Well, it’s time for the fork then: we certainly can’t compete with a company that can go poof and deliver you a DVD that doesn’t exist. 
(The 1936 *Show Boat *is one of my DVD holy grails.)
Some really, really great feedback here, folks. Brainstorming continues, will report back. Thanks!
And that attitude is WHY they’re going to bury you.
‘We don’t have to offer any actual services, we’re LOCAL!’
If you want to emphasize THAT, focus on what keeping local businesses afloat provides the community, don’t claim it’s a virtue in itself.
I know a lot of people who do buy into the “buy locally” mentality, and I think you have a legitimate point about marketing to them, if they aren’t already including video in something they buy locally.
As far as window sign, I think a simple “Rent locally” with perhaps some images from movies shot in your city/state would get the message out in a subtle, upbeat way.
The other approach I could see working is cross-marketing with some other business that gets a lot of the “buy locally” dollar. This could be an independent bookstore or a farmer’s market or a community-supported agriculture cooperative. Find the serious locavores and get them a standard promotion like a coupon or buy-10 get-1 card tied to the buy local message.
There are people who are swayed by the “buy local” message. Your instinct to market to them is good. Your store’s other advantages over Netflix are, IMHO, separate issues worthy of consideration on their own merits.
Yes, we’re working out a deal with a local indie Pizza joint to include our Newsletter with each delivery. The Newsletter is something I cooked up last month; includes lists of upcoming releases, capsule reviews, staff recommendations, and coupons. We’re also putting that on local coffeeshop counters, etc. And (probably illegally) slipping into the stacks of free weeklies that are dotted around the neighborhood.
I wouldn’t put it in the free weeklies: if they find out, that’s gonna piss off another local business, one that you might otherwise be able to ally with.
An example of one of our local video store’s awesome policies: every summer, they team up with the pub in the same building as them to have free outdoor movie night about once a month. They cordone off their parking lot, the pub sells beer and food, people bring their lawn chairs, and at sundown they project a goofy classic movie (Goonies, the original Hairspray, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Being There–you get the idea) onto the adjacent apartment building. The parking lot is invariably packed. I’m sure it builds tremendous good will toward the store (the owner always comes out and does a very brief speech before the projector starts rolling), and it costs them very little.
Daniel
Why not just use idle scare tactics? “Rent locally, where the government isn’t watching you!”
Also, people like to feel important, maybe you could let your top 5 renters have their own featured picks section or something.
I used a neighborhood video store now and then, but the main reason I used NetFlix is that I didn’t have to think about it. I hate picking out movies. But with NetFlix I l let my friends put stuff on my queue and surprise movies show up at my door.
I also say focus on what you can do that NetFlix can’t- you can watch movies today, you can help recommend movies, etc.
This is an extremely good idea, and the only idea that made me think in any way that your video store might have an advantage over Netflix. I absolutely agree that your downfall, in addition to some spacing and layout issues, is you’re not really marketing an advantage. It would be great it people really did things because they wanted to follow some principle, but the vast majority of consumers will do what is in their own best interest. You need to convince them it is in their own best interest to come to your store.
My parents had a sign shop when I was growing up. That’s what we did, we made signs. I saw some remarkably creative things go out over the years. I think you need to find a professional sign maker, a good artist, and have him or her draft you some ideas. Seek out somewhere local–don’t go for any of those places that say you can have your sign by the end of the day. Ask to see a portfolio of the artist’s work, and look for creativity. I get the feeling your store has a kind of funky vibe, a personality all its own, and your sign needs to reflect that. Your expertise is in movies, not advertising. I promise you that a well-designed, clever, appropriate sign can make all the difference in the world. It is worth the investment.
This is a great idea!
And…if they’re close enough and willing to work out a little bit more of a business relationship with your store, maybe you could be the only vid store in town that offers delivery of a movie when they order a pizza too. Movie night comes right to your door.
There’d be logistics to work out with it, but it would definitely give you a leg up. You never know if your little red envelope’s gonna show up, but you can be sure you’ll get your movie AND your pizza all at the same time.
