Creative Shop Talk with Wendy Batten Wendy Batten, Creative Retail Mentor

 With host retail coach Wendy Batten
 
https://wendybatten.com/podcast-intro/
 
In This Episode: 
 
We are all passionate, creative, and imperfect business owners who want to do it all. But as our businesses grow, it’s harder to keep all of our plates spinning. As our businesses evolve, we cannot simply keep adding to our already full plates, so it’s important to acknowledge that and adjust where necessary. 
 
My mission has always been (and continues to be) to help as many retailers grow their businesses as possible. With that comes change. 
 
In Episode 206 of the podcast, we’re going inside the Retailer's Inner Circle and inside my brain: I’m sharing some of the changes I’ve been making in the Inner Circle (including the monthly planning document your retail business NEEDS called The Playbook) and how I hope these changes make your beautiful retail business better.
 
The Retailer’s Inner Circle is always open for new members. Inside, you’ll find countless masterclasses covering topics from money to marketing to business operations; a tight knit community of retailers active in our Facebook group, monthly coaching roundtable meetings, editable Canva graphics, and so much more. The Playbook is your easy button for all of your planning, marketing, and monthly operations. I want to make retail easy for you so you can feel confident in your role as CEO as your business grows.
 
I’ll also share some of the things I’m seeing my retailers doing that are bringing success including:
Connecting with community
Humanizing their brands
Varying their marketing
Planning
And more…
 
Ready to Level Up? Join The Retailer’s Inner Circle. 
Here’s everything you need to know about the Retailer’s Inner Circle. You’ll have access to countless Masterclasses including Foot Traffic Made Simple. Not ready for a monthly commitment yet? Join the small group 6-Week Sales Accelerator course. We start on April 24th! More information HERE.



Related podcasts we think you’ll like: 
Episode 55: Unscalable Conversations: A Free, Simple & Powerful Marketing Tool to Use
Episodes 198-200: Retailer’s Visibility Series
Episode 204: Behind the Counter: Meet Inner Circle Member Jeanne Terrill
 
About your host, Wendy Batten
In case we haven’t met yet, I’m Wendy, a small business coach and founder of the Retailer’s Inner Circle, where I help other independent shop owners learn how to gain the right business skillsets to see more profits, paychecks, and joy as they navigate running their retail business. 
Through online classes, business coaching programs, speaking, and a top-ranked podcast, I’ve helped hundreds of retailers around the globe reclaim their dreams and see the success they want from their beautiful shops. My signature private coaching community, The Retailer’s Inner Circle, has helped retailers around the world build their retail business skill sets and confidence. 
I am proud to have been featured in several major publications, including my own business column in What Women Create magazine. I have been privileged to be a guest on top-ranked podcasts and sought-after as a guest speaker and teacher for several brands, associations, and communities that are passionate about the success of independent retailers.
When I’m not coaching, you will find me either DIYing and renovating my very imperfect old crooked cottage by the sea in the UNESCO World Heritage town of Lunenburg, NS, or blogging about our travel and RVing adventures and the weird fun things we get up to in our coastal village. I’d love to invite you to check out one of my free resources for real retailers at https://wendybatten.com/free-resources/ 
 
For more support from Wendy
 
Retailer’s Inner Circle - Join Wendy inside the best retailer’s community
 
Free resources for shop owners 
 
Hang out and connect with Wendy on IG 
 
All of Wendy’s programs and servic

With host retail coach Wendy Batten
 
https://wendybatten.com/podcast-intro/
 
In This Episode: 
If you are looking for a way to distinguish your retail shop from your competition and add a revenue stream, this episode of the Creative Shop Talk Podcast is for you. In Episode 205, I’m sharing how adding workshops and classes to your calendar can be a game changer that levels up your retail shop. If you’ve already mentally rejected the idea of workshops, I’m challenging you to listen to this episode. It will surely change your perspective!
 
Many retailers are hesitant about teaching workshops, but the reality is that not hosting classes is a huge missed opportunity for your retail shop’s visibility.  And honestly, you don’t even have to be the one who teaches the workshop! 
 
