Old Dog, New Tricks

Driving to work this morning, I had a senior moment. I made a right-hand turn and my signal light didn't click off. So I drove several miles down the road with my signal light blinking.

I've always thought on the old and infirm trekked down the road with an errant signal light winking away, so I guess that makes me old and infirm! But wait, I'm making great strides in other areas.

For instance, this week, we're working on a piece for Tack 'n Togs Magazine dealing with Web sites and their importance to the future of the lives of retailers. One of the first protests from retailers regarding Web sites is, "I'm too old to learn how to do a Web site."

Truth is, you're never too old.

When I was in college, back when dinosaurs roamed the Earth, about all we knew about computers was something called key punch. You punched out a bunch of cards and fed them through a machine the size of a building and out came "2+2=4" -- if you did it right. We were told in high school and college that everyone would have to learn programming. Obviously, no one had even thought about Bill Gates and Microsoft in the late 70s.

Since then, I've been through my share of technology revolution over the span of nearly 30 years in the publishing industry. I remember in 1981 when my boss at the time walked through the door with a funky looking television screen and a tiny keyboard, plopped it on my desk and proclaimed: "This is the future of publishing."

It was one of the first Macs ever produced with very rudimentary programming. This tiny piece of equipment was meant to replace the refrigerator-sized typesetting equipment we'd used up to that point.

It didn't take me long to warm up to desktop publishing. Today, for the life of me, I can't figure out how we surived doing it the old way. We must have been crazy!

Several years later, I attended a publishing technology conference where the first versions of Quark were presented. This program would later become the standard for producing newspaper pages. Build an entire newspaper page on a computer screen rather than cutting and pasting copy onto a sheet of layout paper? It was mind-boggling, but I dug in my heels and found a good Quark instructor and learned the program inside and out.

In the early 90s, the CEO of the company I was working with came to me and asked if I would head a team to investigate another new technology to see whether it was something the firm might benefit from. It was called "the information superhighway" back then. It was fraught with mystery and intrigue.

That was my introduction to Web sites and email and all of the glitz and glamour that goes along with it. The past couple years now, I've been the point person for our site at Tack 'n Togs www.tackntogs.com. It's definitely "out of the box" work for me, but enjoyable. I've also been working with the Western-English Trade Association this past year to build their Web presence.

I suppose back many years ago I could have determined that new technology wasn't for me and not bothered to keep my skills current. I doubt I'd be in the position I'm in today. Honestly, I had many colleagues in the early 80s who jumped out of publishing because they were convinced they'd never learn the new technology.

I don't know what field some of them ended up in, but I guarantee you, wherever they work, computers are impacting their life.

The message to retailers today, especially in the very tradition-bound equine trade industry, is expand your horizons, be willing to be a life-long learner and enjoy the wave of technology. I firmly believe it's going to be a matter of life and death for many retailers.

Back in the Saddle Again

It's always good to return home from a trip abroad, but sometimes the amount of work that stacks up while you're gone makes you wonder why you left in the first place. Fortunately, I have a great staff and they tend to most of the items that float through the office in my absence.

This evening, I'm going to go find out whether my horse still knows who I am or not. After such a long absence, I'm sure he'll be anxious to see me, as well as the bag of carrots! Sometimes I wonder which he loves more -- me or the carrots!

There are a huge number of things happening in the equine trade industry at this moment. I hope to start sorting some of them out for you over the next few days.

The rumor mill surrounding the Atlantic City Market and possible challenges to the Stanley organizers continues to buzz. So far as I've been able to confirm, all reports thus far are exactly that, rumors.

Another topic: success breeds its own challenges. The popularity of all things Western suddenly has spurred demand for products traditionally the purview of Western stores from mainstream retailers. A number of retailers are beginning to feel neglected, particular after difficulties some of them had obtaining product during the holiday shopping period. This will be an issue as long as the boom in Western continues. There are two (or more) sides to the issue.

For manufacturers to be successful financially and keep their wholesale prices down for smaller retailers, they needed the expanded market capacity. On the retailer side of things, most believe "you dance with the one that brung you." Since they've been loyal to these companies through thick and thin (and thinner), they would like to see some of that loyalty repaid.

There are many other topics on the horizon we'll be examining. I hope you'll come along for the ride.

While I enjoy my almost-daily chats with all of you, I'd sure be pleased if you'd go over to the side there and send a response to what you've written. I'd like nothing more than to get a dialogue going on these topics, rather than a monologue!

