Always running

Got a question about running? Just call Coach Mike.

Mike Pemberton, who owns RunFlorida on McGregor in Fort Myers, gladly hands out his cell phone number to anyone who needs free running advice.

And that's part of the secret to his sales success. Turns out, the store Pemberton owns with his wife, Candace, sells more Newton running shoes per square foot than any other store in the country.

Newton running shoes are among the hottest items in the business today because they help you run faster. At $170 a pair, they're also some of the priciest running shoes on the market.

Pemberton took a big risk when he started selling Newtons a few years ago. The Boulder, Colo.-based company was at the vanguard of running-shoe technology and obliged retailers to stock up on inventory. Pemberton estimates he had to stock up on more than 200 pairs of Newtons initially. “It was a huge experiment,” says Pemberton. “Now I was stepping out on a limb.”

RunFlorida has just 600 square feet of selling space out of the 1,100 square feet it leases on McGregor Boulevard south of College Parkway in Fort Myers. But Pemberton felt Newtons would sell well because an important clientele was already clamoring for them. “The triathletes already knew about them,” Pemberton says.

This is another secret to sales: Follow the people at the vanguard of the industry. In this case, triathletes usually know about the next hot product before ordinary runners. “They're onto everything,” says Pemberton. “They spend money,” he says, noting that triathletes spend thousands of dollars on the latest bikes, for example.

And they were onto Newtons, which use a special sole technology to propel runners faster. “It's not all flash and sizzle,” says Pemberton.

Pemberton estimates he sells about a dozen pairs of Newtons a week. Sales at RunFlorida have grown 25% a year in the last few years, thanks in part to the Newtons that most sporting goods retailers don't carry.

But as hot as Newton shoes are, Pemberton says he doesn't try to sell one to every runner who walks into the store. “You can't sell a Newton to everybody,” says Pemberton, who also sells Saucony and Mizuno shoes.

And that's another part of Pemberton's success: He knows every runner has different needs. Before he sells you a pair of shoes, he'll look at how you've worn your current pair and he'll take a look at how you run outside his shop. You can try on as many pairs as you like and run around the block with them on, and Pemberton won't charge you for a “gait analysis” that costs as much as $50 at rival stores.

Pemberton also won't try to sell you pricey insoles, arguing that the ones already inside the shoes should work if someone fit you with the correct shoe and size. What's more, he'll throw in a free pair of socks for you to try. That kind of service generates word-of-mouth advertising, the only form of advertising he does apart from paying someone to manage the store's Facebook account.

In addition to his in-store strategy, Pemberton and his wife volunteer to organize races for the Fort Myers Track Club. They don't make money for organizing races, but runners come to the store to pick up their race numbers the day before. Pemberton estimates 15% to 20% of the runners who come to pick up their race packets buy something that day or become future customers.

Meanwhile, the Pembertons' volunteering builds goodwill. They raise $100,000 for the local hospital by putting on the annual Turkey Trot race in Cape Coral, where Candace Pemberton is also a full-time neo-natal intensive care nurse.

Pemberton says one of the biggest challenges is finding outgoing salespeople who also are knowledgeable about running. But he's got help: Muse, the Jack Russell terrier, greets every customer. He says she breaks the ice with apprehensive beginners or frustrated experienced runners. “I've always had a dog in the store,” he says.

Sales Tips
Get a dog: Mike Pemberton says he's always had a dog greet customers at his store. He says the dog breaks the ice and makes people feel more comfortable.

Follow the fanatics: In running, for example, the triathletes are in the vanguard of the sport. Being plugged into that community keeps you informed of the hot new trends.

Volunteer: Candace Pemberton says organizing runs that benefit charitable organizations generate goodwill for her business.

Be the expert: You'll have better success if you're recognized as the expert. Pemberton is an established running coach in Fort Myers.