Page 34 - Flathead Beacon // 8.17.16

TOENAIL FUNGUS
Onychomycosis is a chronic fungal infec on causing thickened, discolored and dis gured toenails. Fungal toenails can become unsightly, embarrassing and are o en painful. The infec on has been notoriously di cult to eradicate and will not simply ‘go away’. The infec on o en begins under a single toenail and if le untreated will insidiously invade into addi onal nails. The condi on is very common; onychomycosis is es mated to a ect up to 35 million Americans. Onychomycosis o en a ects people with Diabetes or other disease condi ons which weaken the immune system.
The PinPointe FootLaser treatment now o ers addi onal hope to those su ering from onychomycosis. High-energy laser light pulses pass through the nail and kill the fungus where it lives, deep under the toenail surface. The PinPointe FootLaser does not cause damage to the toenail or the surrounding skin. This in-o ce treatment is safe and has no harmful side e ects. Treatment o en requires a single 30-45 minute session. Glacier Foot and Ankle is able to o er this new treatment op on to pa ents su ering from onychomycosis. Dr. Ploot is the only PinPointe cer ed provider in Montana. Call 755-1300 to schedule a consulta on. Medical insurance does not cover the procedure. For more informa on and to view a gallery of pictures demonstra ng the e ec veness of the laser treatment, please see www.nuvolase.com Let us help you to clear up those fungal toenails.
ere is a new treatment for onychomycosis. Dr. Ploot is the only provider of this new laser technology in Montana.
ERIK PLOOT, D.P.M.
Podiatric Physician and Surgeon
Certi ed by the American Board of Podiatric Surgery
95 INDIAN TRAIL RD. KALISPELL 755-1300 • www.glacierfootandankle.com
BUSINESS IS PERSONAL MARK RIFFEY DON’T FORGET THE ICE
IF YOU HAVE A RETAIL STORE- front, do you have a solid idea what business you lose to big online retail- ers vs. the business you can depend on? What sales do you lose to big box retail? Perhaps the bigger question is this: Are you selling what your clients want and need? Does your merchandising support those needs?
Let’s backtrack a bit. Yesterday was a “honey-do day.” A retail experience or two is often required to complete the day’s achievements and “level up” to good husband for the weekend. For me, retail shopping is more like a marksmanship thing than a grazing-like activity. I pre- fer to get in, get what I need and get out with a minimum of time and friction.
Sell What They Need to Finish the Job
My rst stop was at a big retailer that specializes in stu you might buy on a honey-do trip. I picked up a corner shelf for the bathroom in a section of the store where shelves of this nature (free-stand- ing or otherwise) are plentiful. The one I selected is intended for hanging.
Despite selling a plentiful amount of “hang this to use it” items across many departments, the store had none of the hardware needed to hang something – not for the item I bought or any other. However, they had what seemed like hundreds of (often ridiculous) “As seen on TV” items that prompted me to won- der who would pay for warehouse space for such things. But I digress.
I asked one of the people in the store if they had hanging hardware. They didn’t. Why would you sell stu that hangs without selling stu used to hang those things? Because you aren’t thinking like
a customer.
Thinking Like a Customer
When a shopper ventures out into retail, we tend to have one of two mis- sions: “browse” or “complete task.” I think it’s best to serve clients on both missions. In the latter mode, we humans are often forgetful people. We multi- task. The phone rings. We leave our list at home. We’re imperfect at times.
Smart merchandisers can cure some of that.
When you go into a beer store, they have beer. They also have ice, coolers, bottle openers, snacks and other things you may need, or may have forgotten before leaving the house for a day at the lake. Sure, they are there to increase sales, but they are also there to save your trip by triggering any remaining “Oops, forgot to get ice” thoughts before they become expensive. It’s annoying to get out in the middle of the lake or settled in camp two hours back in the woods on a dirt road, only to nd you forgot the ice. They understand that your needs extend beyond beer.
When you go into a y shing store, you can buy ies. For an expert who has what they need, a y shing store has local ies. For the noob who doesn’t have what they need (or the expert who forgot something), a y shing store has local ies, and just about any other y shing related item you need. They understand that your needs extend beyond ies.
Smart Merchandising is Good for You and Your Customers
At some of the best merchandised stores, you’ll nd the mission comple- tion items you need right there in the aisle with the item that took you to that aisle. These simple, thoughtful (and yes, sales-increasing) acts of merchandising save shoppers time and steps. They allow shoppers to avoid the time needed to dig around elsewhere in the store for an item. Even better, they may remind your cus- tomers to get the (in my case) hardware to hang an item so that they don’t drive all the way home only to realize they need to return to town to get the pieces and parts to nish the job.
Are these things incredibly obvious? Certainly. Obvious or not, does every store do so? No.
Be one of the stores that does.
Don’t have a retail location? Your online store’s shoppers have the same challenges. They forget the ice, or the cables, or the hanging hardware, and other little things needed to complete their mission.
It’s OK to be focused on being the best at selling the item your customers need – but don’t let them forget the ice.
“WHY WOULD YOU SELL STUFF THAT HANGS WITHOUT SELLING STUFF USED TO HANG THOSE THINGS?”
Want to learn more about Mark or ask him to write about a strategic, operations or marketing problem? Email him at mri ey@ atheadbeacon.com.
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AUGUST 17, 2016 // FLATHEADBEACON.COM