There are two types of research requests: (1) a research request for information on the retailer or company and (2) putting a contact verification request to, as it sounds, verify a contact.

The beauty of either a research request or a contact verification request is they both go to the same place: our on-demand research team. And in both cases contacts are verified, but with a research request, the team goes far more in depth rather than confirming simply a contact’s status.

The main difference between the two requests is the type of research you will get.

As you prospect, you will find yourself seeing literally 450,000 retailer profiles. Once you find the retailer you are looking for you simply hit the “research request” button at the top right of the retailer profile page which brings up a box where you can enter a variety of need-based questions.

A typical research request might ask “Can you please find out of this retailer is expanding, and where?” Or you might ask the research team to find a specific job-related contact.

Now where a contact verification request differs is you will see a handful of contacts under the retailer profile, and you can click on the three dots and choose to “verify the contact.” Our team will now go in and verify by calling the contact and make sure they are still at their job and retailer, or if not, the contact will be updated with new info, which will be emailed directly to you and also available in your Pipeline.

Research and contact verifications can also very easily be submitted from the “Activity Feed” of the CRM. If you’ve recently reached out to a retailer or contact through a cadence, your activity feed will show that activity. You can click on the retailer or contact (a sidebar pops up) and see all of the activities that have been conducted. You have several options, one of which is submit a research request.

Submitting a research request is also as simple as figuring out the retailer you want to bring to your location. But in addition, you can specify National Brand, Franchisor or Multi-Unit Group, while including qualifiers like square footage, anchor tenants wanted.

If you have a specific brand in mind and/or don’t see the data you need, we’re happy to do some research for you! 

Click the “request research” button wherever you are in the platform and be as general or specific as you want in your requests. 

Our team is constantly updating information on our brand profiles and creating new profiles at your request. 

Reminder: You can request research from a retail profile or within your pipeline:

• Once the research box pops up, enter the information you are looking for and click “Submit Request”

You can view the status of your requests in the CRM under the Research tab. When research is complete, you will receive an email with the new information.

Find out more at RetailSphere.com.

The post How to put in a Research Request with RetailSphere™ appeared first on Retailsphere.

The RetailSphere™ research team operates on a multifaceted approach, blending cutting-edge marketing automation with the human element to delve deep into the intricacies of the retail commercial real estate landscape to get expansion plans and contact information for our clients.

Their goal: To uncover hidden opportunities for clients by finding contact information and reaching out to clients over the phone, via email, marketing automation and more social connections that anyone in the industry to provide clients with the knowledge needed to stay ahead of the curve.

After receiving a research request from a RetailSphere™ client, the on-demand research team immediately hits the phones and works to get the appropriate site selector for the multi-unit group, franchisor, or national brand contact(s). We say contact(s) because in many cases there are multiple contacts that handle expansion and development responsibilities for the retailer.

In some cases, a quick line to the appropriate contact isn’t readily available, and that’s where the team goes to work adding contacts via the website, social media and other RetailSphere™ databases to essentially scrub the internet for information.

Then, using RetailSphere’s™ marketing automation technology, cadences, the team reaches out with a series of crafted emails designed to state the goal, reason for reaching out, and how getting back to the team is a great marketing opportunity for the specific retailer as well.

In the interim, the team spends the time updating the retailer’s profile within RetailSphere™ with the best social, office, cell phone and work history data they can uncover.

But even as all the data is set, verified, and researched, the team will continue to reach out via phone, email, and socials to get the expansion plans verified by the retailer.

The bonus for RetailSphere™ clients, the on-demand research team has built relationships through continued conversations over time with retailers, brokers, tenant reps and shopping center owners, who trust the team and know us by name. But more on that in our next piece.

See more here.

The post How our On-demand Research team works appeared first on Retailsphere.

Our team speaks to hundreds of retail contacts, site selectors and center owners to determine expansion needs and opportunities. Today we put one of them under the microscope and learn about those conversations.

We sit down with Sarah Lang, one of our researchers at RetailSphere.

RetailSphere: What are some of the challenges you face when you call up a retailer or are working on a request for one of our clients?