Throughout this episode:
I’ll share some ideas on how to decide what types of workshops/classes you might want to consider hosting (you’ll want them to mesh with your brand/product offerings)
Who in the community you could contact for class collaborations
When it makes sense for the workshop to take place outside of your retail shop entirely! (Have I gotten your attention yet!?)
 
I’ll also share:
Tips for making your workshops/classes successful 
How to get bums in seats
A hot take: your current customer base might not be the people you are interested in bringing in for workshops, it might be an opportunity to expand. 
 
Hopefully, I’ve convinced you to consider classes of some sort. It’s time to get out of your own way and figure out how you want to gather people in your retail shop through hosting and/or teaching workshops! Let’s dig in!
 
Get your list of workshop tips HERE!



Need more?
Join me and our supportive community of retailers in my Retailer’s Inner Circle! You’ll have access to countless Masterclasses including Foot Traffic Made Simple. Not ready to join but want to purchase this stand-alone masterclass? You can purchase it on demand HERE.
 
Most impactful: Join the small group 6-Week Sales Accelerator course.
We start on April 24th! More information HERE.



Related podcasts we think you’ll like: 
Episode 143: How to Plan & Host Successful Events and Promotions in Your Retail Shop
Episode 145: How to Market Promotional Events in Your Retail Shop
Episode 176: Retail Marketing for Gen Z to Boomers
 
About your host, Wendy Batten
In case we haven’t met yet, I’m Wendy, a small business coach and founder of the Retailer’s Inner Circle, where I help other independent shop owners learn how to gain the right business skillsets to see more profits, paychecks, and joy as they navigate running their retail business. 
Through online classes, business coaching programs, speaking, and a top-ranked podcast, I’ve helped hundreds of retailers around the globe reclaim their dreams and see the success they want from their beautiful shops. My signature private coaching community, The Retailer’s Inner Circle, has helped retailers around the world build their retail business skill sets and confidence. 
I am proud to have been featured in several major publications, including my own business column in What Women Create magazine. I have been privileged to be a guest on top-ranked podcasts and sought-after as a guest speaker and teacher for several brands, associations, and communities that are passionate about the success of independent retailers.
When I’m not coaching, you will find me either DIYing and renovating my very imperfect old crooked cottage by the sea in the UNESCO World Heritage town of Lunenburg, NS, or blogging about our travel and RVing adventures and the weird fun things we get up to in our coastal village. I’d love to invite you to check out one of my free resources for real retailers at https://wendybatten.com/free-resources/ 
 
For more support from Wendy
 
Retailer’s Inner Circle - Join Wendy inside the best retailer

 With host retail coach Wendy Batten
 
https://wendybatten.com/podcast-intro/
 
In This Episode: 
I’m taking you behind the counter of Junque Rescuers in Lake Jackson, Texas to chat with shop owner and Inner Circle member Jeanne Terrill in this episode of the Creative Shop Talk Podcast. Buckle up because Jeanne is taking us on a ride and sharing her journey from accidental entrepreneur to thriving shop owner!
 
In the episode, she shares how her shop has evolved since opening as an antique/vintage shop in 2017. We talk about many of her challenges including moving locations, why incredible success caused her to change her product mix, and learning to put her CEO hat on and the changes that come along with that. Jeanne also shares examples of specific actions she has taken and changes she has made as a result of what she has learned from the Inner Circle masterclasses and our tight-knit community. 
 
I loved this conversation with Jeanne and I hope you do too! It’s always awesome to catch up with my Inner Circle retailers and share their successes with our podcast listeners. Did anything strike a chord for you? Anything you’ll be reflecting on or changes you are going to make based on the conversation you just listened to? 
 
Need more?
Join me and our supportive community of retailers in my Retailer’s Inner Circle! You’ll have access to countless Masterclasses including Foot Traffic Made Simple. Not ready to join but want to purchase this stand-alone masterclass? You can purchase it on demand HERE.
 
