5 Closed Shops in a Row
On Exeter High Street there is a once-buzzing, now lonely stretch of five closed shops in a row. With the toll of recession, these high street chains have all closed, just like high streets all over the country. In fact, Sky News reported recently that high streets are in danger of becoming ghost towns.
For these businesses, the recession was simply the nail in the coffin after years of being out of touch with their market. The shops that used to line this portion of the high street were those clothing retailers that were no longer unique or relevant. It only highlights the need for products, services and experiences to be remarkable.
With closure there comes benefits for other companies. City Councils across the country cannot continue to charge current rental prices for store space. With price drops in desperation for empty shops to be filled, the image above reminds me that recession is just another way to spell opportunity.
A story of two halves
There’s a story of two shoe salesmen, from two competing shoe manufacturers, who are sent to a new country to gain new business. Upon arriving, they discover that no one in this country wears shoes.
The first sends the report back “I am returning shortly. Don’t send any shoes here, nobody wears shoes”.
The second sends her report back “Will be staying here for a while. Send all the shoes you can! Nobody wears shoes!”
Your business can cut back. It can tighten on marketing and advertising and just continue to run less of the same-old-same-old, because “nobody is wearing shoes”. Or your business can move forward. It can do something remarkable, because as we see with those five closed shops in a row, nobody is pushing the envelope further. So why not be the ones who do?
What report are you sending?