Plain Talk Archives Index

Keeping up with Your Competitors: Is Location Intelligence the New Secret Weapon? (4/10/2025)

From The Buxton Co

It’s classic business wisdom: when defining your strategies and tactics, you need to understand the competitive environment. No business operates in a vacuum. That’s why you need to ask yourself – What are your competitors . . .

Trade Area Analysis: How Well Do You Know Your Market? (4/3/2025)
Consumer demands for convenience are putting pressure on the retail, restaurant, and healthcare industries to adapt.
With more and more consumers preferring to travel shorter distances and turning to online channels, real estate and marketing decisions need to be refitted for . . .

What is Customer Profiling? A 5 Step Beginner’s Guide (3/27/2025)
One of the most important parts of any business is understanding who your customer is, and one of the best ways to gain this understanding is through customer profiles. The purpose of customer profiles is to help make customer‑focused decisions without confusing the scope of the . . .

The Site Selection Process: A Complete Guide to Choosing Your Next Location (3/20/2025)
Choosing the wrong location for your brand can really hurt your bottom line. Selecting the right site is one of the most important decisions for any business, as it impacts everything from customer access to operational efficiency.

Why Is Your Site Selection Strategy More Critical Than Ever? (3/13/2025)
Retail site selection has always been an essential component of a brand’s strategy. Great locations position retailers for success, while poor locations yield disappointing results.
For decades, retail real estate professionals have defined site selection . . .

Strategic Site Selection: 3 Best Practices for Consumer Businesses (3/6/2025)
Site selection has traditionally been viewed as a tactical activity. If a business needs to open 30 more units next year, the real estate team treats each site selection decision as a separate process and executes that process with operational precision.
But the business and real estate landscape is shifting, leading some industry experts to call for a more . . .

Retail Location Strategy: Key Trends and Best Practices (2/27/2025)
The retail location and site selection process has changed in numerous ways due to trends that have caused disruption in the retail industry. It appears that these trends, centered around consumer behavior changes and technological advances, are likely here to stay and will continue to impact how businesses choose . . .

The Ultimate Checklist for Retail Site Analysis Solution (2/20/2025)
Site selection shouldn’t rely on subjective opinion but on objective facts. That’s where a retail site analysis comes into play.
A thorough site selection solution aligns with your unique needs, maximizing profitability and long‑term viability. This checklist guides you through the essential . .

What to Look for in a Retail Site Selection Consultant (2/13/2025)
Choosing the right location can make or break a retail business.
And retail site selection consultants play a vital role in this decision‑making process. They specialize in identifying the locations with the best performance potential by analyzing customer penetration, competition, area draw, and other important factors. These experts ensure your retail business thrives by . . .

The Complete Guide to Retail Site Selection Software (2/6/2025)
Choosing the right retail location can make or break your business. That’s why retailers need more than intuition to find the perfect location.
This blog explores how retail site selection software helps companies leverage data for better decisions. From understanding key features to evaluating software options, this guide provides a comprehensive overview for retail . . .

The Role of Sales Forecasting Models and Why They Are Used in the Site Selection Process (1/30/2025)
Sales forecasting is the process of using past performance data to inform future performance. It’s become an increasingly common element of the site selection process and is often the focus of real estate modeling projects.

Understanding the 3 Primary Site Selection Model Types (1/23/2025)
If you’ve ever considered purchasing a real estate site selection model, you know that the industry is filled with unfamiliar terms. Researching the various solutions can feel daunting, but fortunately it doesn’t have to be that way.

When Do Businesses Need Site Selection Services? (1/16/2025)
Businesses need site selection services when they are expanding into new markets or relocating operations. Engaging these services early in the planning process ensures that decisions are data‑driven, reducing risks and maximizing ROI.
Whether you're a startup or an established company, the right site selection strategy ensures that the sites you choose align . . .

The Ultimate Guide to Retail Site Selection (1/9/2025)
The retail site selection process has changed significantly over the last three decades. What was once considered an art is now a blend of art and science.
Whether you are new to the retail site selection process, or simply wish to refine your current technique, these insights can help you make the right . . .

The Power of Customer‑Centric Location Strategies (1/2/2025)
An Interview with Bill Stinneford
The success of any retail business hinges on understanding its customers and making strategic decisions based on their needs. In this interview, Bill Stinneford, EVP of Sales at Buxton, discusses the role of a customer‑centric location strategy in achieving this goal. He provides valuable insights‑.‑.‑.

Understanding the Alternative to 3rd Party Cookies (12/18/2024)
As the marketing landscape evolves, so do the tools and strategies we use to reach and engage with our audience.

Addressing Business Challenges in Healthcare with Advanced Consumer Analytics (12/10/2024)
The healthcare industry faces numerous business challenges, from growing service lines and managing costs to optimizing operations and improving patient . . .

