Small Business Lessons That Are Anything but Cliché

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In 2011, Dani Sheehan-Meyer decided to open an upscale gift shop called Cliché Noe Gift Store in Noe Valley, a neighborhood in San Francisco. With a background in sales, marketing and advertising, Meyer brought a certain marketing savvy that not all small business owners have since most business owners are not marketers.

In a few short years Meyer learned a great deal about what she did and didn’t want her store to be, and she spends seven days a week working toward that goal. Over shrimp salad and a glass of sauv blanc in her home amazon database above the shop, Meyer broke down what she’s learned that any small business can relate to.

Be Known for Something

Meyer decided that she would never compete against the “big guys” because she felt it would be a losing battle. She didn’t want to fall into a “Gap” mentality where she was constantly discounting her products, or having to mark things down in order to sell them. She decided early on that Cliché Noe would differentiate itself from the competition by becoming known for their high level of service and customer experience.

But first, Cliché Noe had to get found by potential customers. Meyer focused her energy on being a part of the community where her store is located. She joined the local merchants association, the larger San Francisco Council District Merchants Association and worked with other local merchants and businesses to create a guide to help market the neighborhood to locals and tourists alike. Meyer took it a step further by connecting with the local tourism agencies and became part of the Northern California Concierge Association and connected with San Francisco travel writers. These efforts helped focus on drawing people to the neighborhood as a destination where they could then experience Cliché Noe amongst other local offerings and gave people reasons to return again and again.