Merchandising: The Merchandising School of O; or What I learned from observing Oprah Winfrey in action

Lesson: As you begin a new venture, launch a new product category or simply introduce this season’s new products, are you going all out in your commitment, or are you leaving some passion on the table?

2. She “gets” her audience. Winfrey started off her Christmas show, in which 300 teachers in the audience received more than $15,000 worth of presents, by saying how she had wanted to be a teacher. She also knew her audience well. She knew they were overworked and that they often spent their own money on school supplies. She knew they sometimes worked with outdated equipment. She understood them. She knew just what products they would love to see under the tree, what their “wish lists” were.