I hear there's a dearth of shops with much of an alternative selection in the Atlanta area-- something to consider.

I hope you have recieved my email by now. It may not be much to go on, but I am kind of winging it myself. Something I left out of my email that I should have discussed was name recognition and public awarness in general. This subject is one of the most important aspects and toughest to tackle in the early development of a new business. It is something you must tirelessly work for. At all costs get out in the public's face and let them know you are there. Running an ad in the newpaper just don't cut it. Recently, I have contacted the local schools and set up a donation/promotion scheme that will ensure everyone that reads in school will find out about my store. I have also been approved to place flyers all over the high school. These are some very cost effective ways of promotion. Essentially everywhere I go I go with a promotion in mind. I went to a birthday pool party for my daughter and brought about 30 comics with me to hand out. The best freebee however is the gift certificate because it forces the consumer into the store in order to get the product. If they don't come, you are not out anything. Above all be creative and don't fear faliure. There is an excellent chance that we both may fail (hopefully not of course), but I will see that not as a failure, but as a learning experience for next time. Besides that man life is short. Good luck.

Nice work! The school stuff is very smart, and will yield great dividends as time moves along.

You are setting a great example for dealers, smack!

hey Smack,
i didn't get your e-note ... send it to me again if you can (ray6166@bellsouth.net) ... i agree with jack that you have some great ideas regarding schools. I am looking to try and locate near a high school actually.
By the way ... whats your real name? just so we dont have to keep calling you 'smack'...
thanks for your input,
RAY

My name is Thomas Mackiewicz, hence the similar screen name. Actually, the name I use was used as an insult to me in high school. Anyways, no sob story here. I will see if I can find the original email that I sent to you.

Gaming areas are great but I'll make two caveats one general, one specific.

General: If you have a separate gaming area be preapred to clean it thoroughly every day or ban food. Some players can be absolute pigs - I'm talking partially eaten hamburgers thrown on the floor then walked into the carpet.

Specific: There's probably a small minority of your customers who are pricks - like with the human race in general. I'd be very uncomfortable leaving original art in an area which is out of direct staff supervision at all times. There's too much risk of theft and vandalism.

Quote:

As for recent business, it has been rather slow this week. Last week was an excellent week and we broke previous sales records.

No pain no gain and other comforting platitudes.

It's the business mistakes that cost money that you can learn from.

About three years ago we bought our second store. Our first store was located in the CBD and we'd cultivated an audience for alternative and literary comics. Our second store was located in a suburban area and was much more mainstream in its selection. I lost a LOT of money in the first six months or so after we bought the business trying to push the books I liked down people's throats.

Eventually I cut back, focussed on the areas of demand and just gradually expanded the selection. We've gradually cultivated a more diverse clientele at the second store but it was a fairly lengthy process.

Hey Smackmore, how are things going with the shop??

There is not enough space here to Bash Diamond Hard enough...1 word comes to mind that sums up their behavior...MONOPOLY...and they know it...where else are you gonna go ? When we opened in 1994 we had to go purchase comics from other stores at full cover price then sell them for our subscription discount...we opened in the wake of another store rapidly closing so we didn't have the advantage of planning...we went from no store to open store in 2 weeks. Diamond made all kinds of great promises when we described our troubles and then they did not follow through with a single one of the promises...so for 2 months we had to travel all over buying comics for our customers...diamond would not even send us any reorders until our intial orders kicked in 2 months later....

Ouch! I bought a good amount of books from other dealers at full price also. I mean you got to have something to sell when you first open.

The store is going fairly well. I am essentially hanging in here to see how the Holiday season goes. After that I will decide whether to renew my lease. I just invested some more money for an expansion of products, store fixtures, and advertising. I just don't know how to tell if the customer base is not interested or I just haven't reached them properly. I have done essentially every form of advertising and the results have been lackluster, although I am still seeing lots of new faces every week. Maybe I just have higher expectations. It doesn't help that I am in a more rural area. Even if it is growing fast.

These are some of my forms of advertising and the results.

I contacted the local library and set up a small graphic novel section within the library with my stamp in every book. I haven't had any business from this.

I ran ads in the local school papers. I have had a few customers from this.

I signed up with the CSLS. No customers from this.

I handed out hundreds of free comics with my stamp on them to random people. A few cutomers.

I passed out 200 store pens to local businesses and customers. A few customers.

I posted 300 flyers and business cards at various locations within 50 miles of the store. A few customers.

I donated free comics to the local schools, which they now use in class for learning purposes. This has probably been the best advertising per expense that I have done. I am now contacting every school in my area now.

I ran weekly ads in the county paper. A few cutomers.

I participated in FCBD by handing out 400 free comics with little results.

I held a free Yu-Gi-Oh tournie with prizes and all. This drew a decent crowd and got me some word of mouth.

My next plan is to hand out 100 $5 gift certificates. I am also having a Halloween costume contest. Our roadside sign is in the works along with our fixture upgrade. Maybe I just need to be more patient. Regardless, I will be slugging away for at least 6 or 7 more months. We have decided that if we aren't breaking even by then we will move the store to a larger city. What ever the outcome I will have been open for a year, so at least all the naysayers can clean their toe fungus from their mouths.

I am still having a blast at running the store and meeting lots of like minded people has been really cool. I just need about three times as many to keep me floating. I really didn't get in this to be rich. I just want to be where I am and be able to eat.

Ouch! I bought a good amount of books from other dealers at full price also. I mean you got to have something to sell when you first open.

The store is going fairly well. I am essentially hanging in here to see how the Holiday season goes. After that I will decide whether to renew my lease. I just invested some more money for an expansion of products, store fixtures, and advertising. I just don't know how to tell if the customer base is not interested or I just haven't reached them properly. I have done essentially every form of advertising and the results have been lackluster, although I am still seeing lots of new faces every week. Maybe I just have higher expectations. It doesn't help that I am in a more rural area. Even if it is growing fast.

These are some of my forms of advertising and the results.

I contacted the local library and set up a small graphic novel section within the library with my stamp in every book. I haven't had any business from this.

I ran ads in the local school papers. I have had a few customers from this.

I signed up with the CSLS. No customers from this.

I handed out hundreds of free comics with my stamp on them to random people. A few cutomers.

I passed out 200 store pens to local businesses and customers. A few customers.

I posted 300 flyers and business cards at various locations within 50 miles of the store. A few customers.

I donated free comics to the local schools, which they now use in class for learning purposes. This has probably been the best advertising per expense that I have done. I am now contacting every school in my area now.

I ran weekly ads in the county paper. A few cutomers.

I participated in FCBD by handing out 400 free comics with little results.

I held a free Yu-Gi-Oh tournie with prizes and all. This drew a decent crowd and got me some word of mouth.

My next plan is to hand out 100 $5 gift certificates. I am also having a Halloween costume contest. Our roadside sign is in the works along with our fixture upgrade. Maybe I just need to be more patient. Regardless, I will be slugging away for at least 6 or 7 more months. We have decided that if we aren't breaking even by then we will move the store to a larger city. What ever the outcome I will have been open for a year, so at least all the naysayers can clean their toe fungus from their mouths.

I am still having a blast at running the store and meeting lots of like minded people has been really cool. I just need about three times as many to keep me floating. I really didn't get in this to be rich. I just want to be where I am and be able to eat.