key points about success in retail from speakers at the NRF's Retail BIG Show in 2012

1. 1
12 Truths
to Guide Retailing in 2012
quotables from NRF’s Retail BIG Show
January, 2012
New York City
12 Truths to Guide Retailing in 2012
New York, January 2012
by denise lee yohn

2. 2
1
“Customers don’t seek
channels, they seek solutions.”
-- David Jaffe, President & CEO, Ascena Retail
Group Inc. (Dress Barn, Maurices, Justice)
12 Truths to Guide Retailing in 2012
New York, January 2012
by denise lee yohn

3. 3
2
“Four factors create a retail opportunity:
1. favorable industry attributes
2. unmet local consumer demand
3. prior operating experience
4. the right real estate”
-- Alan Reagan, CEO, Flix Brewhouse
(the world’s only first-run cinema-microbrewery)
12 Truths to Guide Retailing in 2012
New York, January 2012
by denise lee yohn

4. 4
3
“Websites are consumer software
applications. There are no
manuals. They’re tools.”
-- Kevin Ertell, CMO, OnlineShoes.com
12 Truths to Guide Retailing in 2012
New York, January 2012
by denise lee yohn

5. 5
4
“E-commerce teams need air
coverage from a senior
executive… if they don’t get
it, the channel becomes tool for
marketers and merchants, not
strategic driver of innovation.”
-- Sally McKenzie, consultant
12 Truths to Guide Retailing in 2012
New York, January 2012
by denise lee yohn

6. 6
5
“Stop being in arms race for
likes and followers – start liking
your customers.”
-- Mitch Joel, author, Six Pixels of Separation
12 Truths to Guide Retailing in 2012
New York, January 2012
by denise lee yohn

7. 7
6
“Someday you can have 50
channels, but it’s all about the
merchandise.”
- Bob Myers, CEO, Sheplers Western Wear
12 Truths to Guide Retailing in 2012
New York, January 2012
by denise lee yohn

8. 8
7
“There is no secret; there isn’t
one technology -- there are a
million technologies.
It’s about understanding who you
are, telling your story in
compelling way, and finding the
right technology to tell your story.”
-- David Lauren, Senior Vice President, Ralph Lauren
12 Truths to Guide Retailing in 2012
New York, January 2012
by denise lee yohn

9. 9
8
“Differentiation is key – we have
no reason to exist if we’re selling
what everyone else is selling.”
-- Kip Tindall, CEO, The Container Store
12 Truths to Guide Retailing in 2012
New York, January 2012
by denise lee yohn

10. 10
9
“The best words we hear in
due diligence are customers
and employees saying, “I love
[the brand].”
-- Jonathan Sokoloff, Leonard Green & Partners, L.P.
(Los Angeles-based private equity firm)
12 Truths to Guide Retailing in 2012
New York, January 2012
by denise lee yohn

11. 11
10
“Culture is the beating heart of
your business – it’s your purpose
and values practiced over time.”
-- Walter Robb, Co-CEO, Whole Foods Market, Inc.
12 Truths to Guide Retailing in 2012
New York, January 2012
by denise lee yohn

12. 12
11
“Service and performance is a
monologue; it’s one size fits all.
Hospitality is a dialogue; it’s one
size fits one .”
-- Danny Meyer, CEO & Founder,
Union Square Hospitality Group
12 Truths to Guide Retailing in 2012
New York, January 2012
by denise lee yohn

13. 13
12
“No one has all the answers, so
the way you go about solving the
problems may be as important as
the solutions themselves.”
- President Bill Clinton
12 Truths to Guide Retailing in 2012
New York, January 2012
by denise lee yohn

14. 14
more on retail:
• six best practices in retail
• brand experience briefs
• build your brand with a cohesive customer experience
denise lee yohn
http://deniseleeyohn.com
@deniseleeyohn
12 Truths to Guide Retailing in 2012
New York, January 2012
by denise lee yohn