Sarah: The smaller the retailer is, like a multi-unit group, we are trying to track down the owner. In that case it’s hoping we catch them at one of their locations, or get their cell phone from an employee, which they are often afraid to hand out.

RetailSphere: But you always get it!

Sarah: Not always, but much of the time and we do so by being upfront. We let them know we have clients with ideal spaces for their expansion and trying to reach out. It’s always a conversation starter. That conversation may be “no way I’m expanding,” but it’s also sometimes “Huh, I wouldn’t mind hearing what they have in mind.”

RetailSphere: Do retailers or business owners ever get annoyed when you call to get expansion details?

Sarah: Quite the contrary. For most of the national brands, franchisors and much of the multi-unit groups, we have established lines of communication…relationships where when I call, they ask me what am I looking for today? That’s what really makes it fun. When a client puts in a request for expansion plans for Starbucks, I know who I’m dealing with.

RetailSphere: So you and the other on-demand researchers call and email for expansion and contacts details, but what are tools are at your disposal?

Sarah: Well, without giving away all our secrets we use a lot of tools within Retailsphere (which clients have access to), including cadences, or marketing automation. It’s a game-changer for reaching and basically setting up a series of touch points and waiting for the responses to come in. We craft emails to retailers, business owners, reps and brokers, asking details in such a way that it’s a conversation they want to have and we get the details our clients need.

But it all starts with the phone. We believe in calling and getting details firsthand. That’s how we build relationships. Sometimes we use social media to get details as well, but more for supplemental details.

RetailSphere: Thanks, Sarah, for letting those unfamiliar with RetailSphere and the on-demand research team behind the curtain of your operations.

The post Closer look: A Q&A with a member of the RetailSphere™ On-demand research department appeared first on Retailsphere.

Each day, RetailSphere’s on-demand research team speaks to hundreds of site selectors about their expansion plans and demographics. Here are five we talked to this week about their specific plans.

Sally Beauty Supply LLC -  Sally informed our researchers they are open to looking at locations nationwide. They are looking for Population of 3 miles - 50,000, 1,400—1,800 sq. ft. based on population and salon counts, with excellent access and visibility from shopping center. They prefer 100,000 sq. ft. shopping center anchored by at least one major tenant, i.e. major grocer, discount store, clothing or department store chain.

Rural King – After talking to our research team, Rural King said they are growing in the midwest and southeast. They are looking for 90k sq ft, non-urban locations, only purchase. They are still expanding and taking site referrals. 

Loving Hut, Inc – Loving Hut told the team they are looking to expand and are interested in Rhode Island but would like all sites sent to them for potential fit. They prefers about 2000 SF lease locations.

Wienerschnitzel Tastee Freez -  They are expanding everywhere. They are looking for 800-2100 square feet and have land requirements (freestanding & conversions): 16,000 – 45,000sf NEW Construction Freestanding: 800/sf (H1 series) no indoor dining or 1,400/sf (H2 series) with indoor dining. Conversion buildings or End-caps with Drive-Thru: 800-2,100/ sf.

Paris Baguette USA-  Our researchers were told Paris Baguette expand based on the franchisee and if you have someone interested in a particular state they will review it. They prefer 3000+ SF depending upon the Traditional or Non Traditional site preference. The newest locations are focused in NC, IL, NY, NJ, OH, PA, TX, MD, SC and VA.

Reach out to RetailSphere™ to see everything the platform can do.

About Retailsphere

Founded in 2019, RetailSphere™ is an all-in-one platform that includes the world’s largest contact database of retail commercial real estate decision makers, a robust email and leasing enablement marketing platform and a simple, intuitive and included Pipeline CRM™ tool. RetailSphere™ is modernizing the way the retail industry connects within a single pane of glass.

Increase your deal flow. Improve your network. Empower your career.

The post RetailSphere’s latest Expanding Retailers appeared first on Retailsphere.

