Articles

Follow the links below to view Larry Mullins' articles on the Furniture World website:

Multiply Your Ad Effectiveness With The What Factor - Part 3 (Wednesday, September 22, 2010 - Larry Mullins)
Discover how to start using the principles presented in the first part of this series by making sure that you address the "WHAT" factor in your advertising and other customer communications.

Multiply Your Ad Effectiveness With The Who Factor - Part 2 (Tuesday, September 07, 2010 - Larry Mullins)
If you are an independent furniture retailer, this may be the most important article you read this year. The cyber playing field is almost level for big and small stores. And, an enterprising local independent can run circles around a huge BB and its remote, centrally-operated IT department.

Feel Your Customer’s Pain and Sell Lots More - Part 1 (Monday, June 07, 2010 - Larry Mullins )
Learn to deliver the four magic sentences that will relieve your customer's pain and you will sell more home furnishings... lots more.

Build A Home Furnishings Sales Machine - Part 3 (Tuesday, January 19, 2010 - Larry Mullins)
The third and final installment of this series explains how you can get way out front of your competition by working to deliver uncompromising Integrity, Excellence, and Caring.

Build A Home Furnishings Sales Machine - Part 2 (Thursday, November 19, 2009 - Larry Mullins)
Part 2 of this three part series continues to look at alternatives retailers have to just cutting back expenses in these though times. Instead, Larry Mullins suggests ways to become a Market Leader and leave sleeping competitors behind.

Build A Home Furnishings Sales Machine (Sunday, October 04, 2009 - Larry Mullins)
Part 1 of this three part series looks at alternatives retailers have to just cutting back expenses in these though times. Instead, Larry Mullins suggests ways to become a Market Leader and leave sleeping competitors behind.

Advances In Evidence Based Advertising (Wednesday, August 19, 2009 - Larry Mullins)
Now is the time to convert expensive, weak retail advertising into highly productive, cost effective efforts using the internet.

Boost Cash Flow & Generate Sales Now (Monday, April 06, 2009 - Larry Mullins)
This article tells the story of a furniture store owner in St. Augustine who used fresh tactics to beat last year’s numbers in November, December, and January. How he did it is instructive and worth your attention.

Why Should Customers Buy from You? (Wednesday, November 19, 2008 - Furniture World Magazine)
Larry Mullins looks at four wasteful assumptions most home furnishings have, that tend to hobble their advertising and marketing efforts.

Cure For The Business Blues (Monday, July 14, 2008 - by Larry Mullins)
Examples of how some furniture entrepreneurs are turning the tide in a negative business climate.

Forget Old Media, Use People Media™ -- Part 5 (Friday, May 09, 2008 - Larry Mullins)
People Media™ begin at the top. Your store’s Brand begins with your own personal Brand. All of us have a Brand. You cannot fake it. Here are easy and inexpensive tips for using People Media on your website, on your sales floor, in your direct mail and even at the point of delivery.

Forget Old Media Use People Media™ (Saturday, March 08, 2008 - Larry Mullins)
Digital communication is changing marketing as we know it. Old marketing assumed that someone was watching your commercials and reading your ads. Many furniture retailers are bombarding customers with weak and hastily prepared advertising messages, but you don’t have to.

The Seven Lost Ad Secrets - Part 3 (Wednesday, January 02, 2008 - Larry Mullins)
Larry Mullins explains how to effectively use new, inexpensive, uncluttered, media to reach the public and tell your story. He does a post mortem on those pervasive Big Box ads and provides tips to help you to make your ads really pull.

Every Associate A Leader- Part 1 - Online Article (Monday, December 24, 2007 - Furniture World Magazine)
Larry Mullins looks at the organization that does the best job of developing leaders and examines ways to promote integrity, excellence and caring in future retail leaders.

The Seven Lost Ad Secrets - Part 2 (Tuesday, December 18, 2007 - Furniture World Magazine)
Targeting your message to "Boomers" and "Seniors" because that's where the buying power is.

Seven Lost Ad Secrets Updated For A Digital Age (Tuesday, September 18, 2007 - Larry Mullins)
How new approaches to advertising can win friends, influence customers and make you money at a time of information overload.