A Fond Farewell

The closing hours of the BETA International Trade Show are always a bit difficult for me. Part of it is the realization that most of these people I won't see again for a year. Some of them I'm in contact by email with on a regular basis, but our time together is precious.

The other side of the coin is the long days, which include little sleep and meals of food I wouldn't eat ordinarily at home, are at an end.

I always come home with dozens of ideas to share with the Tack 'n Togs readers. This year will be no different.

It's amazing how fast three days can whiz by and also how much work can be jammed into such a small parcel of time.

The attendance numbers for this year's BETA were up considerably from last year and most involved believe it was one of the best-attended versions in many years. Smiles grace most faces. Those who it is possible to please are pleased.

International travel has taught me a good deal, both about people and about the equine trade industry. I have known many residents of the UK as visitors to the United States and while always respecting their resolve and tenacity, have always thought of them as someone staid people.

Then I met the residents of the UK who are involved in the equine trade industry. They're a happy lot, shall we say. We could also say they love to have a good time and they immensely enjoy what they do. It shows.

Oh I run into a handful of loutish people each time I visit, but I'm sure any foreigner visiting the United States has the same experience.
As we ride up the escalator for our final depature from the National Events Center, I look forward to next year's venture, to reuniting with old friends and meeting new ones, to further food adventures and hotel rooms the size of walk-in closets.

If you've never visited BETA, think about. You won't regret the trip.

Coming Clean

At certain locations at the BETA International Trade Fair, it smells vaguely like a laundromat. There's a reason for that, other than the generally squeaky clean look of most of the participants.

The reason for the armoa is a stand sponsored by Laundry Machine Ltd. Their specialty is installing huge washing machines -- the size that can easily handle a horse blanket -- in retail operations. Retailers can then offer a blanket cleaning service, or as it's known here, a rug-washing service. It's a rather unique product to see at an equine trade show, but when you think of it, it makes sense.

Retailers often complain that their stores can't compete with Web sites. Well, what Web site have you seen recently that offers blanket-washing? Not many.

The key to successful retailing today is innovation. If you can build your retail operation as a service center, whether it be blanket washing or leather repair or something else, you give customers that many more reasons to walk into your store and see the great selection of other products you have.

Laundry Machine Ltd. is indicative of the spirit of BETA's trade show. It's designed to showcase the thousands of products manufacturers and other vendors have available and provide a reason for retailers to take the plunge and purchase their lines.
Everywhere you turn, innovation sprouts. In a later installment of this blog, we'll bring you details of the BETA innovation awards.

Sunday, the first day of the show, was busy and bustling with the noise level in the NEC facility rising to a roar by lunch-time. It has been an up-and-down year for equine retailers here, so there's a bit of caution in their way of looking at buying, although I'm told by "old hands" at this show that this isn't an unusual development. Retailers in the UK, apparently, tend to be rather careful about parting with their pounds.

I suppose a bit of frugality would serve one well, but a trade show like this one would seem like the ultimate opportunity to throw caution -- and the checkbook -- to the wind.

The weather in Birmingham is typically English, cloudy, wet and cool. That makes the gathering indoors that much more inviting.

Throughout the day I have taken breaks for something to drink and a bit to eat here and there in the press room the market organizers provide. It's a great service and hard to imagine participating in this trade show without this service. I am writing the last few pieces of this blog in the press room, which has everything a journalist could possibly need -- with the exception of a readily available Internet provider. Oh well, I guess it's true you can't have everything.

Travel Smarts

I broke three of my own hard and fast rules about traveling on my trip to Birmingham for the British Equestrian Trade Association International Trade Fair.

First rule: Never book flights late in the day. The leg of my flight from Minneapolis to Detroit was hopelessly delayed by a stroke of genius that made Northwest Airlines look like the Keystone Kops. Members of the crew arrived one at a time from around country. The co-pilot from Madison, the pilot from Denver, the flight attendants from yet another location. All of them late.

Knowing I had an international flight to catch in Detroit -- for London -- I began watching the clock carefully. Turns out there were about two dozen people on the flight catching the same flight to London. Another stroke of good luck ... we were flying with a 175 mile-per-hour jet stream at our back. We made the flight from Minneapolis to Detroit in 58 minutes.

We all made our connection.

Second rule: Never book overseas flights through an intermediary, in this case Travelocity. When I began looking for tickets for this flight, Northwest's Web site didn't have much to offer price-wise. I came up with an incredible rate at Travelocity, then phoned Northwest trying to find the same offer on their site. It could not be found. The booking agent from Northwest said, "Take it, but do it right away."

