An Image Ready For Remodeling Why Make A Change? You Make the Call

Why Make a Change?

The Fischers feel that the time has come to freshen up the image of The Great Outdoors. Their retail store has developed haphazardly but has a charming, small-town country store feel to it thanks to Stephen's talent for interior design. They would like to retain that feel but realize that the logo designed by their local print shop has become dated and isn't polished enough to appeal to the new, more affluent customer base they hope to attract to their business.

Stephen and Sedalia are undertaking some major changes in their business. Stephen has been offered early retirement by his employer, which would make it possible for Stephen to take over managing the retail store. That would allow Sedalia, who is an enthusiastic amateur photographer, free to begin a photo-safari guide service. The Fischers plan to remodel the store to add a darkroom and a line of camera supplies. Hoping that this service will appeal to a growing market among young urban professionals, the Fishers plan to market heavily on a web site they are developing and in photography magazines.

The Fischers also plan to market several specialized items on their web site including Sedalia's hand-crafted fishing flies and lures, and outdoors clothing designed for women. To attract potential customers to their web site, Sedalia and Stephen have developed a partnership with the visitors bureau to provide them with free web space in exchange for the bureau's creating web pages featuring all outdoor sports-related businesses in their area. They have also arranged to feature a local writer's weekly outdoors columns.

In his spare time, Stephen has been working on a developing software for a computer kiosk which they tested this year and which proved popular with customers and profitable for the store. The interactive computer program has many features designed to increase sales in the store. Based on a customer's input, the program can recommend bait and lures that work well in local conditions, adds reminders for supplies and items customers most commonly forget to pack, and highlights current in-store specials. To draw customers to the display, Stephen has also included services for customers including a database of posted no-hunting areas, local weather forecasts, and maps of local lakes with hot fishing spots marked. Stephen and Sedalia feel that this sales tool could be marketed to other store owners who could customize the features for their local conditions.

The Great Outdoors needs an image that will work well in print advertising, and in electronic form on the web and their in-store displays. In addition, the Fischers will use their new logo for signage on their storefront, uniform shirts for all store employees, and on the humvee they are purchasing for Sedalia's photo safaris.