Each day, RetailSphere’s on-demand research team speaks to hundreds of site selectors about their expansion plans and demographics. Here are five of the many retailers we talked to this week about their specific plans:

1. Ample Hills Creamery - Every day, we wake up hoping that today will be the day we make the best ice cream ever. We aren’t afraid to think outside of the box, get creative or make a few mistakes along the way. It’s this mindset that has empowered us to imagine the whimsical flavors that we’re known for! We make all of our ice cream from start to finish. They have 10 locations and fast expanding.
2. LaVida Massage - Each LaVida Massage location brings this mission to life as a comfortable Wellness Center offering highly customizable massage services and beneficial products. Likewise, our licensed Massage Therapists and Estheticians can help you better understand what may be appropriate for your healthcare routine. By maintaining a clean, relaxing space, each Center caters to the busy, active lifestyles of our guests. LaVida is expanding in Florida, Georgia and Alabama.
3. T.J.Maxx - T.J. Maxx was founded in 1976, and together with Marshalls, forms The Marmaxx Group, the largest off-price retailer of apparel and home fashions in the U.S. With stores across the U.S., including Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia, T.J. Maxx also operates an e-commerce site, tjmaxx.com, launched in 2013. T.J. Maxx is expanding in several states nationwide.
4. Daylight Donut - The Daylight Donut Flour Company, LLC, is a privately held enterprise with nearly a thousand retail outlets in 28 states and close to a dozen international markets. Daylight Donut is expanding in Oklahoma, Missouri and Texas.
5. Insomnia Cookies - Insomnia Cookies was born out of the dislike of heavy meals late at night, love of food delivery, and the realization that by the time you get hungry at night, nothing is open. The concept was founded by Seth Berkowitz in 2003 from his dorm room while attending the University of Pennsylvania. Berkowitz started baking and delivering warm cookies to students late-night on campus... and Insomnia Cookies was born. Insomnia Cookies is expanding nationwide with a massive growth strategy.

Reach out to RetailSphere™ to see everything the platform can do.

About Retailsphere

Founded in 2019, RetailSphere™ is an all-in-one platform that includes the world’s largest contact database of retail commercial real estate decision makers, a robust email and leasing enablement marketing platform and a simple, intuitive and included Pipeline CRM™ tool. RetailSphere™ is modernizing the way the retail industry connects within a single pane of glass.

Increase your deal flow. Improve your network. Empower your career.

The post Retailsphere’s Latest Expanding Retailers appeared first on Retailsphere.

Each day, RetailSphere’s on-demand research team speaks to hundreds of site selectors about their expansion plans and demographics. Here are five we talked to this week about their specific plans.

1. 1.NextGen Fitness Tulsa - Every NexGen Fitness location features the same NexGen personalized fitness experience: private workout suites, state-of-the-art cardio and weight-training equipment, and one-on-one sessions with an expert personal trainer. NextGen is currently expanding in New York.
2. Furniture Row - Furniture Row Companies® is a group of specialty home furnishings, mattress stores, carrying a variety of brand names, all available at one convenient location. We focus on providing a shopping experience that is tailored to your needs. This is just one of the many reasons we're among America's fastest-growing furniture retailers. 
3. Patel. Brothers - At Patel Brothers, our mission is to bring the best ingredients from around the world, right to your doorstep. With a wide variety of authentic regional grocery and spice products, we strive to reconnect people with the familiar flavors of India.
4. Brident Dental and Orthodontics -  We're here to make sure everyone has access to complete dental care of the highest quality. Not just check-ups and fillings: complete dental care including braces, implants and oral surgery. We have everything a healthy smile requires in one place.
5. Storagelocal Co-Op - StoreLocal is a cooperative created by independent self storage operators to lead our industry into an increasingly competitive landscape.

Reach out to RetailSphere™ to see everything the platform can do.

About Retailsphere

Founded in 2019, RetailSphere™ is an all-in-one platform that includes the world’s largest contact database of retail commercial real estate decision makers, a robust email and leasing enablement marketing platform and a simple, intuitive and included Pipeline CRM™ tool. RetailSphere™ is modernizing the way the retail industry connects within a single pane of glass.

Increase your deal flow. Improve your network. Empower your career.