Leveraging Propensity Scoring to Elevate Customer Retention and Acquisition (12/5/2024)
The ability to pinpoint which customers to target and how to effectively engage them is the key to survival in the competitive retail industry – and the key to that survival lies in propensity . . .

The Need for Consumer Analytics in Healthcare (11/18/2024)
When the healthcare industry hears "analytics," the default assumption is often clinical analytics—metrics that focus on patient outcomes, treatment efficacy, and clinical processes. However, to thrive in an increasingly competitive and consumer‑driven market, healthcare organizations must also leverage . . .

Enhancing Customer Connections Through Data‑Driven Personalization (11/7/2024)
In the bustling digital marketplace, where customers are inundated with choices, personalization has emerged as a critical differentiator. It's not just about catching the eye anymore; it's about catching the right eye.

How Buxton’s Customer Analytics Benefit Teams Across the Organization (10/31/2024)
If your team has ever considered investing in customer analytics, you may have raised the question: would other teams in your organization benefit from those same . . .

Turning Personas into Customers Part 3: Sealing the Deal (10/24/2024)
In the final installment of our series, we reach the critical juncture of customer conversion – transforming interested personas into loyal customers. This is the stage where interest is converted into commitment and where your . . .

Turning Personas into Customers Part 2: Engaging through Strategy (10/17/2024)
Here is the crux of customer conversion: engaging with the personas that you’ve meticulously crafted. The bridge from awareness to interest is not merely a step; it's a strategic leap that requires a blend of creativity, analytics, and empathetic . . .

Turning Personas into Customers Part 1: Crafting Actionable Personas (10/10/2024)
As seasoned marketers, you understand that developing customer personas is more than just a preliminary exercise; it’s an ongoing process that necessitates refinement and depth. Your first‑party data, perhaps also enriched with demographic data, has already given you an idea of “who” your customers are, but now it’s time to elevate . . .

Balancing AI Innovation and Consumer Trust in Marketing (9/26/2024)
The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) within marketing strategies is accelerating rapidly. According to IBM, 34% of companies were actively utilizing AI in 2022, a figure that grew to 42% in 2023 and is expected to continue . . .

Building Customer Trust in the Age of AI (9/19/2024)
Trust is one of the top three buying considerations that consumers have, per the 2023 Edelman Trust Barometer. So, it’s no surprise that a survey of 1,000 consumers concluded that more than 80% consider trust a deciding factor in their buying decisions.

5 Lessons the Healthcare Industry Can Learn from the Retail Sector (9/12/2024)
Retailers have long understood how to harness the right mixture of data to unlock a brand’s full potential and really dig into who its customers are and what they want. And as patients continue to become savvier consumers, it’s crucial for healthcare providers to . . .

A Marketer’s Checklist for Competitive Intelligence Technology (9/5/2024)
A good marketing strategy needs competitive intelligence, and good competitive intelligence starts with data, more specifically, third‑party consumer data. Third‑party consumer analytics solutions delve into consumer behavior, preferences, and trends, providing . . .

Embracing the Franchise Model: A Roadmap to Growth for Specialty Health Organizations (8/23/2024)
The aging population, along with the rise of consumerism in healthcare, which demands both convenience and accessibility, have impacted the way healthcare is delivered in the United States. Healthcare franchising, particularly within specialty health organizations, offers a unique pathway to rapid . . .

Bridging the Gap: Harnessing Consumer Analytics for Omnichannel E‑Commerce Success (8/14/2024)
The e‑commerce landscape has been undergoing rapid changes, largely propelled by evolving consumer behaviors and technological advancements. A key trend observed is the integration of online and offline . . .

How to Unlock Your Brand’s Growth Potential (7/25/2024)
Fitness franchise giant Self Esteem Brands partners with Buxton to make informed expansion decisions.
Self Esteem Brands - the parent company of . . .

Transforming Retail Marketing with Customer Analytics: A Journey to Better CX (7/4/2024)
In the fast‑paced world of retail, providing customers with a seamless buying journey has become an imperative. However, this journey is often riddled with challenges that . . .

Alert Provides Key Insights to See Where You’re Staying Ahead – and Falling Behind (5/23/2024)

From The Buxton Co

When you have significant changes within your market, you need to know as soon as possible. That’s why we . . .

How Marketing Teams can Adapt to Ever‑Evolving Behavior (5/16/2024)
Marketing teams need to stay on their toes to adapt and meet the quickly evolving needs of their customers. With the right tools and strategies in place, marketing teams can successfully navigate . . .

Unlocking Your Franchise’s Full Potential: The Power of Science and Analytics (5/9/2024)
Are you a franchisor looking to take your business to the next level? You already know that growth is crucial to your success, but how do you make sure . . .

