Outdoor Retailer - April 2021 - 9

store. Just ask Andrew McQuillen, employee at The Hike Shack in Prescott, Arizona.
" I consider myself extremely lucky to have
owners that care immensely about our wellbeing. They've also given some of us more
opportunities to grow involved in the store
and its operations. The way they value us inspires loyalty and a drive to see the business
succeed. " Empowering your team has deep
rewards that not only impact morale but also
the bottom line.

RETAIL 101

Get Fired Up!
Reignite the excitement in your outdoor sales team
with these six tips. by Jordan Martindell

Freepik

THIS YEAR HAS TAKEN QUITE A TOLL ON
brick-and-mortar retail shops. Many retailers
have had to let staff go, figure out how to make
it work with fewer resources, or even (sadly)
close up shop. If your store has survived thus
far, you are clearly doing something right. But
if your staff seems to have a case of the doldrums, try these tips to get your team reinspired and ready for spring.
GET DIRTY
Many bosses tout the phrase, " There is nothing I will ask you to do that I wouldn't do. " But
does your team see that in action? You will
be amazed at what an hour spent on the sales
floor or in the stockroom will do as a morale
booster. Have you cleaned the bathroom
lately? Have you helped your merchandiser
with the window display recently? These
small gestures add up, so schedule yourself
some time to get into the nitty-gritty with your
team-it will pay off.

PROVIDE INSPIRATION
One of the best leaders I worked with used to
assign a different manager the task of bringing inspiration to our staff meetings. This
resulted in a wonderful array of stories, songs,
poetry, and activities that not only uplifted
the staff (and, yes, cultivated inspiration), but
it also provided a window into our co-workers
that we might not have discovered otherwise.
The hidden jewelry designer, band member, and volunteering junkie came out of the
woodwork with these creative sessions, and
our team became closer because of it.
EMPOWER YOUR TEAM
One of my managers used to say, " Don't be
the hero! " And by this she meant, don't do
everything yourself. Delegating your to-do
list and giving ownership is a great way to
keep people motivated to do more and do it
better. It also allows you to see who has the
potential to become a future leader in your

DON'T OVERSCHEDULE
Too many employees scheduled at once can
result in boredom. Boredom can lead to gossip, inactivity, too much socializing (and
ignoring of customers), and, of course, just
boredom. No one wants to work somewhere
that is boring! Take time to schedule just
enough people to support your business'
needs, and always have a Plan B for your
team if customer traffic dies down. A Plan
B can be anything from a retagging project,
refolding a section of the store, and cleaning
tasks to product-knowledge initiatives.
RESPECT THE SCHEDULE
Most of your employees work at your shop
because they love the outdoors, so giving
them time to play is critical to their happiness. Try to publish your schedule two weeks
in advance in order to allow people time to
plan their lives. Honor requests for time off
for travel and adventure, and ensure you
have a large enough staff to handle those
requests. Try not to make changes once a
schedule has been published. Too many adjustments can result in frustrated employees
who don't trust your operational abilities.
SHARE YOUR BUSINESS NUMBERS
People want to feel as if they are a part of something bigger. Don't assume that your part-time
associate isn't motivated by your sales goals.
Sharing hourly and daily sales goals with your
team and following up with the store's overall
performance can create a shared-vision mentality. This is also a great opportunity to identify
those who take a keen interest in business and
might be ready for more responsibility. O.R.
April 2021 / OUTDOOR RETAILER 9

http://thehikeshack.com/

Outdoor Retailer - April 2021

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