There have been requests from retailers for more 'tips and tricks' that can help them make their shops be more successful; OK, but I should warn you; you're probably not going to like this one. Because I'm going to suggest overworked and cash-strapped retailers spend even more time and money on things that'll help establish that yours is a business and not a hobby store (not a store selling hobby supplies but a shop that's run like a hobby).
We're often so entrenched in our own little world we don't take the time to appreciate we're also part of a community. And while we don't have to be a part of it, if we don't we don't really have the right to complain when comic shops are marginalized, demonized or ignored. To be part of a community, first you need to:
Get To Know Your Neighbors
Unless you're the only open store in a really bad neighborhood, no comic shop is an island; you have neighbors and should get to know them. At first for wholly practical reasons like eventually you'll need a favor from one of them. Like if on Free Comic Book Day the new UPS guy (here's an extra tip for you; if you're not already, get on a first name basis with your UPS guy) accidentally drops one of your boxes at their store or maybe on a busy day when you absolutely can't get away you'll run out of register tape. Once you've established good relations with them they're likely to help you because you've entered into the simplest of social contracts: You'll Do The Same For Me*.
This may be tough for some of us who aren't particularly social creatures, at ease when meeting new people, but it's something you'll have to do (or delegate the role to someone on your staff). Just introduce yourself and your store, make small talk that has nothing to do with either House of M or what happened this week on Smallville; be prepared to ask polite questions about their place of business, whether it's a dojo, bike shop, family restaurant or computer repair place.
Once that's taken care of you'll soon find there are plenty of ways you can work together to put people in each other's stores. First there's word of mouth advertising; customers frequently ask where there's a good place to eat or where they can get a certain item, and it's just as easy to mention one of your neighbors as direct them to the nearest mall. And once they know you (and know you're doing this) they're likely to reciprocate.
Then, depending on their willingness and yours, you could cooperate on promotions, stage events, pool your advertising dollars (you'd be surprised just how inexpensive it is to 'underwrite' a program on your local PBS station) or just have a brainstorm session with them about how to improve business. Even if you don't have any ideas, somebody else might.
Getting Known
The truth is your store is going to get a reputation so it might as well have a good one. If you're lucky you're already getting cold calls from high school yearbooks and college newspapers wanting you to buy ad space, not to mention visits from charities who want you to support their cause via money or merchandise to be given out as prizes used in raffles, etc. Hopefully you aren't already known for saying no because while you certainly can't always say 'yes,' you really can't afford to say 'no' to everyone. Because this isn't just charity; it's an opportunity to raise your store profile through public relations.
And it doesn't have to be expensive; try to give gift certificates because people will have to go inside your store to use them and once there they're likely to spend more money, and hopefully come back for more. Then there's unsold merchandise; if you have kids comics that have been sitting on the spinner for a year, they would serve you better as gift packs. But if the contribution is for a Silent (or PBS Pledge Drive) Auction you'll want to give something nice, because your name is going on it and potentially people will be looking at it for days.
And what will you get out of it? With a little luck, you'll get cards, letters of appreciation, and even certificates thanking you for your generosity, and the knowledge that there are people out there who now have a positive attitude about comic book shops. Or at least about yours.
* The down side being that when they do, you're pretty much required to reciprocate. I'm guessing most of you have seen the episode of Seinfeld where overgrown adolescent Jerry decides he hated the 'obligation' of making talk with his apartment house neighbors in the hallway, elevator, etc. And after a temper tantrum he ended up being shunned by everyone and found he liked that even less but was unable to mend fences. In life you can either be 'inside' or 'outside and while being 'inside' isn't perfect, as someone who's been both let me tell you; inside is better.
