Has this ever happened to you?
You are shopping and something on a high shelf catches your eye. You'd like to know the price, but you can't reach it. You look around for a clerk to help you, but don't see anyone. You try standing on tiptoe, maybe even with one foot on the bottom shelf, to see if you can reach, but you can't.
Or, maybe the product isn't on a high shelf. Maybe it's in a locked display case.
Maybe you can reach the merchandise, but the price sticker has fallen off.
If you are really interested, you might look a little harder for someone to help you. Maybe you'll even wait at a counter for the cashier to finish with the line of customers.
The more difficult it gets, the more likely it is that you'll decide that finding out the price is just not worth the trouble.
These situations create barriers that prevent shoppers from buying.
You might be saying to yourself, "Yes, but I don't have those problems in my store. My products are all accessible."
There are many ways your merchandising can be preventing shoppers from buying, and you don't even realize it.
The barrier in your store could be poor lighting.
It could be a confusing store layout.
It could be the lack of product information.
It could be ineffective signage.
It could be poor merchandise placement.
It could be ineffective displays.
There are three steps to eliminating these barriers in your store.
1. Take stock.
Find out how you are doing right now.
Listen to your customers. What do they need help with? What are they asking for? What frustrates them? Keep a notebook of what your customers are saying.
Next, take a look at your store performance.
-- What are your current sales levels? Are you meeting your daily sales goals?
-- What is the size of an average transaction in dollars? in number of units?
-- How many shoppers come into your store daily? How many make a purchase?
-- What are your sales per square foot?
-- What are your sales per staff hour?
-- What merchandise is selling vs. not selling?
-- What areas of the store are selling vs. not selling?
Create a chart or spreadsheet to keep track of your performance on a regular basis.
2. Take action.
Walk through your store and evaluate it critically, from front to back. What can you do to improve your merchandising?
You might need to create new displays.
You might need to improve signage and product information.
You might need to rotate merchandise.
You might need to adjust the lighting.
You might need to improve your store layout.
Do whatever it takes to make it easier for your customer to shop. Make your plan and implement it.
3. Take measurements.
Now, go back to your store performance. Measure and record your results.
-- What effect did your changes have?
-- What are your customers saying?
-- How many people stop to take a look?
-- How much time do they spend at each display?
-- Do they touch the merchandise, or just move on?
You will find that some things will work, some will work better, some won't work at all. You can't tell unless you are measuring results.
You might create a great display and hardly sell anything. It might be the signage, it might be the wrong product, it might be a bad location.
Sometimes you'll get it right, sometimes you won't.
There are general merchandising and sales principles that work, but each store is also unique. You have an individual mix of customers, products, location, staff and all the other things that make up your business.
Getting the mix exactly right is like cooking.
First, you follow a recipe. Then gradually you make small changes to adjust the recipe to your taste. You get feedback from your partner, family or guests. Each time you make the dish you tweak it a little, until eventually you get it right - and it becomes your own.
In a store, you follow the merchandising recipe and then make little changes until you get the right taste for your customers.
To eliminate barriers to sales, be vigilant. Make small adjustments to your merchandising, measure your results, and start again.
Don't let your merchandising keep your products sitting on the shelves!
What Do Your Customers Really Need?
When was the last time you bought tires? If you're like most people, shopping for tires is not the most exciting experience.
We buy tires because we have to. We are not usually thrilled at shelling out a large chunk of money for something as un-glamorous as tires. But we do it anyway.
Why?
We think we need tires. But, what we really need is safety.
When your mechanic tells you your old tires are unreliable, even dangerous, your priorities suddenly change. You put aside other plans, like buying a new plasma TV, because your need to be safe on the road is more important.
What's all this talk about tires? Isn't this an article about customer needs?
Customers don't need what you are trying to sell them. They do, however, have deep, universal, human needs that they are trying to satisfy. You will be able to market and sell more effectively if you can identify the needs of your customers, and how your products helps to satisfy those needs..
Sometimes, it gets a little tricky to sort out.
Once you realize you need tires, how do you decide which ones to buy? Well, if safety is such a priority, you would buy the high-end tires with the best performance in all kinds of weather conditions.
However, buying the highest quality tires, may threaten with your financial security, leaving you short of resources to meet other basic needs.
On the other hand, perhaps your need for financial security is satisfied, and you can afford the high-performance tires. Your need for status may be your primary motivator. You might decide that new rims for your Audi help you satisfy your need for status, esteem and respect.
We are all trying to satisfy common human needs. Often, we buy things to satisfy those needs.
Abraham Maslow developed the theory of a hierarchy of human needs. He believed that people have five levels of needs:
According to his theory, we must have our basic, lower level, physiological needs met before we can move on to higher level needs.
So, when it comes to buying tires, we will not be concerned with status, unless our lower level need for safety and security is satisfied.
What do your customers really need?
Does your product meet basic physical needs? Many consumer products connect with our needs for love, belonging and status. More and more, customers are searching for products that help them in their search for self-actualization and spiritual meaning.
Take some time to consider where your products fit in. Like tires, your product line may meet customer needs at more than one level. When you understand those needs, you will be more effective at creating marketing and promotions that appeal to your target market.
Your customers don't want you to try to sell them what they don't need. They do want you to understand their needs, and help them find what they are looking for.
Want to know more about creating a store that meets customer needs? Download Attracting Customers now. It's free.
We buy tires because we have to. We are not usually thrilled at shelling out a large chunk of money for something as un-glamorous as tires. But we do it anyway.
Why?
We think we need tires. But, what we really need is safety.
When your mechanic tells you your old tires are unreliable, even dangerous, your priorities suddenly change. You put aside other plans, like buying a new plasma TV, because your need to be safe on the road is more important.
What's all this talk about tires? Isn't this an article about customer needs?
Customers don't need what you are trying to sell them. They do, however, have deep, universal, human needs that they are trying to satisfy. You will be able to market and sell more effectively if you can identify the needs of your customers, and how your products helps to satisfy those needs..
Sometimes, it gets a little tricky to sort out.
Once you realize you need tires, how do you decide which ones to buy? Well, if safety is such a priority, you would buy the high-end tires with the best performance in all kinds of weather conditions.
However, buying the highest quality tires, may threaten with your financial security, leaving you short of resources to meet other basic needs.
