Heart Healthy

February is American Heart Month and not just because of Valentine's Day. This month create business card size signs that say “Heart Healthy” and place them next to items in your store that promote a healthy heart. Look for products that help patients with smoking cessation, increasing movement, improving sleep, and decreasing stress. Tag items such as blood pressure monitors, healthy snacks, candles, resistance bands and even oral healthcare products.

Step up your safety sales

February is also National Senior Independence month. Now is the perfect time to freshen up your bath safety department. Make sure you have at least one assembled transfer bench! String tags are the correct way to price assembled bath safety and mobility products; do not place a price gun sticker directly on the item! Price gun stickers, especially red ones, diminish the perceived value. Be sure to mention on your social media pages and website that you sell home safety supplies.

Marketing and Merchandising Inspiration

It seems like there is a national day, week, or month for just about anything. This website can help you keep track and plan ahead for your marketing and merchandising purposes. Leverage national observances to create social media posts highlighting products and services in your store and design end caps for customers to easily find what you are promoting.

Holiday discount reminder

Unless you are thinking of never ever selling Valentines' candy again, do not discount your candy early! The moment you discount before the holiday is the moment that you teach your customers to wait for a sale and your Valentine sales will suffer forever. Sale starts on Wednesday the 15th, not a moment before. By the way, if you marked your candy up by 40% and then have a 50% off sale, say goodbye to a bunch of your profit. Don't forget to update your Valentine's plans for next year with this handy worksheet.

Annual Check-Up

When was the last time you compared your planograms with your sales history? Take note of the difference between discontinued and removed items in a planogram. Discontinued is when a product will be no longer be available. An item removed from the plan is a product that has been replaced by a more sought-after item. It is essential to check your sales data on items removed from your plan; there is a chance that you will want to continue carrying the product. If your sales data has fallen behind or is not being maintained, make it a priority to update it ASAP. You can't make the best decision on merchandising and control inventory without your current sales history.

Monthly Retailer Category Tips — Sun Care

Consumers recognize that sun care is a year-round need and the category has evolved in recent years with more options. Read More...