You Sleep When You Die

You Sleep When You Die » Retail http://www.yousleepwhenyoudie.com you sleep when you die...and other unpopular thoughts from retail marketing leader, Jordan Zimmerman Thu, 28 Feb 2013 01:29:13 +0000 en-US hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 Rethinking the Department Store http://www.yousleepwhenyoudie.com/2012/03/02/rethinking-the-department-store/ http://www.yousleepwhenyoudie.com/2012/03/02/rethinking-the-department-store/#comments Fri, 02 Mar 2012 17:37:11 +0000 Jordan Zimmerman http://www.yousleepwhenyoudie.com/?p=3066 Has JC Penney started a new, forward-looking chapter in its history? One problem for me, though, is that the chain's initial national TV ad campaign was way off the mark. It was discombobulated, and it didn’t connect. I wasn’t sure what customers were suppose to take away from the ads, what value they were articulating, or what action they were meant to inspire. And there’s a deeper problem to look at. Unfortunately, when you walk into the JC Penney store environment now, any interest or excitement they might have created doesn’t work. The stores are still the same old stores.]]> http://www.yousleepwhenyoudie.com/2012/03/02/rethinking-the-department-store/feed/ 2 Next: Black Weekend? http://www.yousleepwhenyoudie.com/2011/12/02/next-black-weekend/ http://www.yousleepwhenyoudie.com/2011/12/02/next-black-weekend/#comments Fri, 02 Dec 2011 21:03:45 +0000 Jordan Zimmerman http://www.yousleepwhenyoudie.com/?p=2718 What if you took that same concept and pushed it a little further next year... by promoting Black Weekend instead of Black Friday? Judging from what we just saw, the consumer is going to be receptive to the idea of a longer, more intense push at the beginning of the shopping season. So why not open up the doors at midnight Thursday, let the crowds in, and host an in-store party all weekend long? ]]> http://www.yousleepwhenyoudie.com/2011/12/02/next-black-weekend/feed/ 2 Recession? I Choose not to Participate http://www.yousleepwhenyoudie.com/2011/10/27/recession-i-choose-not-to-participate/ http://www.yousleepwhenyoudie.com/2011/10/27/recession-i-choose-not-to-participate/#comments Thu, 27 Oct 2011 18:27:57 +0000 Jordan Zimmerman http://www.yousleepwhenyoudie.com/?p=2612 Yes, there are some heavy pressures on some consumers right now. Yes, there is a lot of uncertainty in our economy as a whole, and in the retail sector particularly. Yes, there are far fewer discretionary dollars for consumers to spend than there were a few years ago. But I don't believe that any of this means that consumers are now destined to be permanently wary of anything but store brands and coupon-driven purchases. ]]> http://www.yousleepwhenyoudie.com/2011/10/27/recession-i-choose-not-to-participate/feed/ 1 National Customer Service Week: Who Is Your Hero? http://www.yousleepwhenyoudie.com/2011/10/04/national-customer-service-week-who-is-your-hero/ http://www.yousleepwhenyoudie.com/2011/10/04/national-customer-service-week-who-is-your-hero/#comments Tue, 04 Oct 2011 17:15:06 +0000 Jordan Zimmerman http://www.yousleepwhenyoudie.com/?p=2505 October 3 marks the beginning of National Customer Service Week, an annual event sponsored, since 1991, by the Customer Service Group. This special week is designed to encourage companies in all industries to reward their very best customer service reps by launching celebrations that shine a spotlight on best practices...As we enter National Customer Service Week, I want to ask you: What company is your hero when it comes to customer service -- and why? ]]> http://www.yousleepwhenyoudie.com/2011/10/04/national-customer-service-week-who-is-your-hero/feed/ 4 My Response To Target Meets Missoni: Big Mistake http://www.yousleepwhenyoudie.com/2011/09/22/my-response-to-target-meets-missoni-big-mistake/ http://www.yousleepwhenyoudie.com/2011/09/22/my-response-to-target-meets-missoni-big-mistake/#comments Thu, 22 Sep 2011 16:35:34 +0000 Jordan Zimmerman http://www.yousleepwhenyoudie.com/?p=2493 Notice that I'm not talking about the Target brand, but the Missoni fashion brand. The designer has now created two Missoni brands for its merchandise, each in deep conflict with the other: "Upscale Missoni" and "Missoni for Target." But the same brand is supposedly driving both experiences! Something's got to give.]]