Most impactful: Join the small group 6-Week Sales Accelerator course.
We start April 24! More information HERE.



Related podcasts we think you’ll like: 
Episode 55: Unscalable Conversations - A Free, Simple, and Powerful Marketing Tool
Episode 75: Adding Ecommerce to Your Brick and Mortar with Special Guest Susan Bradley
Episode 176: Retail Marketing for Gen Z to Boomers
 
About Jeanne Terrill and Junque Rescuers
Junque Rescuers LLC is a well-established brick-and-mortar lifestyle boutique located in downtown Lake Jackson, Texas. With eight years of experience, the business has evolved from its roots as a vintage and vintage-inspired home decor store to become a versatile lifestyle brand.
You can follow along here:
Website | Instagram | Facebook 
 
About your host, Wendy Batten
In case we haven’t met yet, I’m Wendy, a small business coach and founder of the Retailer’s Inner Circle, where I help other independent shop owners learn how to gain the right business skillsets to see more profits, paychecks, and joy as they navigate running their retail business. 
Through online classes, business coaching programs, speaking, and a top-ranked podcast, I’ve helped hundreds of retailers around the globe reclaim their dreams and see the success they want from their beautiful shops. My signature private coaching community, The Retailer’s Inner Circle, has helped retailers around the world build their retail business skill sets and confidence. 
I am proud to have been featured in several major publications, including my own business column in What Women Create magazine. I have been privileged to be a guest on top-ranked podcasts and sought-after as a guest speaker and teacher for several brands, associations, and communities that are passionate about the success of independent retailers.
When I’m not coaching, you will find me either DIYing and renovating my very imperfect old crooked cottage by the sea in the UNESCO World Heritage town of Lunenburg, NS, or blogging about our travel and RVing adventures and the weird fun things we get up to in our coastal village. I’d love to invite you to check out one of my free resources for real retailers at https://wendybatten.com/free-resources/ 
 
For more support from Wendy
 
Retailer’s Inner Circle - Join Wendy inside the best retailer’s community
 
Free resources for shop owners 
 
Hang out and connect wi

 With host retail coach Wendy Batten
 
https://wendybatten.com/podcast-intro/
 
In This Episode: 
Looking for a quick and easy retail promotion to sell off older inventory, seasonal items, or even just a new fun way to move merchandise? I’ve got you!
 
In this episode of the Creative Shop Talk Podcast, we are discussing mystery bags/bundles. I’ll share how they can work for you, how to determine a price point for your audience, and what you should be putting in the bags. It’s important to remember that not all mystery bag buyers aren't discount shoppers. If done right, your ideal customer base will love these! 
 
We’ll also talk about why you need to keep your brand in mind while putting these bags together. I’ll touch on how to market your mystery bags and how mystery bag stuffers can be a great marketing tool.
 
So what’s stopping you? I’d love to hear if you’ve tried selling mystery bags in your retail shop and how it went! If it wasn’t what you expected, I hope this episode gave you some insight and the courage to try again. Let’s go!



Need more?
Join me and our supportive community of retailers in my Retailer’s Inner Circle! You’ll have access to countless Masterclasses including Foot Traffic Made Simple. Not ready to join but want to purchase this stand-alone masterclass? You can purchase it on demand HERE.
 
Most impactful: Join the small group 6-Week Sales Accelerator course.
We start in April! More information HERE.



Related podcasts we think you’ll like: 
Episode 21: An Intro to Subscription Boxes with Sarah Williams
Episode 126: 10 Simple Ways to Level Up Your Shop
Episode 156: 6 Proven Ways to Improve Your Shop’s Merchandising 
 