On the other hand, perhaps your need for financial security is satisfied, and you can afford the high-performance tires. Your need for status may be your primary motivator. You might decide that new rims for your Audi help you satisfy your need for status, esteem and respect.
We are all trying to satisfy common human needs. Often, we buy things to satisfy those needs.
Abraham Maslow developed the theory of a hierarchy of human needs. He believed that people have five levels of needs:
1. Physiological (biological)
2. Safety
3. Love/Belonging
4. Status (Esteem)
5. Actualization.
According to his theory, we must have our basic, lower level, physiological needs met before we can move on to higher level needs.
So, when it comes to buying tires, we will not be concerned with status, unless our lower level need for safety and security is satisfied.
What do your customers really need?
Does your product meet basic physical needs? Many consumer products connect with our needs for love, belonging and status. More and more, customers are searching for products that help them in their search for self-actualization and spiritual meaning.
Take some time to consider where your products fit in. Like tires, your product line may meet customer needs at more than one level. When you understand those needs, you will be more effective at creating marketing and promotions that appeal to your target market.
Your customers don't want you to try to sell them what they don't need. They do want you to understand their needs, and help them find what they are looking for.
Want to know more about creating a store that meets customer needs? Download Attracting Customers now. It's free.
Is Your Store Failing to Connect with Customers?
Imagine yourself walking past a row of shops on a street. Some of the stores you walk by without even a glance. But one catches your attention. Something in the window makes you stop for a moment to take a look.
Something has grabbed you and pulled you out of your conversation, or train of thought, and stopped you. Just briefly. Long enough to think, "I like that," or "That looks interesting."
The next thing you know, you see a couple of other interesting things in the window. You look past the display into the store. You think, "I'll check it out for a minute."
You open the door and step inside. You love what you see. "What a great place! I'll look around for a minute." You see something that would look amazing in your house. You move from one display to the next, imagining what your life would look like with some of these beautiful things.
You feel relaxed. Happy. You love the atmosphere. This is what you want in your life. This is something you've been looking for. You're falling in love.
What makes this store different? Why do you like it so much?
Connection.
The store connects and resonates with you. It fits with your imagined ideal of what you would like for your life.
Yes, the product is something you would love to have. But it's not just the product. It's how you feel. You feel more beautiful, sexier, happier, or more fun when you imagine this product as yours.
How you feel about the product is influenced by the store atmosphere. It puts you in a mood you enjoy. Not only do you like the merchandise, but you like the idea of shopping here. You want to be here. You want to come back. You want to buy here.
Are you making this connection with your shoppers? Does your store resonate with them?
A store that resonates with shoppers:
1. Isn't for everyone.
We are all unique. We all have different tastes. What one person likes, another dislikes. If you try to appeal to everyone, you will end up with a store that doesn't attract anybody. A successful store appeals to a specific group of people with certain tastes and interests in common.
Determine who your best customers are and work to attract to others like them.
2. Has something their customers need.
Face it. Shoppers can probably find a product like yours somewhere else. They don't need your product. What they need is something else. Maybe it's security. Enjoyment. Relief from stress. One of the most common needs that people are seeking to satisfy is the need for status, or respect.
Figure out what your customers really need. Then sell it to them.
3. Has personality.
A store just like all the others is boring. A great store has character and flair. It's personality is conveyed through color, design, fixtures, lighting, signage, advertising and people. It has a quality that is unique and different.
Being different is a risk. But in retail, being the same as everyone else, is certain death.
Express your personality. And do it well.
If you want your store to resonate with your customers, show them what you have in common. Show them you understand them and what they need. Romance them. Make them feel beautiful, sexy, important, safe or happy.
Sounds like a relationship, doesn't it? It is.
Something has grabbed you and pulled you out of your conversation, or train of thought, and stopped you. Just briefly. Long enough to think, "I like that," or "That looks interesting."
The next thing you know, you see a couple of other interesting things in the window. You look past the display into the store. You think, "I'll check it out for a minute."
You open the door and step inside. You love what you see. "What a great place! I'll look around for a minute." You see something that would look amazing in your house. You move from one display to the next, imagining what your life would look like with some of these beautiful things.
You feel relaxed. Happy. You love the atmosphere. This is what you want in your life. This is something you've been looking for. You're falling in love.
What makes this store different? Why do you like it so much?
Connection.
The store connects and resonates with you. It fits with your imagined ideal of what you would like for your life.
Yes, the product is something you would love to have. But it's not just the product. It's how you feel. You feel more beautiful, sexier, happier, or more fun when you imagine this product as yours.
How you feel about the product is influenced by the store atmosphere. It puts you in a mood you enjoy. Not only do you like the merchandise, but you like the idea of shopping here. You want to be here. You want to come back. You want to buy here.
Are you making this connection with your shoppers? Does your store resonate with them?
A store that resonates with shoppers:
1. Isn't for everyone.
We are all unique. We all have different tastes. What one person likes, another dislikes. If you try to appeal to everyone, you will end up with a store that doesn't attract anybody. A successful store appeals to a specific group of people with certain tastes and interests in common.
Determine who your best customers are and work to attract to others like them.
2. Has something their customers need.
Face it. Shoppers can probably find a product like yours somewhere else. They don't need your product. What they need is something else. Maybe it's security. Enjoyment. Relief from stress. One of the most common needs that people are seeking to satisfy is the need for status, or respect.
Figure out what your customers really need. Then sell it to them.
3. Has personality.
A store just like all the others is boring. A great store has character and flair. It's personality is conveyed through color, design, fixtures, lighting, signage, advertising and people. It has a quality that is unique and different.
Being different is a risk. But in retail, being the same as everyone else, is certain death.
Express your personality. And do it well.
If you want your store to resonate with your customers, show them what you have in common. Show them you understand them and what they need. Romance them. Make them feel beautiful, sexy, important, safe or happy.
Sounds like a relationship, doesn't it? It is.
Are You Struggling to Create End-of-Season Retail Displays?
Retail Notes:
I received an email recently that mentioned how difficult it is to create an inspiring display window at the end of a season.
Yes. It is difficult to come continually come up with new and inspiring ideas. Especially when you are not inspired yourself.
You're attitude is like a virus. You don't realize it, but your customers will catch it.
You need to be excited by what you sell.
As a retailer, that is what you do. Your job is to present merchandise in a way that inspires and attracts. You need to make each product in your store desirable. You need to infect shoppers with your enthusiasm.