Visionary Selling - Part 3 - Company Vision -Online Article (Friday, July 27, 2007 - Furniture World Magazine)
If your vision for your company is not vivid and compelling, it will not fly. If you cannot "see" in your mind's eye what it is you want, no one else will see it either. Being a Visionary Leader begins with a vision, but that is only the beginning.

Revisiting Management By Walking Around (Tuesday, July 17, 2007 - Larry Mullins)
Is Management by Walking Around still relevant for retail furniture stores in a cyber-based culture?

The Code That Unlocks Customers’ Hearts & Wallets - Part 2 (Friday, May 11, 2007 - Larry Mullins)
Dr. Rapaille’s Culture Code ideas can be used to lift home furnishings advertising and point-of-purchase efforts to new levels of cost-effectiveness. This article will show you how to “Five Sense” your store, brainstorm ideas with your staff and sort out these ideas to come up with the best ways to appeal to your target customers.

12 Great Ways To Promote Your Brand - Online Article (Tuesday, April 24, 2007 - Furniture World Magazine)
Larry Mullins describes 12 great ways to help you and your customers remember what makes your store unique. What does your brand have that all the others don’t?

Visionary Selling - Part 1 - Take The Time To Understand Deliver Priceless Value - Online Article (Tuesday, March 27, 2007 - Furniture World Magazine)
How does one add value? Almost without exception, added value is services. To succeed in the new marketplace, you must out-service your competitors. Is this expensive? No, but it is difficult. Larry Mullins looks at ways you can think about adding priceless value that will convince your customers to buy.

The Code That Unlocks Customer's Hearts & Wallets (Wednesday, March 07, 2007 - Larry Mullins)
Part 1 - Dr. Rapaille’s Culture Code ideas can be used to lift home furnishings advertising and point-of-purchase efforts to new levels of cost-effectiveness.

26 Powerful Advertising Suggestions - Online Article (Tuesday, February 13, 2007 - Furniture World Magazine)
Larry Mullins presents 26 suggestions to help you start thinking about getting the most out of each advertising dollar.

Advertising Principles - Part 2 - Who Writes Your Ads?- Online Article (Tuesday, January 30, 2007 - Furniture World Magazine)
Even if the letters screaming SALE! are a foot high, unless people know you and already like your store, they are not likely to respond. Larry Mullins presents some more secrets of writing good ad copy.

Help Me Decide If It Is A Good Time To Open A New Store (Tuesday, January 23, 2007 - Furniture World Magazine )
What are his chances of success competing against the "big sharks" in the business? Post a message to this furninfo.com message board topic.

The Amazing Power Of Feedback - Online Story (Tuesday, January 02, 2007 - Furniture World Magazine)
It takes a lot of hard work to generate a month’s business in a normally dull weekend. Learning the five basic steps to planning a successful promotion is just the beginning. Planning without flawless execution is worthless. The key to success is to engage your team leaders in an organic process of effective communications and mandatory feedback.

A Boring Vision Statement Won't Cut It -News Feature (Tuesday, December 12, 2006 - Furniture World Magazine)
Without a vision-statement, businesses, organizations, and even countries perish. Not in a dramatic way perhaps, but slowly, inch by inch. It takes more than a vision-statement, of course. It also takes integrity of commitment, excellence, and caring. Step-by-step instructions will help you to create your vision statement in just 35 minutes.

Advertising Principles - Part 3 - The Right Media (Tuesday, December 05, 2006 - Furniture World Magazine)
Larry Mullins continues his series on media management with a discussion of how to use newspaper, direct mail and radio to maximize the return on your advertising investment.

Advertising Principles -Follow Up After Your Big Event - Part 7 (Tuesday, November 28, 2006 - Furniture World Magazine)
There are two big challenges that can confront the retail furniture organization after a major sales event. The first of these is to deal with the "after sales blues" - an emotional let-down that comes over everyone. Second, the CEO must move quickly to capture the knowledge that has been gained during the event.

Seven Keys To Advertising Success (Tuesday, October 03, 2006 - Furniture World Magazine)
Larry Mullins has treated FURNITURE WORLD subscribers to a detailed analysis of the keys to advertising and promotional success. Here is a summary of these cardinal principles that were presented in previous issues.