About your host, Wendy Batten
In case we haven’t met yet, I’m Wendy, a small business coach and founder of the Retailer’s Inner Circle, where I help other independent shop owners learn how to gain the right business skillsets to see more profits, paychecks, and joy as they navigate running their retail business. 
Through online classes, business coaching programs, speaking, and a top-ranked podcast, I’ve helped hundreds of retailers around the globe reclaim their dreams and see the success they want from their beautiful shops. My signature private coaching community, The Retailer’s Inner Circle, has helped retailers around the world build their retail business skill sets and confidence. 
I am proud to have been featured in several major publications, including my own business column in What Women Create magazine. I have been privileged to be a guest on top-ranked podcasts and sought-after as a guest speaker and teacher for several brands, associations, and communities that are passionate about the success of independent retailers.
When I’m not coaching, you will find me either DIYing and renovating my very imperfect old crooked cottage by the sea in the UNESCO World Heritage town of Lunenburg, NS, or blogging about our travel and RVing adventures and the weird fun things we get up to in our coastal village. I’d love to invite you to check out one of my free resources for real retailers at https://wendybatten.com/free-resources/ 
 
For more support from Wendy
 
Retailer’s Inner Circle - Join Wendy inside the best retailer’s community
 
Free resources for shop owners 
 
Hang out and connect with Wendy on IG 
 
All of Wendy’s programs and services for shop owners can be found HERE. 
Subscribe & Review on iTunes
Are you subscribed to my podcast? If you’re not, I’d love you to consider it. Subscribing means you won’t miss an episode! Click here to subscribe to iTunes!
If you want to be more of a rockstar, I’d love it if you could leave a review over on iTunes as well.  Those reviews help other retailers find my podcast and they’re also fun for me to go in and read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me kno

With host retail coach Wendy Batten
 
https://wendybatten.com/podcast-intro/
 
In This Episode: 
 
Don’t skip this because you’re not a “touristy” shop. 
 
Many of you will want to skip this episode because you may think souvenirs would not fit in with your shop’s brand but I’m challenging that perspective in Episode 202 of the Creative Shop Talk Podcast. Your retail shop may not be in a traditional “tourist town,” or maybe it is and you just leave that to the regular tourist shops, but not carrying locally branded merchandise could be a HUGE missed opportunity. 
 
In this episode, I’ll share some “souvenir” ideas that you may want to incorporate into your product line. Local merchandise and souvenirs don’t have to be mass produced (even though there is also a market for that too!) Even if you aren’t in a tourist town, many of your customers are likely proud of their hometown or have friends and family whom they buy for who have moved away and are missing home. 
 
Consider what local businesses you can collaborate with to add some locally branded merchandise to your product line. 
 
I’m hoping this episode helped change your perspective on adding souvenirs. Let us know if you decide to bring some products in and tag me in IG with your photos. 
 
Need more?
Join me and our supportive community of retailers in my Retailer’s Inner Circle! You’ll have access to countless Masterclasses including Foot Traffic Made Simple. Not ready to join but want to purchase this stand-alone masterclass? You can purchase it on demand HERE.
 
Most impactful: Join the small group 6-Week Sales Accelerator course.
We start in April! More information HERE.



Related podcasts we think you’ll like: 
Episode 56: How to Add Additional Revenue Streams to Your Retail Business
Episode 156: 6 Proven Ways to Improve Your Shop’s Merchandising 
Episode 173: Find the Right Customer for Your Shop




About your host, Wendy Batten
In case we haven’t met yet, I’m Wendy, a small business coach and founder of the Retailer’s Inner Circle, where I help other independent shop owners learn how to gain the right business skillsets to see more profits, paychecks, and joy as they navigate running their retail business. 
Through online classes, business coaching programs, speaking, and a top-ranked podcast, I’ve helped hundreds of retailers around the globe reclaim their dreams and see the success they want from their beautiful shops. My signature private coaching community, The Retailer’s Inner Circle, has helped retailers around the world build their retail business skill sets and confidence. 
I am proud to have been featured in several major publications, including my own business column in What Women Create magazine. I have been privileged to be a guest on top-ranked podcasts and sought-after as a guest speaker and teacher for several brands, associations, and communities that are passionate about the success of independent retailers.
When I’m not coaching, you will find me either DIYing and renovating my very imperfect old crooked cottage by the sea in the UNESCO World Heritage town of Lunenburg, NS, or blogging about our travel and RVing adventures and the weird fun things we get up to in our coastal village. I’d love to invite you to check out one of my free resources for real retailers at https://wendybatten.com/free-resources/ 
 
