Temporary Resolutions

With the New Year quickly approaching, everyone is considering  new goals that they wish begin on January 1, 2014 and have accomplished by 2015.  Although is it not the same goals every year?  The same goals that quickly get put on the side burner a month into the New Year?  Why is it that we fail to complete these highly motivated goals that we set for ourselves?  Could it be laziness?  Sure, but there are plenty of other factors that go along with why these life changing “resolutions” quickly become just temporary changes.

New Year’s resolutions are goals that people make and wish to accomplish over the next 365 days.  Among some of those goals, the top ones include things such as, lose weight, spend less save more, get organized, and quit smoking.  But why is it that only 8% of the 45% of Americans that make resolutions actually successfully achieve their goals?  Sure, it is quick to say, “Well because they’re lazy”, but that is not the only thing that goes into the failure of resolutions.  A huge reason why resolutions are quickly given up on, within the first month is because people set unrealistic goals and expectations in their resolutions.  As far as resolutions, such as quitting smoking, a majority of people are not mentally ready to change their habits.

Who says you have to be so quick to throw in the towel and let those resolutions die?  From us here at Sharn Enterprises, we would like to give you some helpful tips for keeping those resolutions going strong for the whole year.

1. Start off by focusing on each little piece of the big picture.  Also, make sure that you set realistic and specific goals.  For instance, if your goal is to lose weight, that is not specific enough.  Set a specific amount you wish to lose and focus on that.  You have to remember to take small steps.  More often than most, the reason people give up is because the goal overall is too big and they feel they need to take one giant leap to reach it, when really it’s the little steps along the way that matter.
2. Remember that you are not in this alone!  The best way to accomplish anything is with someone by your side helping you and motivating you along the way.  Make sure to celebrate each milestone, as though it is as important as the finale.
3. Be mindful people!  You have to become emotionally, physically, and mentally aware of what is going on in the inside as each external event happens, take it moment by moment instead of looking into the future or the past.
4. But above all else, HAVE FUN!  Laugh at yourself when you “slip up”, but don’t let the slip up hold you back from working at your goal!  From everyone here at Sharn Enterprises, we wish you all luck on your New Years resolutions and hope you keep your eye on the prize!

“Tomorrow is the 1^st blank page of a 365 page book.  Write a good one!” –Brad Paisley

www.sharndisplays.com

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Consumers are Changing

Have you ever been to Epcot World in Orlando, Florida?  The first time I was there, I was ten years old and just amazed by all the awesome styles, products, and materials that other countries had to offer.  Epcot World is an exhibit at Disney World that combines eleven different countries into one giant adventuring.  Upon arrival, you are almost overwhelmed by all the variety and different things that each of the eleven countries has to offer.  Fast forwarding to now, I’m reminded that a person does not have to go to Epcot World to experience this; rather they can go to one of our local shopping malls.  A piece of every country is now being introduced in our own retail stores simply by the very clothes people wear, the styles they wish to exhibit and how they want to be treated by the retailer provider.

While I was reading an article by Alison Embrey Medina, titled “International Perspective” in the January 2013 edition of the DDI, I could not help but think of my experience at Epcot World.  Alison Embrey Medina conducted six interviews with six different retailers from six different countries in order to get a feel for consumer behavior worldwide.  In each of the six interviews, every interviewee mentioned that travel has a lot to do with consumers gearing towards a more personal, original,

and unique style.  As a result of this increase in travelling, consumers are continuing to be exposed to more and more different styles from other countries that they may not have known about prior to their visit.  In addition, the dominance of the internet, and the use of “smart phones” are giving consumers a more accessible way to see and purchase these styles.

There is no doubt in my mind that consumer’s in today’s society are all about individualism and are not shy about spending the extra money they have in order to obtain this individualism.  This is why we are starting to see a change in the consumer’s spending habits.  What once was considered a discretionary spend, is now being looked at as a mandatory spend.  The retail store itself has become more welcoming, in the atmosphere it creates, the emotion it tries to stir up in you the shopper, and in some cases even the entertainment it provides.

  The consumer is looking for a more emotional connection to their shopping experience, so some stores may need to change their atmosphere in order to meet that need.  Stores are beginning to demonstrate a cozier, friendly environment, which then appeals to the consumer’s emotional needs.

 Designers are beginning to gain more freedom to create custom made products.  Today’s savvy consumers like custom made products, and place a higher sense of value on them.

Their spending habits are also changing.  Now, with so much knowledge and access to different cultures and their material goods, it is beneficial as a provider to offer those expectations in order to appeal to the consumer.

 Here at Sharn Enterprises that’s something we know a lot about.  Since 1974 we have provided custom store fixtures to many of the nation’s top retailers and manufacturers. Our customers continue to benefit from our ability to design and manufacture both small and large quantities at the lowest possible price while incorporating various materials and maintaining manufacturing precision and product integrity.