Make Your Competitors Irrelevant -Part 2 (Tuesday, September 26, 2006 - Furniture World Magazine)
A continuation of Larry Mullins’ excellent article on Blue Ocean innovations. In this issue, he details a Blue Ocean plan for a shop-at-home program.

What Salespeople Need To Know About Your Profits (Tuesday, September 19, 2006 - Furniture World Magazine)
Ask a sales associate how much profit an average furniture store makes. Most will guess in the neighborhood of fifty percent. Larry Mullins explains why this impression, that is also shared by your customers, can sabotage your sales and marketing efforts.

Visionary Selling - Part 2 - Become A Visionary Leader (Tuesday, August 22, 2006 - Furniture World Magazine)
leadership; the principle of a visionary mission; the principle of authentic core values; the principle of CCEWIG, or continually confronting everyone with intimidating goals.

Blue Ocean Marketing Can Make Your Competitors Irrelevant - Part 1 (Tuesday, August 08, 2006 - Larry Mullins)
This article is about a new, innovative approach: Blue Ocean marketing. Blue Ocean is about using your time and imagination to create uncontested market space that will make the big boxes and other competitors irrelevant.

Does Who You Are Matter To Your Customer? (Tuesday, July 11, 2006 - Furniture World Magazine)
There is a long list of furniture stores that stand for nothing in the minds of their customers. Their ads and commercials reflect this lack of identity. Here are ways that you can get your customers to identify your unique brand identity.

The World's Greatest Furniture Store (Tuesday, May 30, 2006 - Furniture World Magazine)
Larry Mullins starts this article by stating, “If you have a good company and are satisfied, this article is not for you.” He continues to explain how good furniture stores can become great. It starts with finding that one aspect of your business that is your Brand, your ticket to rapid growth and greater returns.

Big Box Invasion Ad Strategies - Part 3 (Monday, April 17, 2006 - Larry Mullins)
This is the final installment in a three part series on advertising and event planning. It tells how the management of Hineline Furniture, a 30,000 sq. ft. showroom with a limited ad budget in a small community, planned and executed a promotion that exceeded their wildest expectations.

Ad Strategies For The Big Box Invasion - Part 2 (Tuesday, February 14, 2006 - Larry Mullins)
Larry Mullins looks at how independent retailers with certain strengths can use proven advertising principles to out-advertise giant retailers.

Advertising Strategies For The Big Box Invasion (Monday, December 12, 2005 - Larry Mullins)
Huge retail chains and big box stores have monster budgets and corporate ad departments to work with. Out-advertise them in 2006 by buying right and working on your message. Larry Mullins explains how to create effective messages that will attract customers who are already in the market to buy.

Abuse of Power : Cautionary Retail Tale (Wednesday, October 05, 2005 - Larry Mullins)
How to avoid the pitfalls of abuse of rank and its results; poor customer service and reduced productivity.

12 Great Ways To Promote Your Brand (Wednesday, June 08, 2005 - Larry Mullins)
Larry Mullins describes 12 great ways to help you and your customers remember what makes your store unique. What does your brand have that all the others don’t?

Every Associate A Leader - Part 3 (Thursday, April 07, 2005 - Larry Mullins)
There is a new paradigm for bringing leaders up through the ranks of our retail rganizations. It is based on the Metavalues® of integrity, excellence and caring and includes an entirely new way of teaching these attributes. Larry Mullins continues to look at how the best furniture stores develop leaders.

Every Associate A Leader - Part 2 (Tuesday, February 08, 2005 - Larry Mullins)
Test way to develop leaders who can see your company and services the way that they ought to be.

Every Associate A Leader- Part 1 (December 1, 2004 - Larry Mullins)
Larry Mullins looks at the organization that does the best job of developing leaders and examines ways to promote integrity, excellence and caring in future retail leaders.

Are Women The Best Salespeople? (Tuesday, October 05, 2004 - Larry Mullins)
Things have changed since the days when furniture was designed by men, built by men, sold wholesale by men to men, and eventually sold at retail by men to women. But the “grass is still greener” for women in other industries and there’s still a lot for furniture “men” to learn.