When I picked up my boarding passes in Minneapolis, I noticed I was smack in the middle of one of those four-seat rows where you feel like you're being held prisoner. On a seven-hour flight, not a good deal. Turns out, when you book through an intermediary like Travelocity, your seat preferences in your profile with Northwest don't show up, even if you're elite status.

Nothing I could do about it. The flight was fully booked. I was able to make the change to an aisle seat for the trip home.

Third rule: Never eat beans the night before an international flight. Nuff said.

The arrival into London's Gatwick was delayed due to a ground stop when a landing plan blew a tire and spread debris across the runway. Fortunately, I was smart enough to anticipate something like and booked my connecting bus for three hours past scheduled landing. A quick lunch of fish and chips and it was time to board the coach and see the countryside. Destination: The NEC in Birmingham.


5:13 p.m.

The National Events Center was bustling with activity as hundreds of vendors for the BETA International worked feverishly to complete their stands. Debris was everywhere, with the sounds of hammers and drills punctuating the cool and damp air. By Sunday morning at 9:30 a.m., the halls will be transformed into one of the world's leading equestrian trade shows.

I got as far as I could setting up the Tack 'n Togs booth, and then headed for the train station for the quick trip to my hotel in downtown Birmingham. If you're looking for a sleeping room, the Ibis receives high marks. It's spartan by American motel standards, but everything you need is there.

Charlene Strickland, a long-time freelancer for Tack 'n Togs, is also over for the trade show. We met for a bit of late dinner and since we are in the heart of China Town, you guessed it, we had Chinese food.

Tomorrow morning will be early wake-up call. Don't forget to check out the images from the BETA Trade Show on our Web site www.tackntogs.com.

BETA Bound

In just a few hours, I'll be flying to London and then on to Birmingham in the United Kingdom for the annual British Equestrian Trade Association (BETA) International Trade Show. The event is held in the cavernous National Events Center and attracts more than 350 vendors and thousands of retailers.

I often tell my overseas friends in the industry that in our country, markets and trade shows are a marathon. We go to show after show after show. In their countries, it's a sprint. One shot at it and it's over. Come. Don't come. But you don't get a second chance.

There's something to be said for both plans I suppose, although the one-shot approach means more serious buyers show up, rather than lookers.

BETA puts on a world-class trade show. The quality of the "stands" (what we call booths) is impressive. Their use of light and motion to create an inviting presentation for their products far outstrips what most American companies do at Denver of Atlantic City.

A favorite for me is getting to meet and greet all of my friends in the industry that I only see one time a year. A number of American companies and retailers make the trip, too. We'll try to track a few of them down this year and report back on what they're finding that's of interest.

We'll be posting pictures from the market under our Industry News section. Look for the Bright Lights at BETA link on our home page at www.tackntogs.com.

Final Wrapup From Atlantic City

My time at the Stanley Atlantic City Market ended Sunday night since I had to be in Chicago bright and early Monday for a meeting. This morning, magazine staff who stayed for the entire event said Monday the buyer traffic was very good. That makes sense since the snow was no longer an issue by then and anyone with plans to drive in could do so with ease.

At least with as much ease as one can drive from any location to another in that part of the country. Honestly, I think if you removed the horns from the vehicles belonging to New Jersey drivers, they'd have to park them!

Those who placed bets that Atlantic City would crap out as a location for an equine market probably lost some money. Now it's on to the Stanley fall market.

Atlantic City Market Review

The Stanley Atlantic City Market has mostly likely drawn to a close by the time you will be reading this. It was an interesting weekend, to say the least,

One of the worst snow storms in five years struck the Mid-Atlantic region while we were nestled in our beds. Fortunately, it seemed most participants had arrived Friday or Saturday, although a few did drag in off ice-covered roadways with harrowing stories on Sunday.

So how was it?

From my point of view, I believe the first market in this venue went off quite well. New digs always means new challenges, doing things a bit differently. It's a matter of live and learn. Solutions for the long waits on the loading docks some folks experienced are already being contemplated. Other glitches that arose would appear to have simple solutions.

The weather, of course, no one can do much about. It was Will Rogers I believe who said,"everyone talks about the weather but no one does much about it." If a major storm is going to head your way, you batten down the hatches and go with the flow.

For the most part, that's what happened in Atlantic City. The former location of this market, Ft. Washington, Pa., received more than 20 inches of snow. Atlantic City had about two inches. So had everyone gathered at the old location as some thought should have happened, there would have been people sleeping on the floors of the Ft. Washington Expo Center.