> http://www.yousleepwhenyoudie.com/2011/09/22/my-response-to-target-meets-missoni-big-mistake/feed/ 8 Missoni Meets Target: Your Verdict? http://www.yousleepwhenyoudie.com/2011/09/20/missoni-meets-target-your-verdict/ http://www.yousleepwhenyoudie.com/2011/09/20/missoni-meets-target-your-verdict/#comments Tue, 20 Sep 2011 16:12:19 +0000 Jordan Zimmerman http://www.yousleepwhenyoudie.com/?p=2485 I want to pose a larger question for readers of this blog: Was this marriage of a luxury brand and a low-end distribution channel a good idea or a strategic mistake? ]]> http://www.yousleepwhenyoudie.com/2011/09/20/missoni-meets-target-your-verdict/feed/ 21 Marketing Lessons From A Recession-Buster: Party City http://www.yousleepwhenyoudie.com/2011/09/06/marketing-lessons-from-a-recession-buster-party-city/ http://www.yousleepwhenyoudie.com/2011/09/06/marketing-lessons-from-a-recession-buster-party-city/#comments Tue, 06 Sep 2011 15:30:24 +0000 Jordan Zimmerman http://www.yousleepwhenyoudie.com/?p=2451 The big reason Party City is a great role model for today's retailers is that they treat the customer's money and time just as though it were their own...Party City now has an extremely successful marketing methodology in place, one that's resonating powerfully with consumers ... even when discretionary dollars are tight. ]]> http://www.yousleepwhenyoudie.com/2011/09/06/marketing-lessons-from-a-recession-buster-party-city/feed/ 6 Wake-Up Call for Big Retailers http://www.yousleepwhenyoudie.com/2011/07/19/wake-up-call-for-big-retailers/ http://www.yousleepwhenyoudie.com/2011/07/19/wake-up-call-for-big-retailers/#comments Tue, 19 Jul 2011 14:37:08 +0000 Jordan Zimmerman http://www.yousleepwhenyoudie.com/?p=2344 National retailers need to wake up and actually serve their customers. Acting like a small business can make you a big winner. ]]> http://www.yousleepwhenyoudie.com/2011/07/19/wake-up-call-for-big-retailers/feed/ 4 Pump It Up http://www.yousleepwhenyoudie.com/2011/06/10/pump-it-up/ http://www.yousleepwhenyoudie.com/2011/06/10/pump-it-up/#comments Fri, 10 Jun 2011 15:21:15 +0000 Jordan Zimmerman http://www.yousleepwhenyoudie.com/?p=2211 Take a look at a recent Nissan spot, one that I was particularly proud of. It uses gentle humor to hit two powerful "hot button" issues: the rising gas prices we are all facing these days ... and the Nissan line's impressive record of fuel economy. ]]> http://www.yousleepwhenyoudie.com/2011/06/10/pump-it-up/feed/ 2 askJZ: Not So Silly Now http://www.yousleepwhenyoudie.com/2010/06/16/askjz-not-so-silly-now/ http://www.yousleepwhenyoudie.com/2010/06/16/askjz-not-so-silly-now/#comments Wed, 16 Jun 2010 17:02:52 +0000 Jordan Zimmerman http://www.yousleepwhenyoudie.com/?p=1204 @JZspeaks via #askjz.

I noticed from your recent post you have an eighth grade girl graduating, congratulations! While reading Business Week, I saw a story about the Silly Bandz founder and thought of you, seeking your sage retail advice. My granddaughter, a bit younger than your graduate, goes crazy for the “bandz.” My question, and that of most (including Silly Bandz owner) is how does an entrepreneur manage such explosive retail growth effectively and build a sustainable brand?

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