Renaissance In Print Media: Follow The Leader (04/01/2004 - Larry Mullins)
The furniture industry has experienced a “dark age” in print advertising. Happily we are entering a “renaissance” period. Evidence of this rebirth can be seen in an Ethan Allen piece that is, without question, a new benchmark for retailers.

26 Powerful Advertising Suggestions (02/01/2004 - Larry Mullins)
Larry Mullins presents 26 suggestions to help you start thinking about getting the most out of each advertising dollar.

Exceed Your Customers' Expectations (10/01/2003 - Larry Mullins)
Those few, those fortunate few, who can exceed customer expectations will win and keep greater market share. Delivering a shopping experience that exceeds customer expectations is doable. It just isn’t easy.

It's Time To Prepare Your Organization (08/01/2003 - Larry Mullins)
Great business leaders have a goal that benefits society and inspires a workforce to do its best. They foster on-the-job growth in self-knowledge, wisdom, and relationships. Finally, they are engaged in creating a product that does more than just generate revenue.

The Amazing Power Of Feedback (06/01/2003 - Larry Mullins)
It takes a lot of hard work to generate a month’s business in a normally dull weekend. Learning the five basic steps to planning a successful promotion is just the beginning. Planning without flawless execution is worthless. The key to success is to engage your team leaders in an organic process of effective communications and mandatory feedback.

A Boring Vision Statement Won't Cut It (03/01/2003 - Larry Mullins)
Without a vision-statement, businesses, organizations, and even countries perish. Not in a dramatic way perhaps, but slowly, inch by inch. It takes more than a vision-statement, of course. It also takes integrity of commitment, excellence, and caring. Step-by-step instructions will help you to create your vision statement in just 35 minutes.

Advertising And Your Credibility (01/01/2003 - Larry Mullins)
In this “Enron” age, your advertising has to work harder and smarter to win the trust of prospective customers. If you have a store with great merchandise offers, excellent prices, motivated sales consultants and impeccable service, yet you can’t seem to get your story across, this article will help.

Crisis Of Values At Retail (10/01/2002 - Larry Mullins)
Leaders have lied to their people, the public, and themselves. But things will turn around. Use this transition period to rebuild... and start by looking at MetaValues™.

The World's Greatest Furniture Store (08/01/2002 - Larry Mullins)
Larry Mullins starts this article by stating, “If you have a good company and are satisfied, this article is not for you.” He continues to explain how good furniture stores can become great. It starts with finding that one aspect of your business that is your Brand, your ticket to rapid growth and greater returns.

Powerful, Productive Direct Mail (06/01/2002 - Larry Mullins)
Many merchants make the mistake of assuming that if they keep a direct mail message short, customers will read it. This is just not true. Shown are five steps to producing direct mail pieces that will convince even hard to reach customers to visit your store.

How To Buy Print Media For Half-Price (04/01/2002 - Larry Mullins)
If you think that newspaper advertising isn’t effective, you may want to look at your message. Larry Mullins presents sure fire ways to create messages that are appealing to consumers and differentiated from competitors.

Seven Ways To Increase Market Share In Tough Times - Part 1 (04/01/2001 - Larry Mullins)
The best retailers are sharpening their tools and checking for leaks, waste and junk. They are inspiring their troops with an upbeat, confident attitude. In addition, they are moving to increase market share.

Bring In Customers With The Optimal Media Mix (02/01/2002 - Larry Mullins)
Television, radio and print media can work together to bring in those customers who need, but are not yet actively shopping for furniture. Newspaper can be used productively if you take the time and make the effort. But you can’t buy $1,000 worth of newspaper space and put $50 worth of effort into creating your message, and expect it to work.

Does Who You Are Matter To Your Customer? (12/01/2001 - Larry Mullins)
There is a long list of furniture stores that stand for nothing in the minds of their customers. Their ads and commercials reflect this lack of identity. Here are ways that you can get your customers to identify your unique brand identity.

The Most Powerful Promotional Tool (08/01/2001 - Larry Mullins)
In more enlightened companies, employees are exercising much more authority and power. Decisions to satisfy a customer’s problem are made on the spot, rather than waiting for an authorization from some manager who may not be available at the critical moment of customer need. Larry Mullins describes a simple management tool that can help you get the most out every employee.