As it was, with many people staying at nearby hotels or the one hotel that connects directly to the Convention Center, the day at the market was only delayed a few minutes to an hour.

What Morey Stein and his company built is all good, but there's going to have to be some emphasis placed on the "he will come" part of that line from the baseball movie, "If you build it ..." they will come. Most of the retailers attending appeared to be enjoying themselves a great deal. Spirits were high, and why not? They were treated royally. Happy buyers are big buyers.

It's difficult to say what else could be done to entice store owners and buyers to Atlantic City when the market goes back into action this fall, but a strategy is in order. Given the vendor participation, the venue, the smart management of this market, tripling the number of buyers could make it a force to be reckoned with.

I had an interesting discussion this week with a colleague in another sector of the retail trade industry. He was quite amazed that retailers in the equine industry would be so bold as to proclaim they simply won't go to a market -- especially one as unique as the Stanley Atlantic City -- because of where the organizers choose to hold it.

In his world, the markets move from location to location, and retailers enjoy the diversity and added fun of discovering new surroundings in each host city.
This is yet another example of a very traditional equine trade industry, where change is generally considered bad until proven otherwise. For someone to say, "I'd rather not attend market than go to Atlantic City," is short-sighted and a classic example of shooting yourself in your own foot.

I'd rather not go see a dentist (ever!), but I do because I know it's the best thing for me.

It's A Blizzard

The rain started in earnest in Atlantic City on Saturday night and sometime during the night turned to snow. While the town only received about two inches, the 50-mile-per-hour wind gusts rattled windows and blew grown men off their feet.

Sunday morning, some hotels in the city were without electricity or partially without electricity, some even were sans water service. The Stanley Exposition shuttle buses braved the winds and snow to ferry people to the Atantic City Convention Center for the market.

Although attendance was a bit sparse, everyone on hand Sunday was just glad to be inside where it was warm and dry.

It dawned on me today listening to several vendors just how much "above and beyond" the Stanley folks have gone to entice buyers to this market. Free food. Free parking. Prizes giveaways. Cash giveaways. Retailers who missed this market missed a golden opportunity to be wined and dined.

Late Sunday afternoon I was scheduled to arrive back in Philadelphia for an early morning departure for Chicago in the morning. Philly was snowed under! The train ride from Atlantic City to Philadelphia went well, but the train connection from downtown to the airport was hopelessly late.

A quick cab ride whisked me to my hotel, only to discover no rooms were available. The hotel's housekeeping staff hadn't been able to make it to work until mid-afternoon so rooms were still be cleaned and prepared.

Tomorrow morning will probably come much too quickly.

Saturday Session

The first full official day of the Stanley Atlantic City Market was filled with activity with most vendors reporting good sales, a couple exceptional sales and a few poor sales.
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The most commonly heard comment was the beauty of the venue, The Atlantic City Convention Center. The ceilings are high, giving the market an airy and free feeling. Lights are bright and there are many spots to rest weary feet.

The most often heard complaint is that there just weren't enough buyers in the aisles. A brewing snowstorm throughout the Mid-Atlantic States may have been part of the reason and may also have an impact on Sunday's attendance. By 7 p.m. only rain had fallen in Atlantic City.

A "Lunch Learning Session" for retailers featuring free food and the wisdom of Tom Shaw drew nearly a full house.

The show came to a brief halt and everyone drew a collective gasp as an overloaded booth in one of the aisles crashed to the ground. No one was injured and the pieces were quickly picked up and the booth reassembled.

A slide show of the market has been posted on the Web site www.tackntogs.com. Look under Industry News.

Calm Before the Storm

It's Friday night in Atlantic City. The skies are gray and the feel of snow hangs in the air. A huge snow storm is predicted to hit the area sometime Saturday. Trade show organizers live in dread of snow storms.

With luck, most of those planning to attend are reaching Atlantic City tonight or first thing in the morning, prior to the snow.

The mood in the convention center this afternoon was mostly upbeat, although there was some grumbling about parking and costs.

No one knows for sure what will happen tomorrow, but everyone seems to be holding their collective breaths.

Atlantic City Bound

8 a.m. CST

Flying 39,000 feet above the Earth helps you put life in perspective. On the ground, schedules press in, the hustle and bustle of life is always there.

In the early morning air, a hot cup of coffee in one hand, you have time to think about what's ahead and to plan strategies. Everyone should have the opportunity to fly at least once a month, just to get in planning time.

When we found out last fall that the KOP Market would be moving to Atlantic City, I immediately went online and began looking at connections out of Minneapolis.
For those of you who don't know, Minneapolis is hostage to Northwest Airlines -- they own the airport, you fly Northwest or you drive ... mostly.

