Wyld’s Wingdom is open
8:30 am to 5:00 pm (EST)
Monday through Friday. |
Phone: 800.366.9953
Fax: 757.858.8366
Email: contact@wingdom.com |
| Providing your bird with a nutritionally balanced diet is of utmost importance. Seed mixes and pellets form a great foundation for your bird’s diet,but birds benefit from a variety of other foods as well as enjoying the new flavors,colors and experiences that fresh foods bring. You can feel free to add a variety of fruits and vegetables to the bird’s diet,such as lettuce,green beans,parsley,corn,broccoli,carrots and cauliflower. Fruits that birds enjoy include apple chunks,banana,melon,mango,oranges and other citrus fruits,grapes,pineapple and berries. Some types of birds can also eat “people” foods like low-fat yogurt,low-sugar cereals,and proteins like a little shredded chicken or turkey. Birds also benefit from the protein in cooked legumes (but raw legumes can be toxic to birds,so be sure to cook beans thoroughly).  Alfalfa sprouts are another good treat for birds,but be sure to wash any store-bought produce to remove traces of pesticides that may harm your bird. Birds love nuts,but remember that they are fatty and birds that start selecting only the nuts to eat because they are tasty are not getting a balanced diet. Plain popcorn,pasta and whole grain breads round out the list of nutritional foods you can add to the pet bird’s diet.
Of course,there are some foods that are harmful and should never be given to your bird. These foods include apple seeds,avocado,caffeine,rhubarb,chocolate,alcohol,mushrooms,onions and excess salt. Keeping these exceptions in mind,remember that generally any fresh foods that are healthy for people are enjoyed as part of a varied,balanced diet by birds. Where a pet bird spends its time can have a huge impact on its well being. Helping customers select the proper sized cage for the bird’s enjoyment and safety is the first step to keeping a happy and healthy bird. A general rule of thumb is that for large birds,the interior living space of the cage should be at least 1.5 times the bird’s adult wingspan – in depth,width and height. So,if a Sun Conure’s wing span will be 11 inches,the cage should be at least 18 inches wide,high and deep. Of course,more space is always better for the bird,as long as the bars of the cage are appropriately spaced to avoid injury. Some smaller birds benefit from a flight cage that will allow them to really move around. Generally,having more space horizontally makes sense,as that allows more room for flight.  For small birds such as Finches,Parakeets and Lovebirds,bars should be spaced no more than 5/8” apart. For medium birds such as Conures,Senegal Parrots,and Cockatiels bars spaced from ½” to 7/8” are appropriate. Large birds such as African Greys,Amazon Parrots,Cockatoos and Macaws should have cage bars spaced from 3/4” to 1 3/8” apart. Having properly spaced cage bars allows the bird to climb while reducing the risk of injury.
Having the right sized cage is important for birds,as they will spend much of their time eating,playing and observing life from their home. You can also recommend play areas and perches for bird owners to set up in safe areas outside of the cage for additional stimulation,exercise and interaction. Customer Service: All employees are the face of a business and are key to molding a customer’s initial impression. - Keep an eye out for customers who look confused or are in need of help. Being proactive will show customers you are ready and willing to serve them.
- Make your customers feel welcome. Smile and greet them when they come in. Ask them questions and make them feel included in other conversations you may be having with fellow staff or other customers.
- Listen to your customers. Ask them questions and listen to what they have to say. Hone in on their needs and wants and convey your desire to help them make the best decision possible when picking out a product or pet.
- Customer service doesn’t stop when a customer has left the store. Follow up with a customer by sending them a thank you note after a purchase,calling to see if the new product or bird they purchased is working out,or remembering their last purchase when they make a repeat visit.
Layout: Make sure your store is well organized and easy to navigate. Signage: - Proper aisle signage will help keep customers in the store longer and will help them navigate through your aisles.
- Proper shelf and product signs will catch your customers’ eyes and will keep them informed on your products.
- Make sure your signage is neat and easy to read as well as fresh and bold.
Displays: - Display related products by each other to remind customers of items they may have missed and suggest variations amongst a product family.
