Carolyn mentions a bowl of candies with invitations tied to them sitting in a waiting area. Authors could use themed candy and tie business cards to each piece advertising their online blog or newsletter subscription. Carolyn loves gift wrapping services as an added perk for customers! Why not offer free gift wrapping at your author table for readers buying multiple copies for gifts?

If you are a business owner, big or small, or you are an author and just looking for new ways to build readership and boost sales, then there's definitely something in this book for you. There are ideas that can be developed into almost any type of retailer or book event. If I owned my own bookstore or business of any kind, Carolyn's book would be my bible! From maximizing floor space and slow sellers to using your entire community and fellow organizations as promotional targets, A Retailer's Guide to Frugal In-Store Promotions covers it all and does so in a matter-of-fact way which anyone can relate to.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent information for frugal promotion and marketing, March 1, 2009

By 

Mindy Lawrence "Writer, editor, publicist" (Springfield, MO USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Retailer's Guide To Frugal In-Store Promotions: How-To Increase Profits And Spit In The Eyes Of Economic Downturns Using Thrifty Events And Sales Te (Paperback)

Although A Retailer's Guide to Frugal In-Store Promotions is geared toward retail sellers, it gives EXCELLENT information on how to drive your business--be it brick and mortar or self propelled. Carolyn Howard-Johnson has many years of success managing both.

If you are a writer, this will help you think about your work as a business and help you know ways to get the word out about what you do. If you are a card shop, this will help you know how to FRUGALLY market and give value-added service to your customers and suppliers.

No man is an island--neither is your business. A Retailer's Guide to Frugal In-Store Promotions shows you how to connect to others and increase your profits in this nasty market we are in. The information in this book is well worth it's cost. In fact, it's an investment in good FRUGAL business practices.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Retailer's Guide to Frugal In-Store Promotions, October 12, 2010

By 

LaVon in Naples - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Retailer's Guide To Frugal In-Store Promotions: How-To Increase Profits And Spit In The Eyes Of Economic Downturns Using Thrifty Events And Sales Te (Paperback)

I am in the process of opening a new store and have found this book as well as "Frugal and Focused Tweeting for Retailers" to be invaluable. The author is experienced and able to encourage the reader to try out new ideas. She makes the case of each idea as well as making it easy to implement. The book is a must have for any retailer and a "do not open without it" for new start-ups.