Sell Value When Consumer Spending Is Down

My grandmother is always looking for value. In fact, she drives about 60 miles round trip to grocery shop at the nearest commissary because, as she claims, their bread is a good 50 cents less than what she'd pay at her local store. Value appeals to my grandmother--and to most every other consumer as well.

When the economy tightens and consumer spending slows, emphasizing value is a good way to boost sales, according to this article in The Los Angeles Times. Paying attention to good service and throwing in some freebies helps, too. "When people are watching every penny, they want excellent customer service," says Sam Herskowitz, president of franchise retailer Sterling Optical. Good news for small businesses which are always able to top big chains in providing great service.