- Put the items that are in high-demand and are fast-moving in your best display areas. This suggests to customers that you have the products that they are looking for.
- Be sure to take advantage of the display space at the checkout by placing last minute purchase products like toys,treats,and gift items there.
- Change out your displays every week or two to give your store a fresh look and let your customers know you are on top of your game.
Cleanliness: A customer may not remember a clean store,but they will most certainly remember a dirty one! Keep your store clean and organized to ensure return customers. - Make sure your aisles are clear of clutter,your products are in the proper places on the shelves,and your pricing stickers and signage is up-to-date.
- Pay special attention to floors,countertops,and other areas that are most frequently seen by customers.
- Remove damaged items and return misplaced items to their proper place.
- Dusty products indicate that product is old and unwanted. Keep your products and shelves dust free.
- Keep your displays and shelves fully stocked and well organized. Have employs monitor this throughout the day depending on your stores’ busyness.
- If you have birds (as well as other animals) in your store,their cleanliness and health will tell a lot about your store to your customers. Be sure to keep your animals healthy and well groomed and their cages and toys disinfected and clean.
- A customer does not want to see or purchase an unhealthy bird. Observe each bird daily and record its state of health and any changes in behavior. Changes may be the first (and sometimes only) clue that a bird is sick or unhealthy.
- Trash cans,whether containing a soda can or animal excrement should be out of site and smelling distance to your customers and should be emptied often to maintain a cleanly,healthy store.
- Keep an eye on animals that are out of their cages (especially if you allow the public to bring in their pets) and be sure to clean and sanitize as needed.
Bird Education: All employees should be properly educated on the different products you carry and the birds that the products benefit. They should also be knowledgeable on the birds that are at your store. Customers see you as an expert. Make sure you are one to keep their business. - Employees should know the following key information about birds: origin,growth rate,eventual size,age,gender,environmental needs,diet,and behavior.
- Be as informative as possible when answering a customer’s questions. Direct them to other resources (books,tip sheets,websites,etc.) to help aid them in their education.
- It is alright to let a customer know you don’t know the answer to a question,but still provide them with assistance by following up with a co-worker or another reliable resource.
Just like every child needs toys,so do birds! It’s important to let your customers know that toys aren’t just a fun extra for their bird,but are an essential part of creating a healthy environment for their bird. Toys are especially vital for birds whose owners who spend time away from home working or with busy schedules. Toys provide relief from boredom,important exercise and the stimulation needed to prevent certain behavioral and health problems.  Bird owners should consider what various toys have to offer,and make a variety of toys available to their bird. Toys can offer sounds and colors,as well as textures that stimulate the mouth and feet. Think of the difference between smooth,brightly colored plastic and a tough rope or wood blocks on a jingly metal chain. A mirror with a bell attached can provide a bird with a “companion” to chatter to,as well as the stimulation of a ringing bell. Various sized toys are appropriate for different types of birds,designed to withstand chewing and manipulation of larger or smaller birds. Birds love to chew and pull things apart,so toys should be checked frequently for signs of wear or for missing pieces. Toys also offer different degrees of puzzles or challenges. Birds are intelligent and curious creatures and love mastering a variety of skills when playing with their toys. Treat toys allow birds to work for their food,much as they would in the wild.