For more support from Wendy
 
Retailer’s Inner Circle - Join Wendy inside the best retailer’s community
 
Free resources for shop owners 
 
Hang out and connect with Wendy on IG 
 
All of Wendy’s programs and services for shop owners can be found HERE. 
Subscribe & Review on iTunes
Are you subscribed to my podcast? If you’re not, I’d love you to consider it. Subscribing means you won’t miss an episode! Click here to subscribe to iTunes!
If you want to be more of a rockstar, I’d love it if you could le

 With host retail coach Wendy Batten
 
https://wendybatten.com/podcast-intro/
 
In This Episode: 
Hot topic. Is cell phone use an issue with your employees? Let’s nip that in the bud today. 
What is your retail shop’s policy around employee cell phone use? In Episode 201 of the Creative Shop Talk Podcast, I’m sharing my advice on this issue. And trust me - it is a huge issue for some! 
 
As retail shop owners, you are in the business of hospitality. The very last thing you want your customers to feel is that they are a bother to your employees. Let me be clear: when customers enter your shop and your employees’ heads are buried in their cell phones (whether they are doing work or not), what are the optics around that?
 
I’ll share my (perhaps controversial) thoughts on cell phone use: when and where it is appropriate, what to do if employees push back, and how your employees’ cell phone use and other behavior may be eroding your brand. 
 
If you don’t have a policy in place it’s time to get one. What changes should you make to your shop’s policy around cell phones? What kind of thoughts came up? Agree or disagree with me on this one?
Jump in my DM’s on IG and let me know. 
 
Need more?
Join me and our supportive community of retailers in my Retailer’s Inner Circle! You’ll have access to countless Masterclasses including Foot Traffic Made Simple. Not ready to join but want to purchase this stand-alone masterclass? You can purchase it on demand HERE.
 
Most impactful: Join the small group 6-Week Sales Accelerator course.
We start in April! More information HERE.



Related podcasts we think you’ll like: 
Episode 93: How to Wow & Delight Your Customers and Keep Them Coming Back
Episode 144: How to Create a Customer Journey Map
Episode 151: How to have Difficult Conversations with Good Staff



About your host, Wendy Batten
In case we haven’t met yet, I’m Wendy, a small business coach and founder of the Retailer’s Inner Circle, where I help other independent shop owners learn how to gain the right business skillsets to see more profits, paychecks, and joy as they navigate running their retail business. 
Through online classes, business coaching programs, speaking, and a top-ranked podcast, I’ve helped hundreds of retailers around the globe reclaim their dreams and see the success they want from their beautiful shops. My signature private coaching community, The Retailer’s Inner Circle, has helped retailers around the world build their retail business skill sets and confidence. 
I am proud to have been featured in several major publications, including my own business column in What Women Create magazine. I have been privileged to be a guest on top-ranked podcasts and sought-after as a guest speaker and teacher for several brands, associations, and communities that are passionate about the success of independent retailers.
When I’m not coaching, you will find me either DIYing and renovating my very imperfect old crooked cottage by the sea in the UNESCO World Heritage town of Lunenburg, NS, or blogging about our travel and RVing adventures and the weird fun things we get up to in our coastal village. I’d love to invite you to check out one of my free resources for real retailers at https://wendybatten.com/free-resources/ 
 
For more support from Wendy
 
Retailer’s Inner Circle - Join Wendy inside the best retailer’s community
 
Free resources for shop owners 
 
Hang out and connect with Wendy on IG 
 
All of Wendy’s programs and services for shop owners can be found HERE. 
Subscribe & Review on iTunes
Are you subscribed to my podcast? If you’re not, I’d love you to consider it. Subscribing means you won’t miss an episode! Click here to subscribe to iTunes!
If you want to be more of a rockstar, I’d love it if you could leave a review over on iTunes as well.  Those reviews help other retailers find my podcast