The Pet Project: Some store owners have partnered with their pets to bring something extra to their stores.

As a general rule, I’m not accustomed to being greeted by a poodle when I walk into a store. But on a recent visit to a local New Age shop, there he was: gun-metal gray and showing his age with some silver around the edges, calmly staring at me as if to say, “What, you’ve never seen a dog before?”  At first, I thought this curly old man of a dog must belong to a customer, but then I saw his comfy bed in the corner and noted his calm familiarity with the store. Clearly he belonged to this place.
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Shoestring Marketing: Creative, budget-friendly ways to get your store noticed

While many people pull back on their marketing during tough economic times, experts warn that isn’t the way to go. They strongly advise increasing your marketing so customers continue to notice and buy from your business. Advising retailers to increase their marketing during hard economic times is easy, but following that sage advice takes courage when your sales are dropping and the future looks less than rosy.
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One of the biggest challenges at any retail store is purchasing inventory and then managing the delicate balance between not having enough and having too much. One solution? Consider adding consignment products to your mix this spring.
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Each individual who walks through your door is a new customer, whether it’s her first visit or her hundredth. Every time a person stops in, that visit represents new potential for a sale and an opportunity for a fresh impression, which is critical to every purchase. 
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