As for your poster, you could play off that sense of disappointment when you come home to an empty mailbox–especially when you have something you really want to see at the top of your queue. Or other things (holidays, Sundays) that keep you from getting your movie:
“There’s no mail delivery on Sunday.”
“X% of mail deliveries arrive damaged.”
“Bad weather/election season/holidays [as the case may be] slow mail delivery by X%”
That sorta thing…These sorts of headlines make people stop to look and, like someone upthread pointed out, it forces them figure it out. “Why’s there a sign about mail service in the video store window?..Oh, I get it!” And that “I get it” creates a little bit of a relationship with you, makes them like you, and makes the idea stick. Treat em like they’re smart and have a little laugh with them.
If you wanted to put these together, I’d love to help you with them. Advertising’s my thang…
This is a really excellent idea.
We cut out Netflix due to a tight budget, but I loved it. Movies were quick, the selection was huge, and I didn’t have to drive to return my flick. I’d need some strong persuasion to support a brick and mortar store when Netflix is so appealing. Having dinner delivered at the same time as my movie might do it.
It’s not just the words as the eye-piercing colour scheme I found bothersome. Perhaps it could be made less painful.
While I agree that your store needs to market its strengths (specifically, knwoledgable staff) you can’t spell out a really nuanced argument in window signs, after all. Just a couple of signs to catch attention. Jeff’s ideas are excellent. But please spare your customers’ corneas.
The crossover deal idea with a pizza joint is a great idea. Fantastic. If it works, find other partners as well - wings, Chinese, etc.
Also, what else does your store sell/rent? Just DVD/BluRay/VHS?
For what it’s worth, my Blockbuster store was looking into a pizza/delivery crossover back in the late nineties and it never manifested for whatever reason. But the landscape is a lot different now, and it might be something a Little Guy could pull off where Big Blue failed.
I think the only way local video stores can survive at all is if they deliver movies, which probably isn’t profitable unless the customer rents several movies. Technology and Netflix are probably 5 years or less away from instant streaming movies direct from your computer to tv on demand. Don’t they do something close to this already? I think within a few years it will be the norm. Pizza place/video stores combos might have a good chance though.
“That quirky video store clerk” is moving to the web. Don’t tell lissener.
I think the biggest problem with the sign is that you’re trying to convey too much to the drive-by audience. There’s a reason billboards (well, well-designed billboards, anyway) are simple. For a drive-by audience, you’ve got ~7 words to get your message across. Anything more is too much.
Try to think in terms of the 50/15/5 rule: Make the poster/sign work for a viewer looking at it from 50 feet away, 15 feet away and 5 feet away. Seems to me that as it is you’re trying to convey a “5” message to the “50” audience.
It’s tough, because I think that ultimately you’re fighting a losing battle. I use Netflix because I value selection over the convenience of the get-the-movie-you-want-tonight thing that is the advantage of the video store. And just because of the nature of it, Netflix always wins on selection - if it’s on video, they have it. But what happens to brick-and-mortar, locally-owned video stores a few years down the line as the “Watch Instantly” option improves (as it seems bound to do) and then Netflix wins on convenience as well?
Alternately, perhaps you’ve found lissener the job he’s gonna need if the video store tanks! 
Fed up of being Home Alone, waiting for The Postman? If you’re Out of Time, forget The Net and pop in for a Brief Encounter. Ask our Clerks for a recommendation.
You get the idea…
I used to drive 30 miles out of my way to rent movies from a video store that had hard-to-find movies and old TV shows, entire sections for directors, employees’ picks, and occasional mini movie reviews taped to the cases. The occasional real stinker would have a sticker saying DO NOT RENT THIS MOVIE. CONSIDER YOURSELF WARNED or something along those lines. I seem to remember a case for Love Actually having a piece of masking tape over the Love with the word CRAP written on it. 
If I saw a sign like the one in your first post it would turn me off – I’m all for buying locally, but confrontational signs make me immediately contrary. Unless it’s, like, Darth Vader with a speech bubble saying “I find your Netflix subscription… disturbing.”