Indie retailers told to "be remarkable"

HOME MEDIA EXPO: Keynote Parsley gives tips to attendees

By Marcy Magiera -- Video Business, 6/24/2008

Brian Parsley teaches indie retailers the "six virtues of business."
Photo: Joe Coomber

JUNE 24 | LAS VEGAS--Author and consultant Brian Parsley gave attendees of Monday’s Indie Expo at The Palms hotel here a crash course in “The Six Virtues of Business,” sprinkling his motivational speech with lots of humor and a few jabs at kiosk rental company Redbox.

Click for photos and more news from the 2008 Home Media Expo

Parsley zeroed right in on the competitor indie retailers might be most concerned about—kiosk operators—telling the room of about 100 attendees that it’s necessary to be happy in your personal life to do well in your business. A lack of faith in and commitment to the business is the biggest threat to success, he said.

“It’s not the competition, not the big boxes, not even the Redboxes,” Parsley said. “You can’t change the economy, but you can change your market share.”

Parsley’s first virtue, “be remarkable,” must be achieved through remarkable service and remarkable people, he told the crowd. Remarkable products, he said, are limited in their lifecycle. “Redboxes are limited” in their lifecyle, he said, and after the newness has worn off, are invisible to people.

“There’s no way that Redbox has more personality than you or your people,” Parsley said.

Parsley offered the In-N-Out burger chain as an example of a company with remarkable, friendly service, and to prove his point, he called the company’s toll-free customer service line from the stage to ask for directions to the nearest restaurant and a recommendation for what to order.

The speaker’s other virtues: be childlike (genuine, persistent, present, risk-taking and without fear of being wrong), be respectful (focused, organized, on-time and follow through on what you say you are going to do), be humble, be generous and be grateful.

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