Once a bird owner has tried a number of different types of toys,they will start to get a feel for what their individual bird really enjoys. Ask customers for feedback on various toys and find out what their bird likes and doesn’t like about specific toys,so you can offer anecdotal advice to other customers as well. Pet birds are amazing creatures. Though most have never lived in the wild,they never lose the instinct and adaptation that wild birds use out of necessity. That’s why Wyld’s Wingdom strongly suggests stocking a wide variety of bird toys in your store. Pet birds do not lose their natural instinct. In the wild,birds engage in activities such as foraging for food,swinging on vines and branches,stripping trees of their bark,and playing and conversing with other birds. This natural instinct doesn’t disappear in pet birds and without the proper stimulation,it can manifest itself through feather picking,acting out,and general boredom when they are not provided with engaging toys and adequate interaction. According to Jim McKendry of Parrot Behavior &Enrichment Consultations (http://www.pbec.com.au),the main reasons why many pet birds (specifically parrots) seem to struggle to adapt are a “lack of flight,and lack of opportunities for stimulation and socialization with other parrots. Along with a lack of foraging opportunity,those deficiencies are often the key contributors to the development of many behavioral problems we deal with in companion parrots.”  114828 - Four Big Drawers While human interaction can alleviate much of the boredom,many bird owners do not have the time to interact with their birds as much as needed. But with the right toys,your bird can have hours of entertainment and stimulation to keep them happy and healthy. So provide your customers with a variety of toy options that cover a gamut of possible activities. Also express to your customers the importance of changing out their toys weekly to prevent boredom and to stimulate mental health. Wyld’s Wingdom can provide you with a variety of bird toys for you to offer. Whether you are looking for chewing toys,foraging toy,exercise toys,comfort toys,preening toys,foot toys,or mechanical toys,we can provide you with what you need to help keep your customers’ birds energized and stimulated. Wyld’s Wingdom is on Facebook,Twitter,Google Plus,and You Tube. Are you? The world of advertising is ever changing. And if you haven’t gotten on the social media bandwagon,your business may get left behind. Social media,unlike traditional advertising,brings a personal edge to your marketing. What I mean by that is that,through social media,you become more than just a name to your audience;you become a person with whom they can interact. You can engage with your customers and not only brand yourself,but build a sense of trust and credibility. Plus,when you communicate with your social media audience,you are not only communicating with your followers,but you are also communicating with your followers’ followers. And a majority of that communication is going to be seen as a personal endorsement from your followers’ to their followers,helping you reach a whole new audience. In addition to these benefits,social media will help you get a pulse on what your customers want. Social media makes it easy for customers to comment and give feedback,allowing you to see what it is that they like,don’t like,want,and don’t want. You can use this information to better your service,your products,and in turn,your business.  A sure sign of the role social media is taking in marketing is the recent launch of Google Plus for businesses. Similar to Facebook,Twitter,LinkedIn,and other social media sites,Google Plus offers the advantages of communicating with your customers on a more personal level,getting to know their preferences,and getting a personal endorsement from your them. But Google Plus’s “+1” button is taking this endorsement to a new level. Google Plus melds together social media,its email system (gmail),AND its search engine so your business gets exposure,not only through your followers,but also through your email contacts AND anyone who sees your website come up in a Google search. If your website is properly encoded for SEO purposes and someone does a Google search using your keywords,your website could pop up and that person could see your Google Plus page and “+1” it,endorsing it to all of their followers and friends as well as Google itself! Google states,“+1′s from friends and contacts can be a useful signal to Google when determining the relevance of your page to a user’s query. This is just one of many signals Google may use to determine a page’s relevance and ranking.” (http://www.google.com/support/webmasters/bin/answer.py?answer=1140194)
What exactly does this mean? Google itself is saying that having and using a Google Plus page will help increase your ranking on search engines. While Google Plus is going to be the major contributor to SEO,interacting on all of the different social media sites is going to benefit your SEO. The algorithms for SEO ranking is changing and is including more and more of the social media postings,so if you want a higher search engine ranking,you better jump into the social media world! The benefits of using social media just keep growing and growing. And while using it may seem daunting to some people,it is becoming necessary to take on in order to grow your business.
To visit Wyld’s Wingdom’s social media pages,click on the following links:  http://twitter.com/#!/WyldsWingdom
 http://www.facebook.com/pages/Wylds-Wingdom/263216386005?sk=wall
 https://plus.google.com/107660336971289572037/posts
As a pet bird retailer,it is important that you be able to provide your customers with a wealth of information on how to properly care for their birds. An important part of bird care,to the surprise of many bird owners,is exercise. In the wild,birds fly,play,and scavenge. Why would pet birds be any different? These actions promote health and happiness,and bird owners should be encouraged to have regularly scheduled exercise time with their pets. Be sure to remind your customers that inactive birds run the risk for various health problems including obesity,heart disease,and other cardiac disorders that may negatively affect their length and quality of life. Not only that,inactive birds are often bored and unhappy,which can lead to feather plucking and other negative behavior. By suggesting proper toys and giving exercise tips,you can help your customers have healthy,happy birds.  Begin encouraging exercise for birds at the initial purchase. Explain to customers that bird cage sizes should be large enough to extend their wings and flap them. If the bird is going to be caged all the time,allow space for at least 3 wingspans. If a bird’s cage does not give it adequate room,the bird will not be able to stay active. Suggest toys,swings,and perches that will fit well in the cage while allowing for enough room to play. Also suggest toys that the bird can play with outside the cage to promote activity during exercise time.