1. Change your perception.
Do you see that product sitting on the shelf as a leftover that no one wanted? Or is it an undiscovered gem that is waiting to be found by the right person?
You need to make that gem shine. You need to find that person who is looking for what you have to offer.
2. Present the product well.
It may be that the merchandise hasn't sold because of the presentation. Create a dazzling display with complimentary merchandise, if you can. Of course, that is part of the problem to begin with. It is hard to find enough merchandise that looks good together when some of it has sold.
Maybe one product, featured on its own, can make a strong display. With great signage and great lighting it could work very well.
Instead of other merchandise, perhaps you can find props that would help tell a story with your product.
There are lots of options - the trick is to get creative. Which brings us to the next point.
3. Get inspired. Look for new ideas.
It's easy to get tired of dealing with the same space and merchandise day in and day out. It can get hard to come up with new ideas.
It's time for YOU to go out shopping. Shopping for ideas. Take a walk at lunch, or after work. Take a look at what other stores are doing. What is new and exciting? What colours are being used?
Browse some magazines. How are products arranged for ads? What trends are you seeing?
It is part of your job to stay in touch with what is happening around you. Really, that is what you are selling - not just a product, but an idea. You're selling a feeling, a mood that your product embodies.
You need to be inspired to inspire your customers.
4. Get something new. Fast.
When I worked in retail stores, I learned that one of the best things you can do to keep customers engaged is to always have something new arriving.
Don't just buy all your merchandise a few times a year. Keep a few new things coming in every few weeks. This is especially true for any kind of fashion merchandise.
5. Move the old stuff out.
You need to turn merchandise quickly. Product that hangs on the rack, or sits on the shelf, is money that could be re-invested in something new.
Put the merchandise in a prominent position. Mark it down. Create a sales contest or special promotion.
Just do whatever you have to do to move the old product out.
The worst thing you can do is to allow yourself to lose motivation at the end of the season. Don't just move the products you are tired of to a corner and forget about them.
Instead, get excited about what you have to offer. Your customers will sense it and feel the same. Better yet - throw a party and invite them to join you!
I received an email recently that mentioned how difficult it is to create an inspiring display window at the end of a season.
Yes. It is difficult to come continually come up with new and inspiring ideas. Especially when you are not inspired yourself.
You're tired of the merchandise in your store that you have seen it every day for the past several weeks.
You're disappointed that a product you anticipated would be a hot seller, is still sitting on the shelves.
You're frustrated by the dwindling product selection, making it difficult to create a dynamic display.
You're attitude is like a virus. You don't realize it, but your customers will catch it.
You need to be excited by what you sell.
As a retailer, that is what you do. Your job is to present merchandise in a way that inspires and attracts. You need to make each product in your store desirable. You need to infect shoppers with your enthusiasm.
1. Change your perception.
Do you see that product sitting on the shelf as a leftover that no one wanted? Or is it an undiscovered gem that is waiting to be found by the right person?
You need to make that gem shine. You need to find that person who is looking for what you have to offer.
2. Present the product well.
It may be that the merchandise hasn't sold because of the presentation. Create a dazzling display with complimentary merchandise, if you can. Of course, that is part of the problem to begin with. It is hard to find enough merchandise that looks good together when some of it has sold.
Maybe one product, featured on its own, can make a strong display. With great signage and great lighting it could work very well.
Instead of other merchandise, perhaps you can find props that would help tell a story with your product.
There are lots of options - the trick is to get creative. Which brings us to the next point.
3. Get inspired. Look for new ideas.
It's easy to get tired of dealing with the same space and merchandise day in and day out. It can get hard to come up with new ideas.
It's time for YOU to go out shopping. Shopping for ideas. Take a walk at lunch, or after work. Take a look at what other stores are doing. What is new and exciting? What colours are being used?
Browse some magazines. How are products arranged for ads? What trends are you seeing?
It is part of your job to stay in touch with what is happening around you. Really, that is what you are selling - not just a product, but an idea. You're selling a feeling, a mood that your product embodies.
You need to be inspired to inspire your customers.
4. Get something new. Fast.
When I worked in retail stores, I learned that one of the best things you can do to keep customers engaged is to always have something new arriving.
Don't just buy all your merchandise a few times a year. Keep a few new things coming in every few weeks. This is especially true for any kind of fashion merchandise.
5. Move the old stuff out.
You need to turn merchandise quickly. Product that hangs on the rack, or sits on the shelf, is money that could be re-invested in something new.
Put the merchandise in a prominent position. Mark it down. Create a sales contest or special promotion.
Just do whatever you have to do to move the old product out.
The worst thing you can do is to allow yourself to lose motivation at the end of the season. Don't just move the products you are tired of to a corner and forget about them.
Instead, get excited about what you have to offer. Your customers will sense it and feel the same. Better yet - throw a party and invite them to join you!
Interviewed for the Globe and Mail
Retail News and Notes: I should have posted this earlier. I was interviewed by the Globe and Mail for an article called 7 rules for retail success by Nicholas Dinka.
Check it out!
Check it out!
Case Study - Retail Review
Retail Notes:
Last month I sent out an invitation in my Retail Tips newsletter inviting readers to send in a photo and description of a display issue in their stores.
The first respondent was Marilyn Revell from New Zealand. She struggles with strong reflections on her front window that completely obscure her displays.
Here are a few of the highlights from her Retail Review.
Problem: Window Reflections
Dealing with window reflections is a common problem for retailers. Here's how Marilyn describes her problem:
During the day people can't see in my window as it reflects the building opposite. Although quite light inside, the shop appears dark when looking in from outside and if my door is shut (due to cold) people think I am closed!
Solution
Window reflections are caused by stronger light on one side of the glass than on the other. This effect can be reduced in a couple of ways. Light can be increased inside the store, or decreased on the outside of the window.
Increase the light levels inside the store.
Window displays need strong lighting, to reduce reflections, and also highlight the merchandise, capturing attention of viewers and directing their eye to various areas in the display.
It seems backwards, but you actually need a higher level of lighting in the windows in the daytime, than you do in the night. You need to balance the very strong sun reflecting off the white buildings across the street. Lighting should be positionable spotlights so that they can be moved when the displays are changed. There should be enough lights to highlight all the merchandise in the window adequately.
