Small business retail advice: nurturing happiness in your shop

Let’s talk about happiness in retail, in local small business retail especially.

There’s no doubt that being happy in your work makes a big difference to your overall wellbeing. And in retail, it’s especially important to be happy, because your mood can rub off on your customers and your colleagues.

But happiness isn’t something you can just decide to feel. It takes desire, planning and commitment.

Here are a few tips for finding, nurturing, and managing happiness in your local small business retail shop:

• Create a happy place. From music to scent to shop layout to lighting to things shoppers can engage with, make decisions that lean into happiness. These are physical things you can control, things that can easily tell everyone in the shop that this is a happy place. In our view, this first tip is by far the most important.
• Have good data. This might sound boring, but good data is essential for making informed decisions about your business. And when you make good decisions, you’re more likely to be happy with the results.
• Be in control. Don’t let suppliers or other people push you around. Use your data to make your own decisions, and don’t be afraid to stand up for yourself.
• Price for margin and turn. This means setting prices that will give you a good profit margin, but that will also sell quickly.
• Lean on others. Don’t try to do everything yourself. Build a team of happy and talented people who can help you run your business.
• Set your narrative. In your marketing and social media, be positive and optimistic. This will help to create a happy and welcoming atmosphere for your customers.

Of course, there are also some more practical things you can do to create a happy retail environment.

Happiness is good for business, and it’s good for you. So make sure you’re taking steps to find and nurture happiness in your retail shop.

Cheers! 🍻

P.S. Don’t forget to smile! 😃