The post Retailsphere’s Latest Expanding Retailers appeared first on Retailsphere.

While we don’t have a crystal ball, there are distinct trends emerging. Brands are entering Q1 with announcements, innovation, and strategies to attempt a come-back. And there is some good news: brick-and-mortar businesses are seeing an increase in visitors. 2020 ended with a foot-traffic increase up 50% and growing.

After a rough year, Kohl's in particular is preparing to go all-in on 2021. Will they blossom or bottom out? Only time will tell, but they are an excellent example of riding key trends—and just what exactly you should be paying attention to. 

Off-Mall Real Estate

Kohl’s CEO Michelle Gass was recently quoted calling their “off-mall” locations a huge win for the company. As indoor shopping malls continue to struggle due to health concerns—and years of dwindling traffic—stand-alone retail locations offer plenty of advantages. 

Shoppers looking to avoid crowds can generally expect a lower occupancy rate in businesses like Kohl's. Stand-alone locations can also take advantage of easy curbside pick-up options or allow shoppers to get in and out of the store quickly without having to walk through a large gallery space. Individual stores, like Kohl's, can also do more to enforce health guidelines without having to worry about neighboring stores. 

Takeaway: Stand-alone or strip center spaces are gaining new appeal in a market hungry for fast, socially distanced options.

Powerful Partnerships

Kohl’s and Amazon are joining forces to add grocery items to current Kohl’s retail locations under the name Fresh. The grocery sections reportedly will take up about a quarter of Kohl's square footage. 

Retailers such as Target and Walmart have both made big business of combining housewares, apparel, and more with grocery items, but Kohl's has a less than stellar track record with partnerships. Previous alliances with both Aldi and Weight Watchers have fizzled. Partnering with a power house like Amazon should help Kohl's actually deliver on the new partnership. 

Takeaway: One-stop-shopping is more popular than ever, but make sure retailers are partnering with brands that have a history of successful execution. 

High and Low Mix

Another potent partnership for 2021? Kohl’s plans to launch Sephora beauty spots in 200 locations this fall, with over 800 more installations planned over the next 2 years. Sephora’s in-store shops will offer high-end makeup, skincare, hair, and fragrance brands.

While Kohl’s is known for affordable apparel and home accessories, this isn’t the odd couple it may seem at first blush. Sephora formally had a successful in-store partnership with now defunct JC Penney. Offering luxury beauty in a more approachable store front opens up Sephora to an entirely new audience while also differentiating Kohl's from other big-box brands carrying lower-cost drugstore beauty brands. 

Takeaway: Bringing a luxury partnership to an affordable brand, or vice versa, can open up opportunities to diversify and increase a brand’s audience.   

Kohl’s is sampling from many of the latest trends in retail to try and bring new life and energy to the brand. If you’re looking for retailers who are trying something new and are ready to expand in 2021, Retailsphere can help. Sign up for a free demo, and get insight on brands poised for growth in your area. 

The post Kohls is Ready to Bounce-Back in 2021 appeared first on Retailsphere.

A basic database should, at minimum, offer C-Suite members, headquarters locations and the number of operating O&O or franchisee units. However, a high-quality retail database will provide enough information for precise insights into your potential tenants. When it comes to selecting the right database, you need to be sure that database offers two components: accuracy and timeliness.

Retailsphere’s database offers an array of information; facts and figures that are both accurate and timely.

Pinpoint Accuracy

Every retail database company will say they are accurate and that they offer the best, most complete data. They have to say that -- they wouldn’t be in business, otherwise. A quality database will go the extra mile to ensure accuracy. Retailsphere ensures the integrity of its information through the following:

Original data attribution/source links. Data doesn’t come out of thin air. There is always an original source backing that data, such as a document, website or information from a phone call or email contact. Knowing the original source of information is important in a quality retail database; it tells you that the information has reliable backing. Retailsphere obtains its vast array of facts and figures through data mining, web crawlers, crowdsourcing and researcher phone calls. All sources are clearly indicated on the Retailsphere platform, many with links to the original content,  just like the fee information below.

