Marketing

Your Target Customers: Who Are They and What Do They Want? January/February 2006 by Doug Fleener Click here to read this article.

What’s In Store This Summer? Marketing Through Store Events and Activities March/April 2010 by Kathleen McHugh Hot town, summer in the city. In independent toy stores around the country, little hands will be getting dirty and gritty this summer as they sculpt, paint, and glue their way through June, July and August. Click here to read this article.

What's in a (Written) Word? May/June 2004 by Dawn Josephson Power-writing expert Dawn Josephson reveals the 21 most effective words for getting people to buy Click here to read this article.

What Are Your Ducks? November/December 2007 by Paul Studebaker Differentiation is what sets your store apart from the rest. Read what other businesses have done to stand out Click here to read this article.

Value Versus Price: The True Cost of Toys March/April 2008 by Phil Wrzesinski Toy and baby-product retailer Phil Wrzesinski shares his formula for helping customers select the best toy for the best price. Click here to read this article.

Use the Press to Pack Your Event November/December 2004 by Brenda Bell Follow these easy-to-implement tips for writing press releases Click here to read this article.

Use Neighborhood Toy Store Day To Market Your Store For The Holidays July/August 2011 by Kathleen Mchugh Click here to read this article.

Tween Scene November/December 2012 by Alyssa LaFaro Meeting the needs of a tricky market Click here to read this article.

Tuning to Twins March/April 2004 by Heather Merrell Diana Nielander of Lekotek talks about reaching parents of multiples Click here to read this article.

Tried And True Or Tired And Through? March/April 2011 by Doug Fleener Click here to read this article.

Trend Spotting: Who’s Who and What’s New in Media May/June 2010 by Lisa Orman Looking back over the 16 years I’ve worked in media relations, I can see that there have been many major changes in who we talk to, how we talk with them and even what we talk about. Click here to read this article.

Trading Tips for Summer Sales May/June 2003 Get advice on boosting your summertime business from people who have done it Click here to read this article.

Tips for Great Business Cards January/February 2008 by Karen Saunders Click here to read this article.

The Power Pack July/August 2011 by Maria T. Bailey How You Can Reach Moms and Why They’re Important Click here to read this article.

The Industry Buzz About Holiday Shopping September/October 2008 by Anya Harris Retailers share their fourth-quarter strategies. Click here to read this article.

Spin Your Stories Into Gold March/April 2010 by Cathy Donovan Wagner You come back from Toy Fair with so much new … new toys, new friends, new ideas and new enthusiasm. Click here to read this article.

Smart Solutions for Changing Times September/October 2004 by Susan E. Reynolds PR expert Susan Reynolds looks at the strategies that specialty retailers and manufacturers are using to get ahead Click here to read this article.

Screen Test–Is your store the next big star? September/October 2006 by Tina Manzer Cinema advertising proves effective for both big-time marketers and small business owners Click here to read this article.

Say It Big September/October 2006 by Stacy Majewicz Specialty toy stores use wacky billboards to catch the eye of current and potential customers. Click here to read this article.

Sales Management Strategies for a Successful Recession January/February 2009 by George Ludwig Peak performance psychologist George Ludwig offers strategies that generate slaes Click here to read this article.

Retailers Share Extraordinary Ideas for Fourth Quarter September/October 2007 by Kari Anderson At the ASTRA Marketplace and Academy in Las Vegas this June, retailer and Good Toy Group Director Idanna Smith led a session called “Ready, Set, Sell.” She brought her own ideas for maximizing fourth-quarter sales, then opened the floor to the retaile Click here to read this article.

Read Body Language for “Buy Signals” January/February 2009 by John Boe John Boe, one of American's top sales trainers and customer service experts, discusses body language and how to interpret it to read your customers' "buy signals" Click here to read this article.

Presto-Chango Holiday Decorating September/October 2006 by Barbara Hummel-Hardy Click here to read this article.

Power Questions January/February 2013 by Tina Manzer Use Them to Build Better Relationships at Trade Shows Click here to read this article.

