Brand consistency must be maintained throughout all areas of an organization; it builds credibility and consumer trust, allows for clear ownership of a brand’s differentiated positioning, and inspires a culture of development and innovation. Yet in a landscape where consumer preferences are ever evolving, market conditions are exceedingly dynamic, and the competition is always changing, it’s equally important to be responsive, creative, open to new ideas, and fully committed to your brand’s continuous development.

Target and Wal-Mart are getting ready for the 4th quarter “no holds barred cage match” which kicks off Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving. It’s no fun being caught in the crossfire of two behemoths, especially when both giants are vying for the all important 4th quarter sales.

The Friday following Thanksgiving is generally the worst food-shopping day of the year for supermarkets across the country. If not the lowest sales day of the year, it’s certainly in the top five! Accordingly, many retailers “give up” on sales for the long weekend following Thanksgiving. Many even cancel their weekly ad Thanksgiving week. Is this a good strategy or a self-fulfilling prophecy?

Special events, eye-catching displays and seasonally themed promotions that create a fun and unique shopping experience for customers of all ages. Here are three fall-inspired ideas to help you make the most of the upcoming fall season:

I’d like you to take just 10 minutes to take note of something you probably don’t pay much attention to, but that your customers notice every time they shop your store. Look at what is hanging from the ceiling and the walls of your store, and ask yourself, “What does this say to our customers about our brand?”

This month’s Fortune Magazine features a wonderful article on Trader Joe’s, and it made me think about the kinds of competitive advantages that are often overlooked.

1. Distinctive private brands are a competitive advantage. From “Two Buck Chuck” to “Trader Jose’s” to “Reduced Guilt Potato Chips,” Trader Joe’s does not carry generics; they skillfully craft private brands.

Give customers a special short code, and the number that they should text that short code to. Once a customer texts that unique short code from their cell phone, their cell number will be added to your database of text message recipients. You can also create a sign-up form on your website that lets customers submit their cell phone numbers online.

Now that we’re eight weeks away from the all-important 4th quarter, how are your sales distribution rates…margins…ad markdowns…sales…customer counts?

Have you dusted off your 2010 4th quarter plan lately?

You may be in the middle of your eighth period budget and needing to aggressively gain momentum going into the 4th quarter. Why not take a couple of days out of your routine to make a trip to Phoenix and allow us to help you with a revised 4th quarter business plan?

So much has been said about experience in retail, that sometimes it seems like a tired, commonplace idea. And yet, when we look around the marketplace, virtually no one is actually implementing a true experiential approach. Experience is the art of creating moments. It is about empathy, thinking creatively from the customer’s point of view to design a better shopping trip, a special eating experience, and an intimate relationship with your customer.

“Back-to-school” is just around the corner, and the back-to-school season, like all seasonal events or activities, offers an excellent opportunity for retailers to improve or reinforce their price perception.