Nothing rings in Christmas for me quite like visiting Miss Cayce's Christmas Store! The ladies that run this store have always been biz heroes of mine! I've had to pleasure of getting to know one of them a little better recently and she agreed to share some great business advice on "change"! Thanks for everything Becky!
Change happens, just as sure
as Christmas happens on December. 25!
Embrace it, learn to love it and use it to your advantage!
Embrace it, learn to love it and use it to your advantage!
On the plains of the wild wild west amidst pump jacks and prairie dogs,
tumbleweeds and mesquite trees is a one of a kind store called Miss Cayce's
Christmas Store. For almost 30 years we have opened our retail doors in our
hometown of Midland, in the Permian Basin of West Texas. Miss Cayce’s is named after our maternal
grandmother know affectionately as “Nana”, and a tribute to the 5 Cayce sisters
and our mamaw Cayce who raised them through change when her husband died before
the 5th sister was born. I co/own and operate Miss Cayce’s Christmas Store with
my sister , Kathy Harrison and with the help of family and at least 50
employees, many of which have worked for the us most of their careers.
What changes? In business,
especially a small business, you learn quickly “everything changes, whether you
want it to or not. It would be like wishing your children would never grow up.
(Try placing a brick on their head and see how that works) ha!
In owning and operating a
small business, someone once related a normal day this way “you walk in the
back door holding your basket full of your to do list written on balls, you
trip, the basket and balls go flying in the air….. and what you catch is what
you get done that day!”
How’s that for adapting to change on a daily basis?
We are a “new” store every year! Why you may ask? Because we like change. We
like to create, we are artist, and we have to leave our mark! Miss
Cayce’s opens every year at the corner of Midland Dr. and Wadley the week after
Labor Day. The store will be completely decked out for Christmas of course, but
a huge Halloween section is front and center for the brave customer who likes
whimsical more than wicked. The front will then “Change” after Halloween to
more fabulous Christmas! Our stores
talented designers make custom wreaths, garlands and arrangements that showcase
the wide variety of floral products and ribbon.
Thanksgiving can't be overlooked with such bountiful displays of pumpkins, pilgrims, and turkeys to bless your home.
Thanksgiving can't be overlooked with such bountiful displays of pumpkins, pilgrims, and turkeys to bless your home.
The Texas drought can’t keep us from growing some of the most creative
and beautiful Christmas trees in the country. We see decorating trees as an
opportunity to celebrate our artistic abilities. Our canvas is the tree and our
palette includes themes, textures, color, ribbon, and ornaments all mixed with
a twist on tradition! Every year we change the walls, furniture, accessories
and lamps to reflect the new themes and color stories. We change to coordinate
with the latest trends in fashion and home décor!
We love to share our enthusiasm for holiday decorating, it has become our
passion. Create, inspire, educate to
decorate is the mission of our business. Customers ask us how to Change their
trees to reflect their home décor or theme and still use their personal
ornaments. This led us to develop a "sister" business called Show Me
Decorating (this sister act includes our younger sister Jennifer) and we
created a DVD with guidebook, showcasing our expert tips and techniques for
decorating your largest Christmas decoration, the Christmas tree. As Change
would have it, technology changed and so did we. We have an App for that! We took our step by step tips and techniques
and created an app for the iPhone and iPad. We show you how to tie a bow, and
after learning to tie a bow you can conquer the decorating world!
We change our marketing. The
term social marketing in years past meant word of mouth, we claimed this to be
our best form of advertising! (and it still is!) Newspaper, radio, Tv were all
part of our marketing plan, but when did you last read the newspaper to get
your news or know about a sale? Technology is moving at light year speed and so
is marketing. Social media today is reading what you are reading now, a blog,
selecting who you want to hear from and
how you want to receive information and
or promotions.
5 years ago who had heard of FaceBook for business, pinterest for product
promotion, emails or blogs sent directly to your customers! Not to mention,
tweeting your message or sale, capturing
a QR code (try explaining that to your mom) She is on facebook and her age
group is having to adapt and change! Anybody seen a paper boy!? Our marketing
efforts continue to grow and change, and we believe it is the reason we are
celebrating 28 seasons of retail success!
We changed our cash registers
and updated to a POS system! A lot of tech changes for these two retailers, and
we were resistant to the change and the expense, however the benefits far out
way our feelings! Inventory control, no more guessing, ease of checkout for our
customers, and we are able to capture our customers information and communicate
with them and offer sales and promotions designed for them! Birthday club or
frequent shopper club?
From moms to grandmoms, (Kathy, mother of 3, Grana to 3), (I am Mom to a yours
mine and ours of 5 and Gram to 5!) we have gone through the life change as
well! Is it hot in here?
Change happens, thank goodness Kathy and I have had each other! When we want to resist change, she will pull or I will push. Change is exciting and 2013 will certainly be the year of change, as you will see.
Change happens, thank goodness Kathy and I have had each other! When we want to resist change, she will pull or I will push. Change is exciting and 2013 will certainly be the year of change, as you will see.
From oil boom town economy to bust and back again, change happens.
Through good and bad, in plenty and in want we have learned to be grateful for a free country and our rights as women to own and operate our own business and experience change!
One thing that never changes is our
passion, big hair, big smiles, and excitement! We will motivate you to create
magic in your own home with Holiday traditions, celebrations and "How
To" cheer
Adapt to Change to
stay in business:
1.
Change your look: personally (in style fashion)
your product (don’t hold on to it, have a sale and clean out), your store
(brick and mortar, or online) give people a reason to come and see!
2.
Change your marketing, where are your customers
finding you? What is new, how can it work for you?
3.
Change your technology, upgrade to a POS system
(point of sale) or CC capture for your mobile devices
4.
Change to an open mind, willing to learn from
others, classes, seminars etc.
5.
Accept the fact that life and business change
6.
Don’t resist!One of my favorite quotes!
Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if
you just sit there.
Show Me Decorating
App
Tie a Bow App
Pinterest
Blog
FB
Twitter
@showmedecorate
http://www.twitter.com/MissCayce
@MissCayce
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