In addition to the lighting, there are a couple of things you can do with your display. Light objects are generally more visible in the window. You can screen off your window display area with light coloured panels that provide a backdrop for your display.
The merchandise in your window is quite dark and will create a strong contrast, or silhouette against the lighter background, making it easier to see. Having said that, again, I have to emphasize that this will only be effective with stronger lighting in the window.
Open for business.
Marilyn's store already has a sidewalk sign to help shoppers determine whether the store is open. This is a great start. To make sure a message gets across, the information often needs to be available in more than one location. Think about putting your store hours on the door, or even in one of the windows. Rather than placing a sign in the window, I like to use vinyl lettering that applies right on the window. It looks professional, is not too expensive, and does not detract from what is inside the store.
Display Tips
Once you have made your display window more visible, here are a couple of tips to help you make your displays more effective:
1. Choose a theme for your window. Evening wear is displayed in the window, which could be tied together in a stronger way by choosing a colour theme as well. Placing garments in the display that are of similar colours would create a more dynamic grouping. Another alternative would be to choose contrasting colours such as black and white. Keep the colour choices simple.
2. Think of outfits or coordinates in the display window. Instead of a wide variety of purses in the window, coordinate a purse, and/or other accessories with each outfit.
3. Create varying heights in the window. Using just the floor of the display window creates a static display, and is too low to attract the eye. Using cubes, displayers, or shelves of vary heights creates a more dynamic and visually interesting arrangement.
Do you have questions or experience dealing with window reflections in your store? Please share your comments.
Do you struggle to merchandise a display area or fixture in your store? Find out more about the Retail Review here.
Last month I sent out an invitation in my Retail Tips newsletter inviting readers to send in a photo and description of a display issue in their stores.
The first respondent was Marilyn Revell from New Zealand. She struggles with strong reflections on her front window that completely obscure her displays.
Here are a few of the highlights from her Retail Review.
Problem: Window Reflections
Dealing with window reflections is a common problem for retailers. Here's how Marilyn describes her problem:
During the day people can't see in my window as it reflects the building opposite. Although quite light inside, the shop appears dark when looking in from outside and if my door is shut (due to cold) people think I am closed!
Solution
Window reflections are caused by stronger light on one side of the glass than on the other. This effect can be reduced in a couple of ways. Light can be increased inside the store, or decreased on the outside of the window.
Increase the light levels inside the store.
Window displays need strong lighting, to reduce reflections, and also highlight the merchandise, capturing attention of viewers and directing their eye to various areas in the display.
It seems backwards, but you actually need a higher level of lighting in the windows in the daytime, than you do in the night. You need to balance the very strong sun reflecting off the white buildings across the street. Lighting should be positionable spotlights so that they can be moved when the displays are changed. There should be enough lights to highlight all the merchandise in the window adequately.
In addition to the lighting, there are a couple of things you can do with your display. Light objects are generally more visible in the window. You can screen off your window display area with light coloured panels that provide a backdrop for your display.
The merchandise in your window is quite dark and will create a strong contrast, or silhouette against the lighter background, making it easier to see. Having said that, again, I have to emphasize that this will only be effective with stronger lighting in the window.
Open for business.
Marilyn's store already has a sidewalk sign to help shoppers determine whether the store is open. This is a great start. To make sure a message gets across, the information often needs to be available in more than one location. Think about putting your store hours on the door, or even in one of the windows. Rather than placing a sign in the window, I like to use vinyl lettering that applies right on the window. It looks professional, is not too expensive, and does not detract from what is inside the store.
Display Tips
Once you have made your display window more visible, here are a couple of tips to help you make your displays more effective:
1. Choose a theme for your window. Evening wear is displayed in the window, which could be tied together in a stronger way by choosing a colour theme as well. Placing garments in the display that are of similar colours would create a more dynamic grouping. Another alternative would be to choose contrasting colours such as black and white. Keep the colour choices simple.
2. Think of outfits or coordinates in the display window. Instead of a wide variety of purses in the window, coordinate a purse, and/or other accessories with each outfit.
3. Create varying heights in the window. Using just the floor of the display window creates a static display, and is too low to attract the eye. Using cubes, displayers, or shelves of vary heights creates a more dynamic and visually interesting arrangement.
Do you have questions or experience dealing with window reflections in your store? Please share your comments.
Do you struggle to merchandise a display area or fixture in your store? Find out more about the Retail Review here.
What is Effective Merchandising?
Retail Notes:
According to the American Heritage Dictionary, merchandising is the promotion of merchandise sales, as by coordinating production and marketing and developing advertising, display, and sales strategies: basically everything we do to sell a product to the consumer.
What we generally think of as merchandising is the way we present merchandise to attract the attention of consumers and sell the products. To be effective, merchandising needs to be closely connected and consistent with all other parts of the sales process.
When I address merchandising with a client, we look at the overall store image and atmosphere, as well as arrangement of merchandise and displays. Whether you are in a small store or a large one, and regardless of the type of product you sell, the basic concepts in merchandising are the same.
I'm going to start a short series of articles covering why merchandising is important, how to improve your customers' experience, and how to build on your strengths. In this article we are just going to begin discussing why effective merchandising is important in customer perceptions.
I was told once by a small business consultant that she considered merchandising and display to be frivolous extra expenses for the small business owner who is just starting up. Her assumption was that merchandising is just about making things "look nice."
On the contrary, merchandising has a crucial role to play in the selling process. The way I look at it, the role of merchandising begins before your customer even walks in the door.
Your merchandising will determine how consumers perceive your store. You need to think carefully about the first impression that you want customers to have.
Shoppers will form an idea or expectation about your store from what they see outside. When a shopper first sees your store, a part of their brain called the adaptive unconscious is at work.
Your brain makes an evaluation of your store in only 2-3 seconds. In that length of time, your storefront, displays and signage, as well as the individual's personal associations and preconceptions are all evaluated and judged.
Your storefront has a huge job to do in those couple of seconds!
It has to communicate the essence of what your store is all about. From that first impression, shoppers will make a judgment about whether your store meets their needs or not. The perception the customer has of your store may be entirely different than the image you are trying to project.
Think about your store.
* How have you seen the importance of effective merchandising in your store?
* How do you want customers to perceive your business?
* On a scale of 1-10 (10 being the best), how well are you doing at quickly communicating your store image to shoppers?