How to Ditch Your One‑Size Fits All Marketing Strategy (4/18/2024)
Have you ever had a salesperson mispronounce your name?
They call you with the familiarity of a far‑removed relative, preparing to pitch a life‑altering product with life‑changing impact and . . .

Staying Competitive in Today’s Rapidly Changing Healthcare Landscape (4/11/2024)
In today's hyper‑competitive healthcare market, organizations must use every tool available to stay ahead of the game. One of the most important tools is consumer analytics, which enables healthcare providers to make data‑driven decisions about everything from . . .

The Power of Customer Data for Targeted Marketing (3/14/2024)
As a marketing professional, you are the expert on your customer. To target them, you need to understand them at a granular level, identifying exactly what makes them tick (and more importantly . . .

Navigating Healthcare M&A: Harnessing the Power of Consumer Analytics (3/6/2024)
Growing a network is important to healthcare organizations that are looking to expand and remain competitive. As the industry becomes more consolidated and organizations continue to acquire, it can be challenging to navigate the merger and acquisition . . .

Franchisors: The Insights You Need to Grow (2/22/2024)
Sustainable growth is key to the overall success for any brand. Without it, it’s difficult to keep the doors open and the ROI flowing.

Take A Customer‑Centric Approach To Your Retail Strategy (2/8/2024)
As retailers attempt to weather the transformations occurring in the retail marketplace and sustain performance, they are realizing that they must migrate away from . . .

Predictive Analytics for Vet Hospital Growth (2/1/2024)
Buxton has worked with the full spectrum of pet care organizations in the veterinary industry, ranging from general practice, specialty, emergency and . . .

Why Your Health System Needs a Site Selection Model (1/25/2024)
One of the hot topics in the retail industry in recent decades has been developing statistical models for site selection. Some healthcare organizations have adopted this practice, but . . .

Guide to Growth: Using Data for Express Tunnel Car Wash Site Selection (1/18/2024)
The car wash industry is the place to be. Growing at a rate of almost 5 percent per year, the industry’s total value is expected to reach over . . .

The Diverse World of Discount Retailers: Why One Size Doesn’t Fit All (1/11/2024)
This holiday season discount retailers like TJ Maxx, Marshalls, Ross, Kohl's, and Nordstrom Rack are standing tall and gaining traction. Recent data from the Reuters and Nasdaq report indicates that these retailers are on the upswing and poised to . . .

Thinking About Your Health System as a Brand: What You Need to Know (1/4/2024)
Branding has always been important for traditional consumer‑facing businesses, such as restaurants and retailers. Even in the healthcare space, urgent cares, pharmacies, and specialties like behavioral health and physical therapy have operated with a brand mindset for years.

Top 5 Ways to be Successful in Your Retail Recruitment Strategy (12/28/2023)
Getting retailers to open a shop in your city is a trying task that involves a lot of preparation. But you don't need to be a retail recruitment specialist to successfully present yourself to the retailers you're targeting. Here are five best . . .

RWJBarnabas Health and Buxton Experts Dig into Patient Access Strategies with AHA Webinar (12/21/2023)
Buxton healthcare experts Bill Stinneford and Nikki Viner recently joined RWJBarnabas Health for an AHA webinar titled "Mastering an Access . . .

The Importance of a Portfolio Audit (12/14/2023)
To create a successful growth strategy, you first need to maximize the performance of your existing facilities. A portfolio audit can help with this process by providing an unbiased, data‑driven assessment of your existing . . .

The Lost Generation: Baby Boomers (12/7/2023)
Today, most retailers are watching Gen Z develop into full‑fledged consumers as they begin to enter the workforce. Born after 1996, Gen Z is now steadily joining the key demographic targeted by most . . .

How the Audiology Industry Can Grow with Confidence (11/30/2023)

Healthcare Marketing Models 101: Understanding the Primary Types (11/23/2023)

Integrating Technology into Economic Development Processes (11/16/2023)

Target is Losing to Walmart: Here’s What the Data Shows (11/2/2023)

How Consumer Segmentation Can Help You Reach a New Patient Base (10/26/2023)

Service Line Analytics: An Introductory Guide (10/19/2023)

The Role of Ambulatory Health Care in a Transitioning Payment Environment (10/12/2023)

Use Alert to Stay Ahead of Competitors and Drive Retail Success (9/28/2023)

Getting Started With Ambulatory Clinic Strategy (9/14/2023)

The Future of Healthcare Systems: A New Hub and Spoke Model (9/7/2023)

Track Customer Profile Changes with Alert (8/31/2023)

5 Lessons the Healthcare Industry Can Learn from the Retail Sector (8/24/2023)