Say it like you mean it

This is a gift card I received as a present. Don’t you think the presentation is just wonderful? You immediately feel like you’ve received a gift and not just a card. Even though the monetary value remains the same, it just seems much more special. The plastic card fits snuggly into this red tin with its flamboyant satin bow and it just screams Value! Special! Beautiful! Unique! Worth it! Which, I’m sure will make a huge difference to the amount of gift vouchers they sell in this store. And an even bigger difference to the people receiving it… So really, who wouldn’t want to shop there? Yet another great marketing tool used in a wonderful way.

Have you got what it takes to be a runaway success?

This past Saturday I had the opportunity to participate in the awesome 35km Hansa Hout Bay Challenge. It’s probably the toughest run I’ve done to date, dragging myself uphill for almost 2000m, and over, what felt like, many, many mountains.

Why was it so tough? Would you believe, I was totally unprepared?!

No surprise if you consider that I hadn’t bothered to pay any thought to my training or nutrition in the past 4 weeks. And yet, I decided that I needed to do this race as it is a ‘must do’ on the racing calendar and entries very limited are scarce.

Whilst I eventually completed the race, it was technically unsuccessful. I felt terrible most of the way, my body was being starved of the necessary ‘fuel’ to keep me going and training would have ensured a finish to be proud of!

What has this got to do with retail, you may well ask?

1. Are you ‘running’ a promotion because it’s a ‘must do’ on the promotional calendar?

2. How much ‘training’ (planning and advertising) have you done to ensure that it is a success? Have you sat down with your ‘coach’ (advertising/marketing agency) to plan every step up until the big day?

3. Have you got the correct ‘fuel’ (promotional product/price/POS) to keep you going during the promotion?

Yes, you may be fortunate enough to get through the promotion BUT will it be a finish you could be proud of? Go on, take another look at that training schedule. Are you really doing your best to ensure ultimate success? If so, may you be a runaway success!

Paint the town RED!

It’s SALE season at the moment! If you’ve been anywhere near a mall of late, you must have spotted the colourful array of window displays and posters reminding you of the bargains on offer! So much discounting happening right now…

But nothing, in my opinion, says SALE better than the colour red! I noticed a couple of very creative windows on my mall walk this morning, but the spotlight undoubtedly fell on this incredibly simple, yet enormously effective display.

A sale is probably the most popular promotion for any retailer and customer for that matter. In fact, sometimes it’s the only promotion that takes place twice a year. But the fact that it’s proven to be highly successful doesn’t mean you always have to discount your merchandise in order to achieve success.

Countless great promotions have made real impact through the use of fun and value-added offers, rather than cash savings. Whether they’ve incorporated special holidays, celebration days and even big sporting events, it all aids in finding that amazing theme for your promotion. Simply match your theme with related or relevant products and shout out the message. Dress up your store and sell. Offer in-store events. Run a competition. Partner with other retailers. Generate programs to encourage repeat purchases…

The options are endless. You just need to realize the huge potential hidden within your store, and you’ll soon discover that discounting is by no means the only promotion out there!

What finding Mr Right could hold in-store for YOU!

Imagine two kinds of people looking to meet a life partner (for the purpose of this analogy, we make them both women). These two ladies are headed for the same venue in the hope of meeting someone fabulous, with whom they could possible start a deep, meaningful and very enjoyable relationship.

The one is dressed to kill and guaranteed to attract a lot of attention, but she is very shy and spends most of the evening in the corner by herself. The other is a total extrovert and very engaging, but presents herself in a questionable manner, which is not half as attractive as her bubbly personality. As the evening progresses neither of them are attracting the right attention and finally they are doomed to return home without any new potential on the horizon.

Now imagine two kinds of stores. One is absolutely beautiful and therefore eye-catching enough for people to walk in and look around, but since no-one engages with them, they all leave empty-handed. Which means no real opportunity was created for them to fully enjoy the experience and therefore return in the near future. Then there’s another store which is hygienically challenged, rather untidy and actually quite off-putting. Even if the staff are extremely engaging and helpful, the customer is still inclined to leave abruptly, because it’s a visual mess. Which means they didn’t enjoy the experience much either.

Now imagine a store with striking looks and a dashing personality… a real opportunity for delightful engagement and future ‘dating’ possibilities. Who on this earth would not want to go there? And buy? And return to browse and buy again? And again?

Let’s face it, if customers like what they see, and they enjoy the experience, they are sure to want more, time and time again.

That is the beginning of the deeper and much more meaningful ‘Retail Relationship’.

I don’t want (just) your money, Honey, I want your love!

Remember that song by Till Tuesday? Well, it’s quite relevant when it comes to customers. They are precious, because without them no business or store could exist. So when you spend time and money on trying to get their attention, connect with them, build relationships that lasts and hopefully have many years of happy dealings, you win and they win. But the reality is you need your clients more than they need you, because invariably they are spoilt for choice.

So why would a business which has been paid upfront for the goods refuse to dispatch the product because of a R150 courier fee which is outstanding? Or why would a store put up a sign that says there is a minimum charge on card transactions (because the store does not want to pay the fee on a small sale)?

The cost to the business is so small in monetary value, yet the damage it does to customer relationships is so great. The impression you are giving your customers is not one that makes them feel valued, because clearly you are only interested in their money and not in them.

Make a difference. Think about how small decisions impact customers’ perceptions. Their deadline should be important to you. Or if the transaction fee is such a problem to you, don’t you think it’s more important to make your customer’s life easier? Why, in your mind, should these people do business with you?

Always remember, they will look elsewhere if they feel their business is more appreciated elsewhere. And these are just examples of many such incidences occurring daily. I know it is important to cross the t’s and dot the i’s, but I do believe you should consider how it makes your customers feel, and how it impacts your business relationship. You’ve spent the time finding them, so it’s definitely worth making the effort to keep them.

Everything about this window works for me...

Firstly, it asks a question to get me thinking. Then it provides all the answers with hard facts, ensuring total comprehension of the different specs on offer. I can see the entire colour range. Yes, the actual product in all its glory, so I know exactly what I’m dealing with.

Also, the window is 3 dimensional – writing on the window, posters, product stands and product, which makes it much more interesting than just a poster. Since there’s no guessing what the product can do for you, you simply need to take your pick…

I might have added price, which wasn’t very apparent (could have been there I was clicking away at a rapid rate). Other than that, I think this is a great window display – it introduces, informs and entices… I’m sure a large number of these fleece tops are making their way out of that store as we speak…so to speak.