* What do you need to improve to effectively communicate the image of your store from your storefront?
Please share your comments and your experience of what makes merchandising effective.
According to the American Heritage Dictionary, merchandising is the promotion of merchandise sales, as by coordinating production and marketing and developing advertising, display, and sales strategies: basically everything we do to sell a product to the consumer.
What we generally think of as merchandising is the way we present merchandise to attract the attention of consumers and sell the products. To be effective, merchandising needs to be closely connected and consistent with all other parts of the sales process.
When I address merchandising with a client, we look at the overall store image and atmosphere, as well as arrangement of merchandise and displays. Whether you are in a small store or a large one, and regardless of the type of product you sell, the basic concepts in merchandising are the same.
I'm going to start a short series of articles covering why merchandising is important, how to improve your customers' experience, and how to build on your strengths. In this article we are just going to begin discussing why effective merchandising is important in customer perceptions.
I was told once by a small business consultant that she considered merchandising and display to be frivolous extra expenses for the small business owner who is just starting up. Her assumption was that merchandising is just about making things "look nice."
On the contrary, merchandising has a crucial role to play in the selling process. The way I look at it, the role of merchandising begins before your customer even walks in the door.
Your merchandising will determine how consumers perceive your store. You need to think carefully about the first impression that you want customers to have.
Shoppers will form an idea or expectation about your store from what they see outside. When a shopper first sees your store, a part of their brain called the adaptive unconscious is at work.
Your brain makes an evaluation of your store in only 2-3 seconds. In that length of time, your storefront, displays and signage, as well as the individual's personal associations and preconceptions are all evaluated and judged.
Your storefront has a huge job to do in those couple of seconds!
It has to communicate the essence of what your store is all about. From that first impression, shoppers will make a judgment about whether your store meets their needs or not. The perception the customer has of your store may be entirely different than the image you are trying to project.
Think about your store.
* How have you seen the importance of effective merchandising in your store?
* How do you want customers to perceive your business?
* On a scale of 1-10 (10 being the best), how well are you doing at quickly communicating your store image to shoppers?
* What do you need to improve to effectively communicate the image of your store from your storefront?
Please share your comments and your experience of what makes merchandising effective.
Retail Notes:
Here's a question I received from a website visitor this week.
How do I get past the "I'm just looking" phase?
One thing to remember about "I'm just looking" is that not all the shoppers in your store are ready to buy. Buying is a process that includes several stages, and usually requires several points of contact with the customer.
When shoppers are in your store for the first time, your job is to be welcoming. You can provide information about what your store has to offer. Be friendly without being pushy. You want customers to feel comfortable, to enjoy themselves, and to want to come back again.
Can you involve shoppers with your merchandise in some interactive way?
- samples
- demos
- trying out the merchandise
Think about how you can give them an incentive to return:
- an upcoming event
- new merchandise
- sale
Can you give the shopper something that will help them remember you?
- a coupon or discount card
- event announcement
- free sample
Remember - the customer who is 'just looking' is often afraid of being sold to, when they are not yet ready to buy.
Treat the sales process like a relationship, which it is.
Right now you are just at the first impression or getting to know you stage.
Be friendly.
Be giving.
Be interested. In the customer, that is. Shift your focus from making the sale, to getting to know the people who come into your store.
Any thoughts? Please share your comments.
Here's a question I received from a website visitor this week.
How do I get past the "I'm just looking" phase?
One thing to remember about "I'm just looking" is that not all the shoppers in your store are ready to buy. Buying is a process that includes several stages, and usually requires several points of contact with the customer.
When shoppers are in your store for the first time, your job is to be welcoming. You can provide information about what your store has to offer. Be friendly without being pushy. You want customers to feel comfortable, to enjoy themselves, and to want to come back again.
Can you involve shoppers with your merchandise in some interactive way?
- samples
- demos
- trying out the merchandise
Think about how you can give them an incentive to return:
- an upcoming event
- new merchandise
- sale
Can you give the shopper something that will help them remember you?
- a coupon or discount card
- event announcement
- free sample
Remember - the customer who is 'just looking' is often afraid of being sold to, when they are not yet ready to buy.
Treat the sales process like a relationship, which it is.
Right now you are just at the first impression or getting to know you stage.
Be friendly.
Be giving.
Be interested. In the customer, that is. Shift your focus from making the sale, to getting to know the people who come into your store.
Any thoughts? Please share your comments.
Retail Notes:
Here's a guest article by Sean D'Souza, a member of Robert Middleton's InfoGuru forum and an excellent communicator. He has some tips here that can help you improve your communication. You can apply these concepts to your marketing and your instore displays.
Harness the Psychological Power of '3' to Improve Communication
By Sean D'Souza
Two might be company in life, but in communication you can go all the way to three and still have a rollicking party. If you step over to four however, it's quite likely that you've stepped into the hara-kiri zone. Back up that truck a bit and learn how the power of '3' has the ability to make your communication soar.
Let's Start With a Little Test
Here's a psychological test. Lay out 10 business cards in a row and choose three that catch your attention instantly. Now don't cheat. Do this before you continue reading this article and you'll be quite amazed at the results.
So What Did You Find?
Isn't it strange that there seems to be no real reason why you chose what you did? There doesn't even seem to be a very clear pattern emerging.
Some of the cards have lots of information, and some have very little. Some are colourful and others are not. Yet something has drawn you to play the devil's advocate and reject some of them outright. Could that something be a deep-rooted psychological trigger embedded in your subconscious? And how can this trigger make such a dramatic difference to your communication and marketing?
Aha! You've just run into the magic of THREE.
Understanding and applying it will throw a light into the dark world of your presentations, brochures, web sites and yes, even email! Before you put this into the "This is for my graphic designer" basket, read further because it will help you recognize the psychological background of how the brain understands these things and reacts to them. It will also help you clean up your everyday communication that your designer might never get involved with.
How the Brain Sees Things
The brain finds it relatively easy to grasp threes -- elements, colours and fonts. Push that marginally up to four and the brain gets confused about where to look and what to do, and sends the eye scampering like a frisky puppy on a sunny day.
So why does this happen? For that we might have to go back a little to diaper country. As a child, everything you did and learned seemed to be centered around three -- A,B,C; 1,2,3; Three blind mice, Three musketeers, Trinity, Three Stooges and Huey, Louie and Dewey. (Quack! Quack! Quack!)