Seven Ways To Increase Market Share In Tough Times - Part 2 (06/01/2001 - Larry Mullins)
Part 2 of this series examines and expands upon some of the ideas put forth in Britt Beemer’s book “It Takes A Prophet To Make A Profit”. The best retailers are sharpening their tools and checking for leaks, waste and junk. They are inspiring their troops with an upbeat, confident attitude. In addition, they are moving to increase market share.

Visionary Selling - Part 3 - Company Vision (12/01/2000 - Larry Mullins)
If your vision for your company is not vivid and compelling, it will not fly. If you cannot "see" in your mind's eye what it is you want, no one else will see it either. Being a Visionary Leader begins with a vision, but that is only the beginning.

Visionary Selling - Part 2 - Become A Visionary Leader (10/01/2000 - Larry Mullins)
The visionary leader must learn these four principles: The principle of visionary leadership; the principle of a visionary mission; the principle of authentic core values; the principle of CCEWIG, or continually confronting everyone with intimidating goals.

What Salespeople Need To Know About Your Profits (06/01/2000 - Larry Mullins)
Ask a sales associate how much profit an average furniture store makes. Most will guess in the neighborhood of fifty percent. Larry Mullins explains why this impression, that is also shared by your customers, can sabotage your sales and marketing efforts.

Visionary Selling - Part 1 - Take The Time To Understand Deliver Priceless Value (08/01/2000 - Larry Mullins)
How does one add value? Almost without exception, added value is services. To succeed in the new marketplace, you must out-service your competitors. Is this expensive? No, but it is difficult. Larry Mullins looks at ways you can think about adding priceless value that will convince your customers to buy.

Kacey's Mattress Revolution (04/01/2000 - Larry Mullins)
When it comes to mattress advertising, Denver is much like any other city: it is a shark tank. Also, like any other city, almost all the mattress ads look alike. Until now. Kacey Fine Furniture is taking mattress marketing to a new level.

Seven Keys To Advertising Success (02/01/2000 - Larry Mullins)
Since the October 1998 issue, Larry Mullins has treated FURNITURE WORLD subscribers to a detailed analysis of the keys to advertising and promotional success. Many industry retailers have asked for a summary of these cardinal principles which are summarized in this issue.

Advertising Principles- Part 7 - Guarantee Satisfaction (12/01/1999 - Larry Mullins)
What do your customers really want? What are their greatest fears? How can your salespeople instill confidence in your products and services at the start of the sales process? How can you guarantee that your customers will remain satisfied?

How To Use The Magic Of Time Framing (08/01/1999 - Larry Mullins)
Time framing can revolutionize your business life. The simple executive concept of doing one thing at a time in disciplined focus has been lost to many entrepreneurs over the years.

Advertising Principles - Event Planning - Part 5 (07/01/1999 - Larry Mullins)
Planning, or the lack of it, can make or break you as a retailer. It is true that "without vision, the people perish." Yet without a plan, a vision is just a dream, simply wishful thinking.

Advertising Principles - Part 3 - The Right Media (02/01/1999 - Larry Mullins)
Larry Mullins continues his series on media management with a discussion of how to use newspaper, direct mail and radio to maximize the return on your advertising investment.

Advertising Principles -Follow Up After Your Big Event - Part 7 (09/01/1999 - Larry Mullins)
There are two big challenges that can confront the retail furniture organization after a major sales event. The first of these is to deal with the "after sales blues" - an emotional let-down that comes over everyone. Second, the CEO must move quickly to capture the knowledge that has been gained during the event.

Advertising Principles - Part 4 (04/01/1999 - Larry Mullins)
People Media are people communicating with other people... saying good things about you, your store and about your merchandise. People Media may be the least expensive, best-kept and most powerful "secret" in retail marketing!

Advertising Principles - Part 2 - Who Writes Your Ads? (01/01/1999 - Larry Mullins )
Even if the letters screaming SALE! are a foot high, unless people know you and already like your store, they are not likely to respond. Larry Mullins presents some more secrets of writing good ad copy.

Advertising Principles - Part 1 -Who Writes Your Ad Copy? (10/01/1998 - Larry Mullins)
According to Larry Mullins, today's advertising is created-for the most part-without regard for the principles that make advertising work. This series of articles looks at the "seven lost secrets" of advertising promotion.