That's not an all-bad thing. Northwest is a great airline, despite the fact it's in bankruptcy. I've worked for several bankrupt companies over the years, and I'll have to say, my crew wasn't nearly as perky and pleasant as the Northwest folks are.
Oh, there's an occasional sour face or gruff voice, but for the most part, they seem to be holding up well.

Northwest's connections from Minneapolis to Atlantic City, however, were awful and expensive. In researching further, I discovered you could fly to Philadelphia and take a train to Atlantic City.

I cover two overseas trade shows for Tack 'n Togs each year and often use train transportation there. I grew up next to a set of train tracks. The sound of a diesel engine revving and the click-clack of the wheels were my lullaby many nights.
So that's the game plan for today -- fly to Philadelphia, take the train into downtown and then catch another train to Atlantic City.

This past week has been filled with speculation about what we're going to find at the Atlantic City Market. Just a few weeks ago, Kent Hopper, a fixture with Stanley Expos, resigned, setting off a round of speculation about his future plans.

Will retailers come? Will vendors be there? Will shoppers shop or will they hit the casinos? Will hotel prices make people think twice about coming back?

These sorts of questions are common with a new endeavor. I choose to be a "glass is half full" person where the market is concerned. I've known Morey Stein for five years and he's never given me a reason to wish him anything but great success.
I may change my mind by the last edition of this blog on Monday. You'll want to stay tuned!

Noon EST

The customer service "BOOB" prize of the day goes to Southeast Pennsylvania Transit Authority (SEPTA). My flight into Philadelphia was smooth and on time, so when I retrieved my luggage, I headed for the train station. Getting to Atlantic City is a two-step process. First you have to take a local train from the Airport into downtown and then pick up a regional tran at the 30th Street Station.

I proceeded to the train station at Airport to find that tickets were sold by machine only. Inconvenient, but workable. Upon further investgation, I discovered that the ticket kiosk didn't credit cards and didn't take the "new" $5, $10 or $20 bills. Actually, they haven't been new for some time now, so SEPTA is way behind.

Instead of refitting the bill mechanism, they placed a bill changer next to the ticket kiosk. So you take your "new" funny money, deposit it in the bill changer and get $1 coins, then you take those back over and put them in the ticket kiosk. What an odd arrangement! I can only guess the amount of political red tape it must have taken to come up with that solution.

Selecting a ticket is also a challenge because most of the writing on the ticket kiosk has long-since been rubbed off. I took a guess and must have guessed right because the machine spit out a ticket.

The train ride in from the airport to downtown Philly is a plesant enough journey. The trains aren't new by any stretch of the imagination, but they're servicable and comfortable enough for a 20-minute trip.

The next customer service glitches came when we arrived at the 30th Street Station. It was abundantly unclear where one would go to purchase a ticket to Atlantic City. After having to ask twice, I was finally pointed in the direction of a bank of ticket kiosks, equipped with credit card readers. How convenient.

The ticket-purchase process is fairly convenient. I discovered I had a 90-minute wait for my train to Atlantic City. The train station is cavernous and very blue-collar in its appointments. Reputedly, the station has Wi-Fi but after three attempts to hook up to the network, I finally got a fatal error message. Guess they don't need the business.

Food choices were limited to McDonald's and similar offerings.

1:47 p.m. EST

I walked onto the train for Atlantic City and bumped straight into two good friends, Ron Friedman and Wayne Epstein. It made the last leg of the journey that much more enjoyable. The train stops virtually inside the Atlantic City Convention Center. We all trooped upstairs and began preparing for three busy days of trade show.

Big Retailer Blues

The first quarter of 2006 hasn't been exactly upbeat for many of our country's large retailers. OfficeMax is closing 100 stores in the United States. Zales Corp, Toys R Us and Musicland have followed suit. Home Depot says it's going to cut back on the number of stores it had planned to open over the next five years.

What's going on?

Several things.

America is becoming "overstored," to borrow a phrase from CNN. There's currently 19.5 square-feet of retail space for every shopper in the country. Somewhere, the need has to be declared met.

Another factor impacting brick-and-mortar choices is online shopping, which is now growing at the rate of 20 percent annually, according to most estimates. Here's a statistic that will give you pause for thought. Online retailing is second only behind Wal-Mart in total sales.

The cost of operating a brick-and-mortar store are also on the rise. If you've paid your energy bill recently, you know what I mean.

