Not-so-random thoughts from Bill McCurry
Editor's Note: Bill McCurry doesn't have a blog - other
than occasionally he takes an entire
issue of the McCurry Marketing Idea
Exchange to write an "editorial" and
this is one of those issues.
Regular idea exchange will return next
week. Your comments, questions, concerns
and observations are encouraged at
editor@mccurryassoc.com
Yet again, we are subjected to the
media saying, "Another camera store has
been driven out of business by the
digital revolution." How long will
uninformed editors continue to say such
misguided things? (Example: Dover Photo
Falls Victim To Digital Revolution -
http://www.dailyrecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070508/COMMUNITIES13/705080324
)
Two years ago, I was invited to speak
to a PMA gathering in Auckland, New
Zealand. Whenever possible I try to
visit local PMA members to better
understand their business conditions. I
was escorted to a long-time lab in
downtown Auckland that was conducting
their going out of business auction on
the day we visited. There was a sign on
the door that said, "Going Out Of
Business Due To Digital." We were in the
store one minute when I asked my New
Zealand industry guide to step outside.
"Go inside, look at the shelf to the
left of the door, observe what you see
and come tell me. I'll be here on the
sidewalk." She went in and came out
quickly. "There are dust marks on the
glass where each frame was sitting." I
wouldn't even call this an astute
observation - the dust marks were
visible at 10 feet away. (OK, three
meters away for you purists who know New
Zealand is metric).
What's the point? Digital did NOT put
this retailer out of business. What put
him out of business was his inability to
recharge his personal batteries and hit
the challenge of change head on. He got
tired, let the store get run down and
the vicious cycle started . . . cash
flow got tight, he got a "hardening of
the attitudes" and rather than admit he
needed to change he blamed his demise on
outside forces. Like the proverbial
buggy whip manufacturer that was put out
of business by the automobile, when you
don't change and adapt to new
marketplace opportunities you will
perish. Guaranteed.
Darwin is often misquoted as saying
"Survival of the fittest" In fact, what
Darwin studied was adaptation of the
species. What he said was those
(specifically birds on Galapagos
Islands) who adapted bigger and stronger
beaks could survive the change in food
source while those who kept status quo
starved to death. Today's pop business
culture calls it, "The Big Don't Eat The
Little - It's The Fast That Eat The
Slow".
Before you think I'm playing God with
people's business decisions, let's get
one thing straight. McCurry's was a
successful photo operation for 80 plus
years. We were blessed with a great team
and wonderful customers. Had we not
said, "yes" when we got the call to buy
our photo business, I don't know if we'd
still be in business today. Why? Change
is easier to talk about than to do.
Would I have had the vision to see the
opportunities? We'll never know . . .
It's not guaranteed. Sometimes we can
feel overwhelmed - it's a natural result
of immense change and all the pressures
of running a business. I salute those of
you who each day continue to open your
doors, pay your employees and offer
unique services to your customers.
Let's look at those who have
rebounded and captured the vision . . .
what are they saying? One retailer
(client) who discussed bankruptcy with
me earlier this year just sent an email
saying, "It's a relief generating more
money than we spend, but it sure is time
consuming!" Yes, that's why they call
what we do "work". Another said, "It's
different, we're different, but we're
profitable and making more money today
than any time this century."
What are these successful retailers
doing? They are recommitting themselves
and their passions to their business.
They aren't blaming anyone but
themselves. They are looking at the
opportunities digital brings for their
business and they are going for it.
They're taking responsibility for their
future. Sure, it's tough - No, it's not
always fun. But it can be worthwhile and
the good guys are wining more and more.
Start by looking at your store. Would
"Jennifer" want to shop in your store?
Do you have last year's merchandise on
sale? Last year I visited a store with a
"brand new" 8mm movie editor on display
-- it hadn't sold in 25 years. The
retailer was in fact scaring away
customers showing obsolete merchandise.
He gave it to a friend to sell on eBay,
pocketed $22 and filled his store with
pictures where he didn't have enough
merchandise to display. Progress comes
in lots of little steps.
Here's a thought that will cause
heartburn . . . Do you have "antique"
cameras on display as a kind of "in
store museum"? It hit me like a ton of
bricks how many "under 40's" see this
nostalgia as a sign of a company rooted
in history (which to them is bad) and
not a company that is embracing the
future. Younger people want to shop
where things are cool, exciting and
cutting edge. I've enjoyed seeing all
the old cameras - but I'm not your
target audience . . . If you feel you
need to keep old cameras on display,
then make them look clearly like a
museum display in a secondary location,
not a major focus of your store . . .
It's a different customer out there.
Think about how your store presents
itself to a first time customer. . .
Exciting or Obsolete? Inviting or
Repulsive? It's a great world we're
living in - as an industry we've turned
the corner for digital profitability -
now are you ready to capitalize on the
challenge? The choice is yours.
