#10 - Can I have your card?

It's probably one of the biggest rules in business marketing - have a business card!  It's the most affordable marketing tool - and it's a sign of professionalism.  I can't tell you how many times over the last 5 years I've heard excuses from people without one.  "It's in the car - I forgot it at home - They are being reprinted" and I smile because I've used all of those excuses and more.  At least I'm not the only scattered one, I think:) 

When we moved to our new location, we made a mental note to make new business cards.  For the first month or two, we scratched out the address on our old ones and used them up.  We struggled through the Fall and Winter and whenever the topic of business cards came up, it was usually followed with "well, we don't even know if we are going to be in business next summer". 

This week I made the decision to actually get business cards.  I glanced at the quantities... 500?  1000?  no, 5000 please!  It was my commitment to myself that yes, I did indeed need a business card because I was going to be in business for a long long time and it felt great!

#9 - Our People are our Greatest Asset!

I'm the kind of person who like to shop in relative peace.  I want to be acknowledged but then I don't want to feel pressured by sales staff.  Of course, if I have a question or a need, I expect a sales person to magically appear and assist me. I like someone who is knowledgeable about the product - who can anticipate my needs but who will also leave me alone to try things on while I take my leisurely time. I want sincerity and honesty, I want friendly and polite, and above all I want to be valued and respected.   That's what I look for when I shop - and that's what I strive to offer.  We have always taken pride in our staff.  Over the years we've had some great women who really embodied what we are all about.  We are really excited about our newest team member, Pam.  She's an amazing woman that puts her heart into her job - and she's not afraid to go the extra mile.  I've heard only great feedback from our customers and I'm really excited that she's joined us at Maximum Woman.  Our team is our greatest asset!

#8- Size Matters

When the economy started taking a turn for the worse everyone in the industry struggled to survive and adapt.  A lot of our suppliers cut out larger sizing (4X/5X).  Other suppliers stopped making plus sizes all together.  With fewer and fewer dollars to go around, we put our money into junior plus styles - most of which stopped at a small 3X.  As a woman who wears a 4X myself, I found this painfully disheartening.  Today, I'm happy to say, that we are beginning to recover.  We've started bringing beautiful styles into the store that go up to a 5X and in some cases, a 6X.  And it's only going to get better!  I'm also happy to say that these styles are affordable.  We look to find merchandise that is the right size, for the right price and in the trendiest styles.  Our goal is to carry at least 50% of our inventory up to a 5X by the end of the summer.