Selling space during retail revamps can be achieved

Tyger Valley Centre's sales coordinator, Kim-Kelly Bailey, says the revamp was a major concern given that dwell time in the centre was also decreased, making it even more difficult to secure sales. However, by keeping focused over this period she was able to secure some solid deals to bolster income figures.

The main challenges to overcome to achieve this result were to draw customers to the centre during the revamp phase, keep loyal exhibitors and bring in new ones. "Although the centre is a well-established brand, the selling of court spaces is always very challenging and, to make things even more difficult, my sales targets had to be reached while there was very little exhibition space available in-centre.

Key sales strategies pay off

"Fortunately, I was able to strengthen as opposed to erode my relationships with exhibitors over the revamp period. But to achieve this, I had to open my mind in terms of being fair and cutting costs without affecting my profit margins."

She cites key sales strategies that allowed her to exceed the sales target as being open to negotiation and aiming to sign long-term contracts. "This is mostly as a result of trust developed by relationships cultivated over months, if not years. The human relationship side of our business is definitely the best investment to make during the worst of times and of course it certainly doesn't harm having an excellent and supportive team on your side."

Looking ahead, the key insight from the past year that Bailey will be using to grow current success is never to doubt or underestimate small income providers. "They are often the biggest source of support to help your brand grow when you are at your lowest."