Then again, maybe these writers, animators and wise men understood the ease with which we understand 'threes' and reconstructed their work to fit this paradigm.
The Building Blocks of Visual Communication: Elements, Fonts and Colours
Most visual communication can be reduced to these three features:elements, fonts and colours. Understand how they work and you've given yourself the added advantage of a mini design degree.
Just What are Elements?
I'm assuming you've gotten rid of those business cards in front of you. So I've made up some of my own to illustrate how elements work together. Elements are simply groups of objects that are grouped together to form a common definable form. For instance, your eyes, nose, mouth and ears are the main objects that form the element called the face. Let's look at the cards below to understand this even better.
If You Look at Card# 1, You Will Spot 3 Elements:
1) The name and the title of the person.
2) The logo, the logo font and the service description.
3) The contact details form the third element.
If You Look at Card# 2, You Will Find Very Subtle Differences.
All I've done is moved the text and logo just a tad bit around. However, even that tiny displacement has ADDED a series of unwanted elements. Suddenly it appears there are 5 or even 6 elements.
1) The name.
2) The designation.
3) The logo design.
4) The logo font.
5) The service description.
6) The contact details.
Card# 3 Gets Even Harder to Focus On… Guess why?
Card#3 is all over the place, as it has not only violated the rule of elements, but also complicated the visual layout with additional fonts. It has 5 fonts. Learning how to manage fonts makes a big difference to your layout and the overall look of your project.
Here a Font, There a Font, Everywhere a Font, Font
There are zillions of fonts out there today, and it's hard to restrain yourself when you're putting together a document. Try to use not more than 3 fonts in any communication. The more fonts you have on a page, the harder it is to actually read what you're saying. Be aware that a font that is in italics visually ends up looking like another font altogether. It adds to the elements and clutters it up considerably.
Also determine what the font is really doing for your document. You might want to create some drama and use contrasting fonts. For instance, fonts that are vertical used with fonts that are wide contrast well.
I'd also recommend that you read The Design book for Non-Designers, by Robin Williams. It's an inexpensive, easy to read book that clearly explains the different facets of fonts and their usage, plus how to use fonts to set the mood.
Seven colours are for Rainbows
Whether it's a tee-shirt, brochure, website or business card, it's important to restrain yourself. Managing your colour palette with just three colours can often provide the feeling of as many as five or six colours, when moved around a bit.
Count shades of colours as two colours. So, red and dark red are not just one colour but two definite shades and hence, two definite colours. So, be clear about the colours you are choosing. Say you choose something like red, black and green. Move that round a bit and you can get brighter communication without the confusion.
Why This is Important in Marketing and Business Communication
Most of us are always presenting or selling to someone else. The proof of the pudding is always in the eating. But the taste buds start to salivate only when it looks really YUM! If you choose to ignore the psychology behind this, your 'dish' might taste wonderful, but you may never get someone to stay long enough to eat.
This also helps you keep a check on your designers. Good designers instinctively get this right, but sometimes they goof up big time. You can run this audit past your marketing material and check for elements, fonts and colours.
Having said that, a competent designer might have the innate ability to break rules. And if it works, that's OK. Nothing is that sacred, but it helps to know the reasoning behind it. Besides, you now have the ability to make that designer sweat a bit.
Heeeeeeeeeere are some Examples!
McDonald's: The McLogo consists of two elements-The name McDonald's and the Big Golden Arches. They use just one font, and just two colours -- yellow and white (or black)
Coke: The Coca-Cola button that you see in most advertising, consists of three elements: the button itself, the bottle on the button and the Coke Logo. Even though it is a full colour image, the colours are minimal and there are just one or two fonts used.
Now that you can see the forest for the threes…:)
Go out and look at advertising. Revisit your brochure. Audit your presentation. Streamline that website. You will be appalled at how much clutter you had to start with, and how easy it is to smarten it up quickly and efficiently.
Your marketing message will be much tighter and more professional. But best of all, you'll know you're doing something that's deeply embedded in the psychological psyche of humans.
May the 'fours' be with the reckless Luke Skywalkers of the universe (That's a joke, ok?)
You'll find it pays to stick to the threes!
©2001-2005 Psychotactics Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
Wouldn't you love to stumble upon a secret library of small business ideas? Find simple, yet electrifying ideas, on copywriting, public speaking, marketing strategies, sales conversion, psychological tactics and branding. Head down to http://www.psychotactics.com today and judge for yourself.
Here's a guest article by Sean D'Souza, a member of Robert Middleton's InfoGuru forum and an excellent communicator. He has some tips here that can help you improve your communication. You can apply these concepts to your marketing and your instore displays.
Harness the Psychological Power of '3' to Improve Communication
By Sean D'Souza
Two might be company in life, but in communication you can go all the way to three and still have a rollicking party. If you step over to four however, it's quite likely that you've stepped into the hara-kiri zone. Back up that truck a bit and learn how the power of '3' has the ability to make your communication soar.
Let's Start With a Little Test
Here's a psychological test. Lay out 10 business cards in a row and choose three that catch your attention instantly. Now don't cheat. Do this before you continue reading this article and you'll be quite amazed at the results.
So What Did You Find?
Isn't it strange that there seems to be no real reason why you chose what you did? There doesn't even seem to be a very clear pattern emerging.
Some of the cards have lots of information, and some have very little. Some are colourful and others are not. Yet something has drawn you to play the devil's advocate and reject some of them outright. Could that something be a deep-rooted psychological trigger embedded in your subconscious? And how can this trigger make such a dramatic difference to your communication and marketing?
Aha! You've just run into the magic of THREE.
Understanding and applying it will throw a light into the dark world of your presentations, brochures, web sites and yes, even email! Before you put this into the "This is for my graphic designer" basket, read further because it will help you recognize the psychological background of how the brain understands these things and reacts to them. It will also help you clean up your everyday communication that your designer might never get involved with.
How the Brain Sees Things
The brain finds it relatively easy to grasp threes -- elements, colours and fonts. Push that marginally up to four and the brain gets confused about where to look and what to do, and sends the eye scampering like a frisky puppy on a sunny day.
So why does this happen? For that we might have to go back a little to diaper country. As a child, everything you did and learned seemed to be centered around three -- A,B,C; 1,2,3; Three blind mice, Three musketeers, Trinity, Three Stooges and Huey, Louie and Dewey. (Quack! Quack! Quack!)
