I have worked with Pete Luckett over the last few years and I am constantly amazed how a small business can really buzz.
Pete sells fruit and vegetables, Pete’s Frootique, in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. Everyone who goes to his store also has to go to the supermarket which is also within the same shopping centre, which sells identical products to Pete.
So why is Pete so successful? Probably because he is the best retail innovator I know in the Americas. He has won awards for the best innovator on small business and is now a regular personality across the nation on the television show The Food Hunter.
What can we learn from Pete’s innovative ways?
In a short article like this I can only list a few of them.
Recruitment
Pete is looking for team members who can grow his business, therefore recruitment is critical. He interviews at 7.00am in the morning. His theory is that if they can get to his business for 7.00am and still have personality, they are off to a good start, and he has an opportunity to grow them into team members.
Training
In Pete’s business, training is a daily occurrence. They have structured weekly and monthly meetings where they concentrate on structured training programmes. But, the critical ones are the daily ones. Each category team gets together first thing in the morning to discuss the challenges of the day. They discuss what they need to promote and how they are going to achieve it.
Ideas from the Team
The culture generated by Pete ensures that the team constantly come up with new ideas to grow the business, this can be as simple as altering the design of a display, coming up with new products to introduce into store or inventing crazy ideas, such as his infamous “Spice Girls” look alike competition (which resulted in police intervention due to the amount of cars).
Meet and Greet
Everyone is greeted as they enter the store. Pete is adamant that everyone should feel welcome when they enter the store. He does not advertise the business; he would rather spend the advertising budget on improving the entertainment and hospitality inside the store. Store policy is that everyone is greeted within the first 4 metres of walking into the store. It sets the tone for the whole consumer experience.
Create Theatre
Pete works on the theory that you can sell product above the ‘stretch height’ in your store. Therefore, this is an opportunity to place theatrical props above the stretch position to create the correct ambience for the customer.
Promote the Brand
When you visit Pete’s Frootique, you know where you are. The brand is clearly visible outside the store, on all team members business cards, on all product signs, on company uniforms and on any literature sent out to clients. Your brand is one of the most important elements of your business, you need to nurture it and promote it. It is your brand, not your suppliers that is the key brand.
Finally, if you ever get to Nova Scotia, put Pete’s Frootique on your tour place. Alternatively you can purchase our brand new video Winning at Retail and glean more winning ideas from Pete’s Frootique.
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