While each of the challenges mentioned impacts equine retailers to some extent, the unique aspect of their business provide slightly more insulation than a broad merchandise retailer might have.

However, it's clear that watching the bottom line is going to be even more vital than ever in the coming year in order to insure economic health.

The Wal-Mart Effect

I don't get nearly enough time to read books, but occasionally I clear the boards to make room for a book in my life. I'm currently reading "The Wal-Mart Effect -- How the World's Most Powerful Company Really works -- and How It's Transforming the American Economy" by Charles Fishman.
It's an interesting read with lots of lessons for small retailers. Some of the lessons are on how to do things and some can best be described as how NOT to do things.
One of things that has struck me about Wal-Mart is that, according to Fishman anyway, it's run by bunch of stingy skinflints. Did you know that Wal-Mart asks its employees who travel to bring pens back from their hotels to use in the offices in Bentonville, Ark.? One of the largest sellers of office products has to depend on pens from Days Inn to keep operating?

Here's another example. Offices at the Wal-Mart headquarters are often furnished with lawn chair samples left behind by vendors, saving the cost of having to purchase office furniture.

I suppose there's something to be said for that kind of frugality, but it also sets a tone and fosters a negative public image that until very recently Wal-Mart just didn't get it.

Here are some other interesting facts from the book:

* Nearly 70 percent of Americans now live within a 15-minute drive of a Wal-Mart store.

* Wal-Mart is not only the world's largest company, it is also the largest company in the history of the world.

* Americans spend $26 million every hour at Wal-Mart, 24 hours a day, every day of the year.

The war over Wal-Mart has divided America into two camps -- those who hate Wal-Mart and those who love Wal-Mart ... perhaps a third, those who love to hate Wal-Mart. Fishman's book tries to push the discussion beyond the good-bad argument to help readers understand the company and its impact on the country.

When it's all said and done, the difference between Wal-Mart and mom-and-pop retailers in the equine industry is the personal touch and customer service. As long as you work on those two traits, you'll never have anything to fear from a competitor, even a Wal-Mart. But the Wal-Mart Effect is something retailers deal with every day as customers become so tuned to price they forget about quality.

Clearly, the war has not ended.

Consumer Connections

I couldn't imagine being able to do a good job as editor of an international equine trade publication without owning a horse.

Here's why. A couple days ago, the barn manager where I board Jack told me the farrier had said he had a small case of thrush. I approached it as if I were the owner of a retail store with a customer who has come in to find something for thrush in his horses.

Mentally, I ran through everything I'd ever read about thrush and curing it and remembered being impressed by a product or two from my studies. I purchased one and used it and it worked.

Equine retailers have to be informed about a lot of different topics, ranging from the horse health issues to clothing styles to the latest in show rules. It's not an easy job and one that most people who don't have retail experience never think about.

With the explosion in information available at your fingertips today, it's easier than ever to be informed. It's a matter of taking the time to learn everything you can and then using it to help build your business.

Retailers should be looked upon as experts in their field. If a consumer walks into a shop that sells Western saddles, any employee of that shop should be able to convince the customer that the saddles on that store's floors are the best product for the price they're going to find anywhere -- online, catalogs ... anywhere. Without offering product knowledge, equine retailers are just another Wal-Mart.

Knowing the industry, knowing the products, knowing the topics of interest are what sets you apart. It's what makes you indispensable. It's what consumers can't get from a Web site. In essence, it is your business.

I can't tell you how many stores I've walked into over the years looking for a product to cure thrush or something similar and asked for a recommendation. The usual response is, "we've got shelves full of it over there." If you polled consumers and asked them whether they'd prefer a "look over there" response to a "here, try this ... it's a good product," they'd say they prefer the higher level of customer service every time.

How good is your customer service? How much product knowledge do you and your employees have? Do you point people in a direction or do you offer true service?

The answers to those questions could mean the difference between success and failure.