Then again, maybe these writers, animators and wise men understood the ease with which we understand 'threes' and reconstructed their work to fit this paradigm.
The Building Blocks of Visual Communication: Elements, Fonts and Colours
Most visual communication can be reduced to these three features:elements, fonts and colours. Understand how they work and you've given yourself the added advantage of a mini design degree.
Just What are Elements?
I'm assuming you've gotten rid of those business cards in front of you. So I've made up some of my own to illustrate how elements work together. Elements are simply groups of objects that are grouped together to form a common definable form. For instance, your eyes, nose, mouth and ears are the main objects that form the element called the face. Let's look at the cards below to understand this even better.
If You Look at Card# 1, You Will Spot 3 Elements:
1) The name and the title of the person.
2) The logo, the logo font and the service description.
3) The contact details form the third element.
If You Look at Card# 2, You Will Find Very Subtle Differences.
All I've done is moved the text and logo just a tad bit around. However, even that tiny displacement has ADDED a series of unwanted elements. Suddenly it appears there are 5 or even 6 elements.
1) The name.
2) The designation.
3) The logo design.
4) The logo font.
5) The service description.
6) The contact details.
Card# 3 Gets Even Harder to Focus On… Guess why?
Card#3 is all over the place, as it has not only violated the rule of elements, but also complicated the visual layout with additional fonts. It has 5 fonts. Learning how to manage fonts makes a big difference to your layout and the overall look of your project.
Here a Font, There a Font, Everywhere a Font, Font
There are zillions of fonts out there today, and it's hard to restrain yourself when you're putting together a document. Try to use not more than 3 fonts in any communication. The more fonts you have on a page, the harder it is to actually read what you're saying. Be aware that a font that is in italics visually ends up looking like another font altogether. It adds to the elements and clutters it up considerably.
Also determine what the font is really doing for your document. You might want to create some drama and use contrasting fonts. For instance, fonts that are vertical used with fonts that are wide contrast well.
I'd also recommend that you read The Design book for Non-Designers, by Robin Williams. It's an inexpensive, easy to read book that clearly explains the different facets of fonts and their usage, plus how to use fonts to set the mood.
Seven colours are for Rainbows
Whether it's a tee-shirt, brochure, website or business card, it's important to restrain yourself. Managing your colour palette with just three colours can often provide the feeling of as many as five or six colours, when moved around a bit.
Count shades of colours as two colours. So, red and dark red are not just one colour but two definite shades and hence, two definite colours. So, be clear about the colours you are choosing. Say you choose something like red, black and green. Move that round a bit and you can get brighter communication without the confusion.
Why This is Important in Marketing and Business Communication
Most of us are always presenting or selling to someone else. The proof of the pudding is always in the eating. But the taste buds start to salivate only when it looks really YUM! If you choose to ignore the psychology behind this, your 'dish' might taste wonderful, but you may never get someone to stay long enough to eat.
This also helps you keep a check on your designers. Good designers instinctively get this right, but sometimes they goof up big time. You can run this audit past your marketing material and check for elements, fonts and colours.
Having said that, a competent designer might have the innate ability to break rules. And if it works, that's OK. Nothing is that sacred, but it helps to know the reasoning behind it. Besides, you now have the ability to make that designer sweat a bit.
Heeeeeeeeeere are some Examples!
McDonald's: The McLogo consists of two elements-The name McDonald's and the Big Golden Arches. They use just one font, and just two colours -- yellow and white (or black)
Coke: The Coca-Cola button that you see in most advertising, consists of three elements: the button itself, the bottle on the button and the Coke Logo. Even though it is a full colour image, the colours are minimal and there are just one or two fonts used.
Now that you can see the forest for the threes…:)
Go out and look at advertising. Revisit your brochure. Audit your presentation. Streamline that website. You will be appalled at how much clutter you had to start with, and how easy it is to smarten it up quickly and efficiently.
Your marketing message will be much tighter and more professional. But best of all, you'll know you're doing something that's deeply embedded in the psychological psyche of humans.
May the 'fours' be with the reckless Luke Skywalkers of the universe (That's a joke, ok?)
You'll find it pays to stick to the threes!
©2001-2005 Psychotactics Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
Wouldn't you love to stumble upon a secret library of small business ideas? Find simple, yet electrifying ideas, on copywriting, public speaking, marketing strategies, sales conversion, psychological tactics and branding. Head down to http://www.psychotactics.com today and judge for yourself.
Retail Resources - Fixtures, Display, Accessories
Retail Notes:
I have finally managed to compile a list of some fixture, furniture and display companies from some of my notes. There are also a few other types of companies included, like theme environment designers that are great inspiration for ideas, and hey - you just might decide to hire one of them.
Some of the suppliers are from around the world, but for my fellow Canucks, there are a few that are Canadian based. I've labelled a few that I am aware of, but I know there are a couple more in the list that I haven't identified.
Look through some of these for ideas for your stores. Use this typically slow sales season for visioning, dreaming and planning new things for your stores!
Printers
ClubCard – Printing – business cards, postcards, large format
www.clubcard.ca
Disc Imaging – large format graphics - Vancouver
www.discimaging.ca
Pictura - commercial and trade show large-format graphics
www.pictura.net
Store Design/Environments
General Theming Contractors – graphics, murals, interiors, 3D items, signs
www.theming.net
Greneker – retail and theme environment and production
www.greneker.com
Fixtures
Leggett and Platt – fixtures, storage systems, POP displays
www.leggett.com/fixtures_display.htm
StandOff Systems - Fixture systems, sign mounting hardware, furniture.