Remind customers to set up a regular exercise schedule and give them information that will aid them in their scheduling. A few times a week may be adequate,but daily exercise is,of course,best. Out of the cage exercise is recommended. The best time is mid-morning or early afternoon,but not when the bird is hungry or just eaten. Birds usually rest during the late afternoon and in the evening,so it may not be the best time to exercise either. Since most pet birds have clipped wings,recommend flapping exercises where birds “step up” onto a short dowel rod. Suggest toys that encourage climbing and other aerobic exercise such as ladders,swings,and other activity toys. Active,exercised birds are happy,healthy birds,which equates to happy customers. If you have questions about which toys to carry or recommend,Wyld’s Wingdom is happy to assist you. Else,take a look at our extensive online catalog for numerous items that you can stock your store with in order to promote healthy exercise for your bird-owning customers. The 2011 Holiday Season is here. Wyld’s Wingdom has several holiday themed bird toys,tree ornaments and gift ideas for that special bird lover on your holiday shopping list. Supplies are limited on some items so don’t miss out! | 2011 Holiday Collection Now Available! | | 
Bird Toys |
Sales are built through successful relationships,and relationships require frequent “touches”. Once you have the interest of a customer or a prospective customer,it’s important to stay in touch with them,reminding them of your business and what makes it special. This is especially effective in retail businesses where you provide customers with products they buy over and over again,such as pet food and supplies.  Email marketing and social media are two effective ways of staying in touch with a high volume of prospects and customers,while maintaining a personalized feel to the interactions. In order to stay in touch via email marketing,you’ve got to be sure to capture email addresses. If your checkout system is run by computer,make asking for an email address a part of the check-out process in the store. Alternatively,you can keep a stack of information cards near the register and ask customers if they’d like to fill one out and join your email list. Make this question a part of your phone script for prospective customers as well. Let them know that you carry a wide range of products and would like to let them know when you are offering specials or have exciting,new products available.
 Establishing a Facebook page is a great way to let customers and bird fanciers know what’s happening in your world. You can build credibility,establish yourself as an expert,highlight new or popular products,and offer followers special deals. For those in your email database,providing a clickable link to your Facebook page in your email updates and asking recipients to “like” your page is an effective way to build followers. Provide in-store customers with a card that gives your Facebook and webpage addresses,or have it print on every receipt. Ask followers to recommend your page to their friends,and spread the word through your local Avian club or other community groups.
 The greeting your customer receives is one of the most important parts of the retail experience. Whether taking a call from a prospective customer or greeting a walk-in,it is important to give an upbeat and welcoming greeting. “Good morning! Welcome to (or thank you for calling) –store name–” followed by “How can I help you today?” Asking a walk-in customer “Can I help you?” gives them the opportunity to say,“No,thanks” or “I’m just browsing.” Asking how you can help or what the customer is looking for requires an answer that opens the door to conversation and allows you to begin interacting with the customer. Greetings should be consistent and professional,so be sure to train staff (and yourself!) on preferred customer greetings that reflect positively on your business.
You can also ask a walk-in customer if they’ve ever been in your store before. If they say “yes” you can welcome them back,which makes them feel valued and reminds them that they’ve done business with you before. If they say “no” you can tell them a little bit about how the store is set up and give a little information about yourself,and then ask what they’re looking for. The timing of the greeting is also important. Greet customers immediately so that they feel welcomed and know you are there to answer questions and give advice. Many customers who walk out of a store without buying do so because they feel ignored or like there is no one available to help them. Deliver your greetings with sincerity and warmth and make an effort to get to know the needs of repeat customers and you will see a big difference in customer response. | |
