First, a little perspective. No retailers, consumers, suppliers, reps or distributors are likely to live or
die because we buy or sell and install or, don’t buy or sell and install a radio. That being said…
I contend that specialty retailers have the capability to, and often do, exercise a great deal of power.
Creation is the source of this power. A Specialty Retailer is in the business of creation in many
forms. Most important: He creates demand for his services over the many other places where a
consumer can secure such services. He creates demand for products that have yet been introduced
by others; before there were stacks of prefab-subwoofer boxes specialty retailers created them by
hand (lots of trial & error) in the shop. Before there were keyless entry systems in ALL cars,
Specialty Retailers created them (from the common alarm). Before there were hundreds of “amp
kits” on your walls, Specialty Retailers sourced heavy gage flexible power wires, audio cable and
RCA jacks and created a need for this profitable category. Before there were iPad dash kits,
Specialty Retailers identified a use for the iPad in the dashboard, created a need for the iPad in the
dashboard and created the kit to make it happen. For sure, there are thousands of creations from
the under-dash turntable to remote starters to sound pressure levels capable of blowing out
windshields. For sure there will be thousands more creations yet to be thought of. Many will gather
traction, some maybe not so much.
The point is, Specialty Retailers CREATE this stuff. Specialty Retailers tell (sell) consumers about
how cool it is. Specialty Retailers make this stuff sellable. Then suppliers take advantage of the
demand created by Specialty Retailers, build it cheap and sell it to everybody. Consumers come to
expect this stuff. Car manufacturers put it in all new cars. Now what?
Of course this process ebbs and flows in cycles. Sometimes lots of creation and sometimes not so
much. BUT such creation is the business of Specialty Retail. Lots of people have improved lives
(their own and others) from buying and selling such creation. Made lots of money too. Indeed entire
industries have been built upon such creation.
If you agree that this is true so far, take a moment to think about the many lives that have been
enriched by the pleasure derived from the technology created, sold and installed by Specialty
Retailers. I contend that such creation is the source of great power. Now what?
When you feel challenged. When you are frustrated by another lost sale to another new Internet
site. When you get crazy because another manufacturer lowered the retail value again. When you
want to scream because you can’t find good people anymore. When you find yourself asking, “What
am I doing here, why?” Take a second to reflect on the power of creation that a Specialty Retailer
possesses. The pride derived from taking such a critical role in the forward motion of business
should make the challenge a little bit more manageable. Focus on creating demand. Train the staff
to create demand. Tomorrow, your grandchildren will take what you created today, for granted.
If that doesn’t work; order a pizza. The phone will ring. Two consumers will come in and prevent
you from eating the pizza. You’ll create some demand and sell them something profitable. Then a
rep will come in and eat your cold pizza.