Pinspiring Window Displays September/October 2012 by Alyssa LaFaro Use Pinterest to get inspired – and organized – to decorate your storefront Click here to read this article.

Marketing Isn’t the Boogeyman May/June 2007 by Duane Schreiner Click here to read this article.

Managing Employees of All Ages January/February 2010 If you’re like most independent toy-store owners, you’re using this retail transition time to step back and look at your store with new eyes. Click here to read this article.

Make Time for Play at Trade Shows January/February 2009 by Duane Schreiner Click here to read this article.

Loyalty Programs: Does Yours Work? May/June 2010 by Cathy Donovan Wagner When I had my stores, I went to every seminar I could and read every book to find out how to increase sales. Click here to read this article.

Kids Say "No!" to Brands January/February 2003 by Paul Kurnit, President and Founder of KidShop Marketing expert Paul Kurnit discusses brand backlash and what it means to specialty Click here to read this article.

Keep Them Coming Back January/February 2005 by Brenda Bell Best ways to communicate with your customers about your special events Click here to read this article.

Get Kids Up, Out And Playing March/April 2011 by Tina Manzer Click here to read this article.

For the manufacturers in our industry–Experts Recommend Trade Advertising September/October 2006 by Tina Manzer A new report reveals why executives continue to trust and rely on b-to-b ads. Click here to read this article.

Everyone’s Talking About Word-of-Mouth Marketing January/February 2008 by Tina Manzer More and more marketers are using this age-old process to influence consumers. Click here to read this article.

Endcap May/June 2005 by Debbie Allen Maintain your message with branding and advertising Click here to read this article.

edplay's Guide to Toy Fair: What (Not) to Wear January/February 2013 by Alyssa LaFaro There’s a vital piece of knowledge in the trade show world, passed down through the generations, that will no doubt lead you to a successful trade show experience. Click here to read this article.

edplay's Guide to Toy Fair: Take Advantage of Learning Opportunities and Discover Top Trends January/February 2013 by Kristin Morency When the American International Toy Fair opens its doors on February 10, visitors from more than 100 countries will have access to 100,000-plus innovative products . . . Click here to read this article.

edplay's Guide to Toy Fair: Be Inspired by New York’s Independent Toy Stores January/February 2013 by Alyssa LaFaro Stop in when you're in town. Click here to read this article.

Design Your Logo Like a Pro January/February 2006 by Eileen “Turtle” Parzek Click here to read this article.

Create Synergy With TV and Web Ads November/December 2007 by Peter Koeppel Combining marketing approaches increases your exposure an ups viewers' interest Click here to read this article.

Closing the Loop From Leads to Sales January/February 2009 by Jefferson Davis Trade show success expert Jefferson Davis reveals the seven steps of effective lead follow-up Click here to read this article.

Branded July/August 2008 by Tina Manzer The names you choose for your store, website, special services and exclusive product should convey more than just “fun” to capture and hold the loyalty of today’s consumers. Click here to read this article.

“The Eyes Have It” and “The Fig Leaf Pose” Body Language Do’s and Dont’s January/February 2012 by Tina Manzer No matter what side of the Toy Fair aisle you work on, your body language, even more than your words, influences the people you do business with. Click here to read this article.

Are You Socially Savvy? Eight Traits That Boost Your Social Quotient March/April 2011 by Tina Manzer Eight Traits That Boost Your Social Quotient Click here to read this article.

A Little Help from Our Friends - Manufacturers lend a hand to retailers to increase sales July/August 2012 by Alyssa LaFaro At ASTRA Marketplace in June, we saw a great variety of creative merchandising, special event and product promotion ideas presented by exhibitors. Here are two of them. Click here to read this article.

3 Big Reasons Why Retailers Go to Trade Shows January/February 2010 by Kathleen McHugh, President, ASTRA Kathleen McHugh discusses the significance of retailers’ game plans for Toy Fair and ASTRA’s Marketplace Click here to read this article.