How to win my business

1. Have a kind, easy going, no pressure disposition right off the bat.
   
2. Tell me how cute my child is when I walk into the store and actually greet him as well.
3. Ask his name and gush over the fact that it's a good, solid, traditional name that he won't have to share with 5 other kids in every class.
4. Tell me to go ahead and set my 18 mo. old down in your shop full of breakable stoneware since you "haven't broken anything all week" and you'll just "write it out in damage if anything happens."
5. Constantly reassure me that it really is ok for him to touch things and lift the lids off of the little pots and move things around and make little messes.
   
6. Give my child a sucker and little spatulas and silicone bowls to play with as I browse.
7. Compliment my child on how smart and good he is.
8. Have the items that I've been wanting but couldn't find elsewhere (long wooden rolling pin with no handles, a butter dish with a handle, etc.). Also, tell me where I can find items you don't carry.
   
9. Show me other cool items without making me feel pressured to buy them.
10. Reassure me once again that it is ok for my child to play with your breakables.
11. Give me a 20% off coupon I didn't know about that can go toward my most expensive item.
12. Tell me if I don't like one of my sale items to just bring it back after I've tried it out once, even though sales are generally final.
13. Remember my child's and my name long after we told you them.
14. Tell me to come hang out and bring my child back any time I want.
    

We went to a baking/stoneware shop called Le Crueset in the outlet mall near us and the lady was awesome. I was a little nervous taking Dean to a shop with lots of breakables and no shopping cart, so I didn't set him down until my arm felt like it was going to fall off (and after numerous reassurances from her that it was perfectly all right). I meant to only buy a rolling pin and butter dish if I could find them, but she was so nice. I didn't feel like I had to keep Dean on a tight leash, so I allowed myself to browse her other items. I found a couple other things I could probably find elsewhere a little cheaper, but I went ahead and bought them because she was so accommodating and nice. Plus I could tell they were all really good quality items. Not all shopping experiences are positive with a very curious, very busy little boy to look after. It was nice and refreshing to have a good experience. And Dean didn't even break one thing (and he played with a lot of little stoneware dishes!). She will have my future business.