With globalization being more common in today’s society, many companies are choosing to export products to other countries due to consumer demand.  Sharn Enterprises is a “Proud American Manufacturer” and we feel that exporting is a great way in which to keep countries moving closer and closer as a whole.  To that end, Sharn has committed to substantially increase its exports in 2014.

For more information about our products and services, please visit our website at www.sharndisplays.com or check out our latest video at http://vimeo.com/71471550

Key to Creativity

Creativity is Another Word for Sharn

 Today’s shoppers have the power to shop wherever they wish. The introduction of online shopping has become a convenient treat for most shoppers while hurting many businesses and their profit. People have the need or desire to shop in traditional retail environments, which is why they still exist, but because there are so many out there it is up to the business owner to draw them in with a successful and creative marketing plan.

Shoppers are always looking for great products, but so much more goes into the buying decision. The look, feel and atmosphere of the retail environment help compel the buyer. It’s survival of the fittest; the stores that are most successful in attracting buyers win. Ultimately, that all boils down to creativity and execution. A creative idea sticks out and increases the likelihood that a shopper will recall information about your larger marketing campaign, interact with your product in-store and, ultimately, put your product in his or her basket.

“The key to attracting buyers is having a well-designed display.”

Sharn Enterprises, Inc. has gained a lot of knowledge from consumer trends and experience, over the last 37 years, and continues to learn and grow. Although things change over the years they say that one thing stays the same, “a brilliant creative idea often doesn’t cost any more than a dull one, and it can bring in considerably more return for your money.” In other words, while shelves are filled with “screaming” products that demand the shopper’s attention, what proves to be most effective is simplicity in design.

We here at Sharn Enterprises are gladly willing to assist clients in making their design ideas come to life. Our in-house design team will collaborate with you to create eye-catching displays that achieve the desired effect while extending the brand and increasing your sales. We work with the latest AutoCAD software and can provide 2D and 3D concept drawings, as well as, digital prototypes to ensure the product works even before it is built. Our full service design and production team has the ability, resources and experience to transform concepts to reality while considering price, function and appearance. We develop products for a wide variety of applications, including: acrylic, metal, wood, and corrugated.

“When you partner with Sharn Enterprises you never have to worry about the details… that’s what we do.”

For more information, please contact:

Sharn Enterprises, Inc.

22749 Citation Road

Frankfort, IL 60423

(815) 464-9715

http://www.SharnDisplays.com

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Trends in Retail for 2014

As the Holiday shopping season is well underway, we at Sharn Enterprises are already looking forward to some of the new (an old) trends that you

 will see in stores during 2014.

1. Smart technology.  Some retailers are using very sophisticated technology to track our movements within their stores.  They may analyze our movements, or what we stop and look at through tracking devices like our cell phones, or face scanners in an effort to check our gender, age, and preferences.  The WI Fi signal that your phone sends out allows retailers to track your movements if they wish within 10 feet.  These measures are not intended to be like “Big brother”, but rather to personally appeal to you as their customer.  However all of the automation that we see now and in the future, can never replace the One on One knowledge that your sales people can bring to your customer.
2. The visual presentation within any store is always important.  It’s obviously important to keep your environment fresh and clean.  Also more attractive signage is what we are seeing in the future.  This signage helps to “mark your space and your brand” You have spent a lot of time effort and money to acquire that Brand name, and consumers still seek out specific brands to purchase, so be proud of your brand, and “Mark your territory”.
3. Trends in 2014 continue to focus on marketing lifestyle, with great photography, lighting, and merchandising.  People are more conscious of design, and they expect to be impressed by your product presentation.  One of your ongoing challenges in 2014 is to maximize the amount of your product that can fit in the space that your retailer is giving you.  One standard display to fit all of your programs simply does not work, and negatively affects your return on investment.  Your product is unique, your presentation also needs to be unique.
4.  Offer a solution.  Many people are like me when it comes to buying things like clothing, etc.  “What does go together”  I don’t always do a good job of matching a particular color of shirt with a patterned  tie, so I prefer to see compatible products already put together, and many of your customers feel the same way.  In this case, the shirt ought to be in very close proximity to the tie.  (You get the idea)  So offer a solution by placing all of your compatible products in close proximity to one another.  This often means working directly with the department manager or other licensees.  Each of you will benefit from this!

 

1. Professional Designers.  We here at Sharn Enterprises have some of the best designers in the display industry.  We keep up with the latest marketing trends, materials, and product licenses.  Our Designers can give you all of the professional help that you need to create that 2014 product display that will get your products noticed, and more importantly SOLD!

For more information on our products and services, please visit our website at WWW.sharndisplays, or check out our latest video at: http://vimeo.com/71471550