Ample, complete information. When you log on to the Retailsphere platform to research a national brand, franchisor or real estate company, you have immediate access to plenty of intelligence, statistics and analysis. Each home page offers contacts to the real estate decision makers (including direct phone numbers and email addresses), along with unit locations, space preferences, target demographics -- and more. Additionally, that information can be cross-referenced to customer relationship management software for tracking, follow-up and analysis. You have the option of either using Retailsphere’s CRM platform linking to your own.

In-depth, competitive analysis. Just knowing the name of your tenant and what it sells isn’t enough to make a profitable, bottom-line decision about whether to include that retailer in your community center or lifestyle property. An understanding of the tenant’s space requirements is important, as is the competition, expansion plans and even customer perception. Retailsphere provides all of this -- and more. For example, Google maps allow you the opportunity to “place” your potential tenant and nearby competitors within a target demographic, while the proprietary Temporal Sentiment Analysis gathers reviews off Facebook and Google, providing customer interaction and feedback with the tenant’s brand.

Timeliness, Recency and Frequency

Your retail database might offer you access to the most in-depth, granular, competition-focused information available. But if that data was collected in 2017, it won’t do you much good in 2020. Even worse -- you might not even know how old that data actually is. A quality database will go beyond dropping the information into your computer, and will let you know exactly when that information was collected, and logged. Here’s how Retailsphere does it.

Clear timestamps. Retailsphere timestamps all data additions and updates, documenting the information clearly and legibly. If a Retailsphere researcher talks to an AutoZone franchisee in Mobile, Alabama at 2:03 p.m. on Weds., July 8, 2020, that is the information you will see on the AutoZone data platform. You will know, at once, how old that data is. Similarly, if the platform has information pulled from public filings, like the financials below, the date of that filing is clearly indicated on that piece of data. 

Continual refreshes. While Retailsphere’s team of researchers is dedicated to finding up-to-date intelligence, data is also frequently renewed with help from automated methods and searches. The most recent information, and when it was found, is also clearly delineated on Retailsphere’s platform.

Regular contact updates. There is nothing more frustrating than finding the name of a corporate contact on a database and calling the number, only to find that the person no longer works for the company -- and, in fact, left long ago. Retailsphere avoids this dilemma through frequent phone calls to corporate contacts, as well as direct, crowdsourced information from local markets, via the platform’s feedback mechanism.

Proprietary Add-Ons

The above outlines the essential requirements for a quality database. Retailsphere offers all of the above, as well as the following exclusive elements.

Customized research, on demand. If you find Retailsphere’s information incomplete for your purposes, you can click on the “Request Research” button on the page, and type in the data you need. When you press “send,” that request goes directly to a live, trained researcher, who will find the specific data you need and return it to you within 24 hours. Plus, you get access to a full call log, so you can see how the information was gathered.

Easy-to-navigate interface. An important aspect of any database is the ability to easily access and analyze information. Retailsphere’s platform is easy to navigate, while offering clearly categorized intelligence.

Understanding your data's integrity

Before you begin researching potential retail tenants, it’s important to do some due diligence on the company that is supplying the data. Just as important is taking time to study the type of data that is being provided, as well as when it was gathered, and how it is presented.

Most retail databases will offer the basics. But, the end goal of finding the right tenant is to ensure the right fit which, in turn, means a better bottom line. Ultimately, your quality retail database should provide the most accurate and timely information available, to ensure you can make the best, most profitable decisions for your property.

Retailsphere goes above and beyond to provide the most up to date and accurate retailer database. Sign up today for a no-obligation demo and see how much simpler your tenant search can be.

The post How do you know your retail database has accurate data? appeared first on Retailsphere.

When you sign up with Retailsphere, you are getting access to a robust retailer tenant database that is constantly updated by our world-class research team. You also get direct access to these researchers as each subscription comes with custom monthly research requests. We’ve previously taken a look at why you should want a research team, but what value does that team actually bring to your organization? 

A research request allows you or a member of your team to leverage our research team, having them reach out to a specific brand to collect valuable information; ultimately delivering a detailed report to you about that brand. And when our research team contacts a brand, they always use that opportunity to confirm contact information for the proper site selector of that brand, included in your report. 

