While running a business, you've likely come to understand the importance of having a functioning, informative, and easily found website. Of course, just having a website isn't enough — you need to be using it to reach your sales goals and to bring in more customers.

As with most things in business, integration is key. Despite the fact that 95% of retailers agree that digital and physical consumer experiences must be interconnected for one seamless experience across multiple channels, many stores still act like online and in-store activities are separate. Consumers already expect this intuitive level of convergence. Some aspects of this convergence may sit outside your reach for now (i.e., a new POS system that offers real time understanding of in-store and online purchases and stock inventory), but in this article, we're going to focus on in-store and online. 

First impressions are everything. An inviting and well maintained store can help drive traffic and encourage sales. In this post we’ll look at six tips you can use to create a welcoming retail environment for your shoppers.

Utilize the tips below to make your retail store an inviting consumer utopia. Are you ready to take your retail business to the next level? Check out PCC SBDC's Retail Business Builders program to launch (or re-launch) your retail business with confidence. 

Are you wondering how to increase foot traffic to your retail store? Winning the loyalty of customers can be challenging, but it isn’t impossible. With a strong online presence, inviting store-front appearance, and excellent customer service, your retail business can begin to see a significant increase in customers and sales. The following best practices for increasing foot traffic can help you get started.

If you own a retail business, you understand how important sales are. They literally define your bottom line. But have you sat down and considered how important your retail sales team is? Today's article is going to talk about how your sales team affects your bottom line and touch on how to find the best salespeople.

If you're starting to plan a business, or if you've just started a business, that focuses on retail sales, you're probably trying to structure the right kind of sales environment to attract good salespeople. Of course, getting them to start working for you is the challenge. Do you know how you're going to keep them once you've hired them? In this post, we're going to discuss nine different ways to retain salespeople and ensure you've got a dedicated team for your business.

Owning your own retail business can present many unique challenges. When it comes to learning how to be the best retail manager, many store owners find that actually managing a staff is one of the most difficult balancing acts they have to perform. As Leslie Hidula, PCC SBDC business advisor says, “I have found that retail owners struggle with being ‘the boss.’ They act like a friend, a mom, or a control freak. These approaches can really hurt a business, especially as they grow.” Overcoming this barrier by learning how to tow the line between employer and friend can help improve, not only your retail store’s growth, but also your skills as a retail store boss.

Growing your new business to a state of profitability and sustainability is a grueling task. But with hard work, and the right approach, it is far from impossible to achieve. In this post, we’re going to look at some techniques for “following the money” in business: focusing on the bottom line so that your business can achieve the growth it needs to succeed.

Making decisions as a small business owner can be tough. In a market where competition is fierce, and one small mistake can spell disaster, how should one’s decision best be informed? Is it to use intuitive sensing, that gut feeling that something is either good or bad, even if you can’t tell why; or should you trust rationality, and look at the known facts to make an even handed judgement? The answer is that both of these approaches are valid, depending on the situation. In this post we’ll explore the differences between research and intuition in business, and show you how and when to use each process.

Updated April 13, 2022

If you run a small business, you should consider your financial reports as your closest, most trusted advisor. They give you accurate, up-to-date information on how your business is running, and, when you know how to read them, they can help you make smarter business decisions too. Keep reading for our three favorite ways to use financial reports to make smarter business decisions.

Triple bottom line businesses or businesses that focus on people, planet, and profit are becoming increasingly popular for business owners who want to incorporate their personal values into their business. For business owners that want to formally integrate their social and environmental values into their business operations, there are a couple of options to publicly declare their values and to be held accountable to their commitments.

B Lab is a non-profit organization that has championed the cause of triple bottom line businesses by providing certification and advocating for legislation. B Lab created the Benefit Corporation (or BCorps) certification and has helped enact legislation for businesses to incorporate as a Benefit Company in Oregon.