www.standoffsystems.com
Display
Almax – Mannequins and Display Items
www.almaxspa.com
Barthelmess – Better Visual Merchandising – display and mannequins
www.barthelmess.de
Display It LLC – props and display items
www.displayit-info.com
Eddie's Hang-up Display - mannequins, fixtures, retail supplies, accessories, forms - Vancouver
www.eddies.com
Goldsmith – mannequins, fixtures, forms, furniture, accessories, decoratives
www.goldsmith-inc.com
Infinity Display – email info@infinity-display.com to ask for catalogue
www.infinity-display.com
La Rosa Italy - mannequins
www.larosaitaly.com
L’ideimmagine – mannequins, window display systems, fixtures
www.lideimmagine.com
Mondo Mannequins
www.mondomannequins.com
Patina-V – mannequins, forms and merchandisers/fixtures
www.patinav.com
Proportion>London – mannequins, bustforms, displayers, accessories, furniture
www.proportionlondon.com
Ralph Pucci – furniture, mannequins, sculpture, graphics, fine art
www.ralphpucci.com
RHO – mannequins, forms and accessories
www.rho.ca
Seven Continents – email info@sevencontinents.com
www.sevencontinents.com
Siégel & Stockman - display mannequins, dressmaker forms
www.siegel-stockman.com
Venus Display Mannequins
www.venusmannequin.com
Packaging
Warner Box & Display Company - jewelers packaging & display
www.warnerUSA.com
Architectural Products
Alpolic - aluminum composite panels for storefront entryways, canopies, exterior fascia, trade shows and even signage.
www.alpolic-usa.com
Outwater Plastics Industries Inc.
www.outwater.com
I have finally managed to compile a list of some fixture, furniture and display companies from some of my notes. There are also a few other types of companies included, like theme environment designers that are great inspiration for ideas, and hey - you just might decide to hire one of them.
Some of the suppliers are from around the world, but for my fellow Canucks, there are a few that are Canadian based. I've labelled a few that I am aware of, but I know there are a couple more in the list that I haven't identified.
Look through some of these for ideas for your stores. Use this typically slow sales season for visioning, dreaming and planning new things for your stores!
Printers
ClubCard – Printing – business cards, postcards, large format
www.clubcard.ca
Disc Imaging – large format graphics - Vancouver
www.discimaging.ca
Pictura - commercial and trade show large-format graphics
www.pictura.net
Store Design/Environments
General Theming Contractors – graphics, murals, interiors, 3D items, signs
www.theming.net
Greneker – retail and theme environment and production
www.greneker.com
Fixtures
Leggett and Platt – fixtures, storage systems, POP displays
www.leggett.com/fixtures_display.htm
StandOff Systems - Fixture systems, sign mounting hardware, furniture.
www.standoffsystems.com
Display
Almax – Mannequins and Display Items
www.almaxspa.com
Barthelmess – Better Visual Merchandising – display and mannequins
www.barthelmess.de
Display It LLC – props and display items
www.displayit-info.com
Eddie's Hang-up Display - mannequins, fixtures, retail supplies, accessories, forms - Vancouver
www.eddies.com
Goldsmith – mannequins, fixtures, forms, furniture, accessories, decoratives
www.goldsmith-inc.com
Infinity Display – email info@infinity-display.com to ask for catalogue
www.infinity-display.com
La Rosa Italy - mannequins
www.larosaitaly.com
L’ideimmagine – mannequins, window display systems, fixtures
www.lideimmagine.com
Mondo Mannequins
www.mondomannequins.com
Patina-V – mannequins, forms and merchandisers/fixtures
www.patinav.com
Proportion>London – mannequins, bustforms, displayers, accessories, furniture
www.proportionlondon.com
Ralph Pucci – furniture, mannequins, sculpture, graphics, fine art
www.ralphpucci.com
RHO – mannequins, forms and accessories
www.rho.ca
Seven Continents – email info@sevencontinents.com
www.sevencontinents.com
Siégel & Stockman - display mannequins, dressmaker forms
www.siegel-stockman.com
Venus Display Mannequins
www.venusmannequin.com
Packaging
Warner Box & Display Company - jewelers packaging & display
www.warnerUSA.com
Architectural Products
Alpolic - aluminum composite panels for storefront entryways, canopies, exterior fascia, trade shows and even signage.
www.alpolic-usa.com
Outwater Plastics Industries Inc.
www.outwater.com
Is There a Market For Your Product?
Retail Notes:
Here's a question I received through my website today:
It is hard to get people to break their shopping habits. They don't want to go out of their way to try something new. You can't expect them to buy from you because they like you, or because the community 'should' support local businesses.
You need to be competitive. You need to have something exciting to offer them, and you need to make it easy for them to buy from you.
If you are thinking of opening a store, or have a new store that is not as busy as you would like, think about these questions:
Location: Are you far from other shopping? Are you far from where your desired customers live? Would another location be better?
Need: Why do you sell the products you carry? Is there a need for your product or service? Do you have a big enough community to support a store like yours?
Competition: If the community is not buying from your store, where are they shopping? Can they get what they need somewhere else?
Your Store: What do you offer that is unique? What market need are you meeting? Do you honestly offer something no one else does? What do you do better than the competition?
Marketing & Promotion: Do people really know about your store and what you offer? You would probably be surprised to hear how many people don't know about you. You probably don't have a big marketing budget, but you can get great publicity by becoming involved in your community. Host events in your store and invite the media, participate in community groups and fairs. Be creative.
Don't expect the community to come to you. You need to be where they are, and offer them something they want and need.
Here's a question I received through my website today:
We started a dollar & more store almost 2 years ago, it is very hard to get the people in this community to support you. We are on the other end of town, we are lucky to have a few locals that are loyal and come in.This is an all too common question from small store owners. Often people open stores based on their own desires, without researching and evaluating the market need.
How do you get people in?
With out more support, you can not replenish the store with new merchandise.
It is hard to get people to break their shopping habits. They don't want to go out of their way to try something new. You can't expect them to buy from you because they like you, or because the community 'should' support local businesses.
You need to be competitive. You need to have something exciting to offer them, and you need to make it easy for them to buy from you.
If you are thinking of opening a store, or have a new store that is not as busy as you would like, think about these questions:
Location: Are you far from other shopping? Are you far from where your desired customers live? Would another location be better?
Need: Why do you sell the products you carry? Is there a need for your product or service? Do you have a big enough community to support a store like yours?
Competition: If the community is not buying from your store, where are they shopping? Can they get what they need somewhere else?
Your Store: What do you offer that is unique? What market need are you meeting? Do you honestly offer something no one else does? What do you do better than the competition?
Marketing & Promotion: Do people really know about your store and what you offer? You would probably be surprised to hear how many people don't know about you. You probably don't have a big marketing budget, but you can get great publicity by becoming involved in your community. Host events in your store and invite the media, participate in community groups and fairs. Be creative.
Don't expect the community to come to you. You need to be where they are, and offer them something they want and need.
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