Two Minute Tweaks w/ Lisa Uhrik

Tweak #104: Turn, Turn, Turn

The secret sauce that has given Franklin Fixtures resilience in the economic "big pause" we've experienced is the same one that gives our bookshops staying power in tough times: it's all about inventory strategy.

• What if we sold every book we purchased?
• What if we got out of the business of returns?
• What if we held less inventory and turned it more frequently?

Join Lisa in these powerful questions to ponder in this week's Two Minute Tweak. Click to listen now.

 

Tweak #103: Sizzling Shelf Talkers

Like a good book, a good shelf talker comes from YOU. It's not a book report, but personal, good copy that makes picking that specific book up irresistible.

Click and listen now as Lisa teaches and emboldens booksellers to experiment with concise, personal, and engaging copy, offering fresh perspective on how to make books come alive for readers. "Let's do something on our shelf talkers that no AI generated summary could do," inspires host Lisa Uhrik, "let's speak our truth and connect with people!"

Tweak #102: Making It Clear

In this episode of 'Two Minute Tweaks,' host Lisa Uhrik unpacks what it means to be "clear" in a society that struggles to focus on a street sign. How do we make displays that are clear for the casual customer—the skimmers—who are most often the majority in our bookshops? 

Join Lisa as she explores strategies inspired by a professional booksellers course, emphasizing how bookshops can capture the attention of skimmers, dippers, and divers alike. Learn how clever arrangements, color use, and strategic grouping can transform a casual browser into an engaged visitor, and discover the small, impactful tweaks that can make a difference in today’s fragmented world.

Tweak # 101: Compelled to Touch

I'm wondering if you, too, find it tough to keep displays looking amazing? And tougher still to help everyone who works with displays understand how to create excellence in display.  We're exploring three easy standards for every display—an easy way to get your arms around a lot of display ideas—in three simple words: Clear, Connected, and Compelling.  

Tune in now for practical tips and insights that will encourage you to re-evaluate your display strategies and engage with your audience thoughtfully.

Tweak #100: When You've Only Got 100 Years

Welcome to the 100th episode of Two Minute Tweaks! Fun fact: Less than 6% of all podcasts make it this far! 

We're hitting this centennial milestone with an inspiring visit and insight from Midtown Reader and reflections from Lisa (feeling the pressure of time since she was four.)  

What do you do when you've only got 100 years to live? Create a great community through bookshops, of course! Listen now and discover the true essence of why these bookshop communities are vital avenues for meaningful interaction and how they aim to leave the world a better place.

 

Song credit: Five for Fighting: 100 Years

Tweak #099: Good Change

The practice of kaizen (good change) is fundamental to success in almost every industry.  Can it work for us in our bookshops and libraries? It isn't about big, sweeping aha moments, but about a habit of finding one small thing every day. 

It's easy to forget—and easy to renew your focus in two minutes. Listen now!

Tweak #098: Indies: Making a Difference Since 300 BC

This episode salutes the 10th anniversary of Independent Bookstore Day, a celebration of the enduring influence of bookshops. Host Lisa Uhrik delves into the special role bookshops have played throughout history, from ancient Athens to Napoleonic France, highlighting their impact on communities and individuals.

This Independent Bookstore Day, let's make sure that every person leaves with the knowledge that your store is more than a good time on a Saturday afternoon. Much more.

Tweak #097: Eye Feel the Angle

Our shelves are like a silent sales staff, and it packs a warm and wonderful connection when they look customers in the eye. Our studies show that a connecting angle results in 35% more touch, which translates into sales, as we are 73% more likely to buy what we touch. The eyes seem to feel the angles.

Join Lisa as she explores the surprising difference angled shelves can make in your bookshop's performance, fostering interactions and discoveries in your space. Click to listen now.

Tweak #096: Roll the Dice: Creating Moments of Engagement

Just as a captivating book hooks us from the first chapter, our bookshops can captivate visitors from the moment they step inside.

Plenty Downtown Bookshop uses an innovative dice game to creatively engage customers. This unique approach adds an element of surprise and enhances the shopping experience by fostering exploration and discovery.

Join Lisa Uhrik as she explores how this small, yet impactful tweak – creative moments of engagement – can lead to big discoveries in your shop. Click to listen now!

Tweak #095: Special 6 Minute Tweak on Financial Strategies

We've been talking with a lot of people who are rebuilding after losses – and we want to help. This special edition of the Tweak is focused around Franklin Fixtures as unique assets with hopes of giving a workable strategy for all the rebuilders, as well as those looking to expand their operations.

Three strategic insights, three paths to financing and one or two good ideas are all packed into this unique six-minute tweak. Click to listen now!

 

Tweak #094: Mindy Massey of Anthropologie Brings Us "Home"

It's a tiny word with a big mind shift: home. 

We've long adopted the third space mindset, but Mindy Massey's use of a different word took it further and gave Lisa pause – and a useful insight for our bookshops. Click to listen now.

Tweak #093: Omnium rerum vicissitudo

Omnium rerum vicissitudo — holding Edsel Fords Cufflinks and Leonard Snart's wisdom, Lisa Uhrik reflects how PLENTY Downtown Bookshop, during their second relocation in as many years, faced unexpected challenges during renovation and re-opening operations, and how the bookshop team embraced flexibility and improvisation to overcome obstacles.

 

Make the plan, execute the plan, expect the plan to go off the rails, throw away the plan. Sound familiar?

 

Resilience and adaptability is needed in today's ever-changing landscape. How are you dealing with the unexpected? Click to listen now.

Tweak #092: Mr. Rogers and You

Like Mr. Fred Rogers, you're creating a special sort of space for your neighbors. And there are three specific things you're doing that he did too. Let's think for a moment together about those things – listen now!

 

Audio credit to Fred Rogers and PBS, Mr. Roger's Neighborhood.

Tweak #091: Moving Our Fences

Join Lisa Uhrik as she shares an inspiring story of a real-life Christmas miracle, and reminds us that each of us has the power to move things — fences, mountains and hearts.  What are your fences that need moving in 2025?

Tweak #090: Join or Die

Inspired by Robert Putnam's book Bowling Alone and Netflix special Join or Die, we're exploring the reason we'll likely have no Christmas parade in our small town this year... and importantly, underscoring the vital importance of the small gatherings we facilitate as bookstores.  As we navigate a world where traditional community bonds are weakening, we are reminded of the power of connection and the importance of revitalizing our communal ties. From the significance of book clubs to the potential of shared community initiatives, this week's tweak highlights why fostering a sense of togetherness is more vital than ever.