Classic Legacy clients often teach me and inspire me. I found Sue B Zimmerman through my online social media contacts. Recently I was developing new gifts with themes and jewelry. I designed a Cape Cod charm and wanted to find the perfect retailer to work with on Cape Cod. I kept reading about Sue B Zimmerman and SueB.Do. She is the owner of SueB.Do on Cape Cod. I have learned so much from her and I want to share her story. Sue B Zimmerman is not only a retailer but also an Instagram Expert! These are some questions I recently asked her.
When Did SueB.Do begin?
Sue B Zimmerman has always been a creator and business owner. She’s had 18 businesses with her first million dollar business at age 18. She has a knack for spotting trends and adapting her business or starting a new one when she is ready for a change. Sue grew up on Cape Cod so she has a strong connection to the environment and people. She knew that it was a great place for a seasonal store. SueB.Do has been in business for 7 years.
Who are your customers?
SueB.Do’s main customers are people that live in or vacation in the New Seabury community. Many are families that return every year and come to the Popponesset marketplace for a casual shopping and dining experience. Now because of her success online several customers have visited the store from outside the immediate area. She loves meeting people she has made an online connection with in person.
When are you open?
SueB.Do is only open during the prime summer months. It is open for Memorial Day weekend and then for July and August only. The hours of the store vary depending on the traffic in the Marketplace. On most days the store is open from 10 to 8PM but sometimes later when there is a live concert.
What do you look for when purchasing new jewelry and gifts?
Everything at SueB.Do is customized to be different from anything else you’ll find other places. Sue B Zimmerman adds the SueB.Do touch to clothing, jewelry, and accessories so that each item is special. Basically if you’ve seen it in a million other similar stores….you won’t find it at SueB.Do. She has a mix of higher end items as well as lower price point to meet the needs of all her customers, moms as well as their teenage daughters. These are some of the unique gifts you will find at SueB.Do.
What do you think sets SueB.Do apart from other retailers in your area?
Customers come to SueB.Do for the shopping experience as well as the unique products. There is always something to do to keep the younger kids entertained whether it is painting nails, hair feathers, or picking out shells! Sue B Zimmerman merchandises her store like no one else. Every square inch including all around the outside is covered with merchandise displayed to have a very Cape Cod feel. She uses a-typical items to display things from old glass bottles to drift wood to small iron gates.
How has social media especially Instagram played a part in the day to day operation of SueB.Do?
Sue B Zimmerman knows that her customers are online. Last summer she started using Instagram for the store to get people in the door. She empowered her employees to be active online during their shifts so that she could reach their followers as well. Her audience immediately grew but the key was staying consistent in delivering the true feeling of the store though her online messaging. Instagram continues to be the main platform of choice for SueB.Do.
What advice would you give other retailers about running a successful retail store?
Other retailers need to keep in mind that there is always a customer experience associated with your store. They are in control of what that experience is so make sure yours is unique. Also, don’t be afraid to start using social media to promote your business. Everyone starts at zero and grows from there. Success doesn’t happen overnight so be consistent and patient.
Summary
- Strive to make your business stand out and be unique.
- Consider developing custom gifts for your business niche so you can offer something special to your customers.
- Build your online presence! Consider Instagram as a tool to help your business grow.
- I have enjoyed learning from Sue B Zimmerman, owner of SueB.Do. She is the #InstagramGal! Be sure to follow Sue on Instagram to learn from her very practical advice. I recently participated in her Creative Live Instagram Class. This is a treasure. As a business owner I encourage you to invest in training and this is a REALLY valuable training. Classic Legacy is also on Instagram I look forward to connecting with YOU.
