Laminating the future (Grit & Glamour: Epi.6)

Before the time of “influencers” “Google” and “social media” we had to go and discover things on foot. Let’s rediscover those proactive days.

Previously:

Inspired by the director’s words, I decided to take on a new challenge. I implemented a strategy to send thank-you emails to all customers and created a mobile site to share product information. During the year-end lottery at the shopping mall, one of my customers won a trip to Fiji and invited me to join her. This trip allowed me to refresh both mentally and physically. On New Year’s Day, I drew a fortune slip at Kawasaki Daishi Temple and was encouraged by my grandmother’s saying, “Keep drawing until you get a great fortune,” which renewed my determination. Through an introduction by my former boss, I met Mr. A, a specialist in human resource development, and received a book on coaching from him. This helped me find a new direction.

3.4 The Three Basic Principles of Business

At that time, I was subscribed to the email newsletter of Koichi Honda, who had achieved success in website creation and internet marketing. One day, a particular newsletter caught my eye.

* * * * *

Now, today’s topic is one of my favorites: “How to Make Money.” Do you know the three basic principles of business?

They are:

Find many new customers (New Customer Acquisition)
Get them to buy as much as possible during their visit (Increase Average Transaction Value)
Have them come back and buy repeatedly (Retention)
To put it simply, business boils down to these three principles.

* * * * *

“Wow! So I just need to think about what to do from these three perspectives!” This was exactly the information I had been seeking. But where should I start? No, I should implement all three at once. If I could turn new customers into repeat customers and ensure that they make high-value purchases each time, then sales would surely increase! I felt a surge of excitement.

Until then, I had been focused on improving customer service skills, strengthening customer relationships, and creating a comfortable working environment. However, I realized that I hadn’t addressed the most crucial aspect: “acquiring new customers.”

In a shopping mall manager meeting, a training consultant said, “Managers who only look from the inside are still amateurs. A good manager looks from the outside.” This made me realize that I had been focusing solely on internal matters. When the CEO said, “The window displays at the Shibuya store look like a school play,” it hit me that he was viewing things from the outside. None of my superiors who evaluated me knew anything about what I was doing internally. I realized the small scale of my efforts.

As I began to understand the structure of the challenges I needed to tackle, Mr.N, the man who had given me the booklet “The Happy Millionaire,” invited me for a drive. It was a great way to clear my mind. On the way back, we stopped by Kinko’s to print photos from that day. We printed a picture of me with a killer whale, and Mr.N laminated it for me. Then he said, “Hitomi-chan, could you sign here and write ‘I’m lucky!’?” I laughed at the suggestion but obliged. I started to believe that a future where I sign autographs might come true!

3.5 The Magic of Questions: Discovering My Key to Success

So, how do I acquire new customers? The first thing I thought about was window displays. However, that alone wouldn’t be enough. In 2004, fashion magazines still held significant influence, but under the CEO’s strategy, branding efforts were focused on the Ginza store, which meant the Shibuya store’s exposure would be reduced. Without our products being featured in magazines, fewer people would become aware of the Shibuya store, putting us at a disadvantage.

I started a store newsletter and mobile site, but these were strategies for increasing repeat customers. How could I get more people outside to know about the Shibuya store? Moreover, my salary hadn’t increased since the manager’s allowance was added two months after I joined. With my rent having increased due to a move, I strongly desired a salary increase.

“How can I increase my salary by 50,000 yen a month?”

I consulted Mr.T, a friend of Mr.N, who worked as a consultant. I sought specific advice on how to appeal for a raise. I expected to brainstorm ideas together, but Mr.T responded with an unexpected question.

“If you were a manager earning 1,000,000 yen a month, what would you do?” he asked.

Without hesitation, I replied, “I’d like to create a website.”

“Then, why don’t you?” Mr.T responded simply. At that time, very few individuals were creating personal websites, but Mr.T had already started, and so had Mr.H, whose newsletter I subscribed to, and who had succeeded with a website. Inspired by these people, I immediately answered, “I want to create a website.” If I were earning 1,000,000 yen a month, buying software to create a website would be easy. Somehow, I had already embraced the mindset of a 1,000,000 yen-a-month manager.

“How can I create one?” I asked.

“You can buy Home Page Builder software at an electronics store,” he told me.

Suddenly, my focus on a mere 50,000 yen salary increase seemed trivial. If I were a manager earning 1,000,000 yen a month, I could invest my own money in various initiatives. My thinking limitations were lifted, and I felt the power of a well-posed question for the first time.

Seize the day! The next day, I rushed to an electronics store and bought the Home Page Builder software for 10,000 yen. Without consulting my superiors, I began working on it. If I got caught and reprimanded, I was ready to quit.

Despite being a novice, I had a knack for handling electronic devices. I had just moved into a new apartment, and I worked late into the night on this project. Within five days, I had a simple website with a homepage, store location, and new product pages. I can’t even articulate how I did it — it was a whirlwind of effort. Notably, in March 2004, my internet connection at home wasn’t even ADSL.

The next day, when I showed the Shibuya store staff, they were all amazed. This marked the beginning of my journey toward “growth.”

3.6 The New Hire with Dreadlocks

Around the time the Shibuya store’s new strategy began, a new staff member was hired. The interview was conducted by the male assistant manager, and I happened to not be involved. The new hire was a woman in her early twenties with dreadlocks! Her fashion sense was unique, and her facial features were striking, giving her an initially intimidating impression. However, the CEO remarked about this newcomer, saying, “I like the staff with dreadlocks who recently joined the Shibuya store.” This comment surprised me a bit, but then I remembered that the Ginza store had also experimented with hiring models as part-time sales associates as part of their branding strategy. It made me realize that having a standout figure like her might be necessary for our store as well.

I was initially a bit unsure about how to start a conversation with this new staff member, Ms.O. But when I asked about her background, I found out that we went to the same high school and even had the same homeroom teacher. This surprising synchronicity made me feel that our meeting was meant to be.

I had always felt insecure about my sense of fashion, so I began to think that I could learn a lot from Ms.O. Her unique style and sense of fashion were sure to bring a fresh perspective to me.