Old Sport, New Realities

My wife and I attended a performance of the 2006 Bulls and Broncs Tour Rodeo, billed as the "world's toughest rodeo." I'm sure there are other rodeo producers who would argue that point, but it was an enjoyable performance nonetheless.
We attend perhaps as many as 15 rodeo performances each year, big and small, indoors and outdoors -- everything from PBR down to local association rodeos. I tend to look to see which companies in our industry are sponsoring what, whose products everyone is wearing and listening to the comments of the fans around us. That's probably the most interesting aspect of a rodeo performance.
We don't exactly live in the rodeo capital of America so often when the rodeo announcer asks how many have never been to a rodeo before, a lot of hands go up. The comments from many of the folks around us often deals with whether the animals are being hurt, whether the riders are being hurt, whether the bulls are "mad," how a horse can buck across the arena and poop at the same time.
Sometimes I wish rodeo producers would offer a 10- or 15-minute "rodeo school" prior to each performance to give neophytes in the audience an idea of what to look for. Some rodeo announcers do a better job than others of doing this, but it needs to be more formal.
I didn't grow up with hockey. My first assignment as a sports editor when I began my journalism career was in a town with a long tradition of hockey excellence. My first step was to find the hockey old-timers in town, sit down with them and have them teach me the game from the drop of the puck to the final whistle. I discovered a "hat trick" had nothing to do with hats and a "check" had nothing to do with money in the bank.
Not only did it heighten my ability to write about the game, it raised my level of enjoyment considerably. It made me want to go to more hockey games.
I think the same would happen with rodeo.
I'm not saying you'd need to do this in every part of the country. Obviously, it might be redundant to folks in Texas or Oklahoma, but even there, rodeo is attracting more fans every day. Wouldn't it be nice if they understood what the spur-out rule was or what an association saddle is?
Something else that would be accomplished is that those who attend rodeos might be more interested in wearing the "uniform" that goes along with the sport. If you go to an NBA game, everyone in the audience wears a team something. Most rodeo fans today wear sneakers, cutoffs, t-shirts and baseball caps.
Part of the problem here is that retailers don't do as good a job of partnering with rodeo productions as they could. For instance, the week before the performance in our community, I didn't see or hear one advertisement from any of our Western stores saying, "Come in and buy your hats and boots in time for the rodeo this weekend."
I have yet to attend a rodeo in our neck of the woods where I haven't been asked, "where did you get that hat?" or "where did you buy your boots?" or "Are those boots comfortable?" There's an interest level on the part of the spectators, there just isn't much follow-through.
I can't help but think that there isn't a great opportunity to help the sport of rodeo, retailers and manufacturers by doing a better job of connecting the dots for spectators who want to know more and be part of the scene.

The Outside of a Horse is Good for the Inside of a Man

I think that's quote is most often attributed to Winston Church. I have to say, I agree wholeheartedly.
Yesterday, I left my desk a bit early and headed out to the ranch to ride.
It was nearly 50 degrees.
In Minnesota.
In February.
Unheard of! We don't often get opportunities to ride outdoors during the winter. Thank God for large indoor arenas, but those get old after a while. My Quarter Horse, Jack, has been going through extreme indoor arena anxiety over the past couple weeks. You can't blame him, I suppose. There isn't much to see.
The dirt on the arena floor. The gates. The barn dogs. Occasionally another horse or two.
By this point in the winter, he comes to dread the indoor because it always means work. And while he's normally a willing worker and an eager beaver about pleasing his rider, too much indoor work gets him grumpy. He stomps around in the dirt with his lower lip hanging out and his ears pinned back.
Riding outdoors means the opportunity to enjoy the great outdoors and explore. There's nothing he likes better than exploring. He doesn't miss anything going on in his world.
He's not a jumpy horse and I don't think I've ever had him all-out spook on me. He takes his job as protector quite seriously and has amazing eyesight. That's good because I don't.
So when he sees something off in the distance, he starting talking to me. His ears go back and forth and he turns around to make sure I'm listening. He seems to be saying: "do you see that ... is that something I should be worrying about ... should we go fight it ... should we run back to the barn ..."
A pat on the neck and a reassuring "it's okay" usually results in a huge sigh and we're off to the next adventure.
He's usually an amazingly unflappable horse. Barking snarling dogs running at us from farm houses along the road where we ride don't even get so much as a flip of the ear. A deer bounding across our path out on the trail doesn't get more than quick glance. He'll walk right up to a chugging churning tractor redoing the dirt in the arena and put his nose on it.
The time or two I've come off have been totally my own fault.
Yesterday's ride was an opportunity to explore water puddles (small lakes, actually) and I don't think he missed the opportunity to splash through a one of them! We were covered in mud by the time we got back to the barn. But the warm sun and the light breeze made it an absolutely perfect day for riding.
Neither of us really wanted the ride to end, but it gets dark early around here and there always seems to be that next thing on my schedule.
We finished our time together with a desensitizing lesson with the clipper. How odd that such a bold horse who sniffs at danger and challenges it outright is turned into a bowl of mush by a small and very quiet clipper!
He doesn't get trimmed much over the winter. I figure he needs all the hair he's got to stay warm. But by this time of year, he's starting to look more like a wooly mammoth than a horse.
I brought along a couple of huge old carrots, his favorite food, and held out the carrot while working the clipper off and on. He snorted and jumped a couple times and then stopped to think about it and his food instinct won out. Several minutes later I was clipping all over his face and neck and he was standing quietly, munching contentedly on pieces of carrot.
When I put Jack back in his paddock, he stands by the gate and watches until I'm completely out of sight and then heads for the water trough and his buddies. Life is good.
I can't help but think that the world would be a much better place if everyone had a horse in his/her life.