The ability to access our research team is a game changer for real estate brokers and shopping center managers. Your ability to uniquely customize research requests is endless. Want to ask a national brand’s site selector about their company’s interest in your space with specific anchor tenants? You can do it. Once you get a research request back, not only will you be able to confirm your site meets their requirements, but you also know when you call or email, you’re getting the right person the first time. This level of outreach hasn’t been completed in the retail industry before now, giving your team an unprecedented edge over your competitors.

By using Retailsphere’s research team, the value of your membership instantly grows 10x. We’re adding to your team’s ability to reach out to the right tenants every month, without having to hire any one new. And it is all built into your Retailsphere membership, so you can essentially grow your team without ever having an interview.

Plus, when you leverage our team, you know you are getting the most highly-skilled outreach team in the industry; one that understands the information you need and the necessity of accuracy when contacting a brand. They perform research on retailers every single day and have honed their skill set to understand the best ways to reach out to and connect with brands that may otherwise be unreachable. 

What are you waiting for? You are giving your internal team valuable time back, can keep your team lean, and get a higher level of accuracy without training, but merely by subscribing to Retailsphere. We’re committed to providing retail insights from every angle, and our research team is part of that promise. Ultimately, access to our research team makes your subscription invaluable. 

Interested in hearing more about our research team? Want to see research requests in action? Sign up today for a no-obligation demo and let our team walk you through some ways Retailsphere can help you find new tenants.

The post The real value of having an on-demand research team appeared first on Retailsphere.

You’ve bought a new retail contact list hoping it will include a few critical brands. You finally get a chance to comb through it and you’re missing several of the contacts you needed most, plus the ones that are present seem to be old. Sound familiar?Knowing you have up-to-date and correct information is important when deciding to use a new database. One of the most common complaints of retailer databases is that they are inaccurate and outdated. Retailsphere was created out of a desire to create a database of retailer information that can be trusted. After looking for this information ourselves, it became clear that the old way of collecting data just wasn’t cutting it. 

That's why Retailsphere has a team of researchers, specifically collecting data on retailers old and new, each and every day, all year long. With Retailsphere, the data collection process doesn’t just happen once a year. Data is constantly being added and updated so the Retailsphere system can be relied on by those people using it.

We also understand that the world of retail is a large one. We won’t always have the specific information you want. That’s why when you use Retailsphere, you get direct access to our research team. When you come across a retailer we haven’t populated yet, you can request our team to reach out and gather important metrics like space requirements, traffic count needs, and initial investment expectations.  

And yes, we provide real contact information for the person responsible for that brand’s expansion decisions. When you use Retailsphere, you have a world-class research team at your fingertips, helping you expand the potential brands you have access to every time you use them.

Robby Gal, head of research for Retailsphere, used to work as a reporter. When asked why our team is so successful he said, “our researchers don’t just use readily available online or reported information. When we receive a request from a client, we immediately assess the entity. Once we identify whether it's a National Brand, Franchise or Multi Unit Group, we immediately research the person in charge of site selection. While others might stop there, we systematically call over a few days or weeks, until we touch base with that specific person.”

Because the Retailsphere research team connects directly with a brand’s site selector, the demographic data and expansion plans have been accurately added straight from the employee in charge of their future. We also are able to double check their email and direct dial for future expansion opportunities for our clients.

As a broker or manager, your time is valuable. You don’t want to spend it digging for a retailer’s information and contacts. Let Retailsphere do that leg work for you, saving you time and increasing your efficiency. All you have to do is make the sales call you need to. 

Brands will begin to know your brokerage as a trustworthy source too. When you use Retailsphere, you have all of the brand information available to make the most of every sales call. By knowing your space is the right fit for a brand, no one wastes time and brands feel more confident that your team is also looking out for their interests. 

It’s time to make a research team part of your team. Sign up for a no-obligation demo today and see how Retailsphere can provide up to date and accurate retailer information to your team.

The post Why do you need a Retail Research Team? appeared first on Retailsphere.