Business Survival

I spent some time this morning working on a workshop I'm hosting for the Western-English Trade Association as part of the All Industry Conference in Austin in May. The subject is "Surviving Disaster -- Would Your Business Blow in the Wind?"
It seems like forever ago that the news was filled with the stories of destruction from hurricanes across the southern coast of the United States. Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas were all hit to one extent or another this past hurricane season.
But my sense is that the lessons taught by Katrina and her sisters and brothers have already cooled. One of my goals for the session in Austin is to impact the thinking of business owners enough so that they'll take the threat seriously.
Ask yourself: If a hurricane struck my community today, what would happen to my business? Would I survive or would I lose it all and have to start over again?
Naturally, some things are unavoidable, but there are a good number of things you can do to help yourself be a survivor. For instance, your computer records. Are they backed up each day and stored in a safe (and dry) place? Nationally, the number of people who would survive with a business intact is small.
The "Surviving Disaster" session is one of many that will be taking place at the conference. If you'd like to learn more about joining the Western-English Trade Association and attending the conference, visit www.wetaonline.com.
Incidentally, I read yesterday that hurricane forecasters are saying that the coming storm season could be at least as destructive as the one that just passed. Something to think about.

Going Out For Business

Today is the last day of business for a well-known hardware store in a neighborhood in St. Paul, just a few miles from our home. It's been in the news all week. The store's been around for decades, family owned and a fixture in the community.
So, you would guess, the unfortunate owners were forced out of business because of big-box stores building up around them. Another small business suffers from the Wal-Martization of America. Of course, it has to be.
Well, you would guess wrong. The owners gambled and lost. Several years ago, when things were going great, they decided to open a second store, which failed financially and the debt incurred from that failed expansion drove them out of business. Nothing else.
A representative from a trade association that represents hardware stores in our state was interviewed and he confirmed that as a whole, small neighborhood hardware stores are doing well, beating the odds and thriving. Many new stores have opened in recent months, all are doing well.
But isn't it amusing to note that when you first began reading this, you immediately shifted into the "unfair competition" mode of thinking.
Now I'll have to tell you upfront, I'm not a big fan of Wal-Mart or any of the other big-box retailers, primarily because I'm just old enough to remember when you walked into a store and someone greeted you with a smile and offered assistance. I'm one of those who will still pay a bit extra to get that level of service.
That said, I'm also not convinced that the "big guys" necessarily have to be the death of the "little guy." I am convinced the "little guy" has to try harder, sharpen his pencil and get out of the box. Whoever said retail was supposed to be a matter of opening the door each morning and locking it every night?
Competition -- at all levels -- is healthy. I think most of us would rather do without competition, but if you look at it through the consumer's eyeballs, there's no question it's how the system is supposed to work.
I know a grocer in my home state of North Dakota who owned a store that was head-and-shoulders above the competitor. The competitor chose not to fight and instead opted to close. The successful store owner, being the wise retailer he was, actually purchased the competitor's store and continued to operate it under a different name with separate staff because he didn't want to have to hear the continuous refrain about how since he now had a monopoly on groceries, he could set the prices wherever he wanted.
I was always amazed to hear people in the community (most who knew what was going on) claim they favored one market over the other because the prices were better or the people were nicer or whatever. And of course, my friend the grocer laughed all the way to the bank!
A couple months ago, another hardware store in our area closed and again the media outlets jumped on the bandwagon. Their attempts to make this a "big guy kills the little guy" story were clear. Wal-Mart had just opened a super-store in the community. Certainly that had to be the reason.
Buried in paragraph 28 of most of the stories printed was a quote from the owner giving the real reason he was closing his store. He had an oppportunity to work for an employer in the community who had been after him for years and decided this was the time. He didn't pursue selling the store because he didn't want to take the time.
In fact, one newspaper quoted him as saying, "we've always made a good living from the store, it was just time to do something else."
It's sad to see any retailer go out of business, but it's even sadder to think that the American public has been so conditioned by the media and the culture that they immediately think something sinister caused the closure. Look for the reason behind the reason.