| Retailers invest large amounts of money to get | | | | The store was selling copies of Harry Potter's |
| consumers into their businesses with the aim of | | | | new book for £12.99, discounted from the |
| selling them products. | | | | £16.99 RRP, but way above the £4.95 |
| Owners monitor conversion rates, i.e. count the | | | | that retailer Kwiksave was selling it for. |
| number of customers entering the store versus | | | | The store was packed. Hamleys had created |
| actual buyers to enable them to monitor success. | | | | Batman windows that made consumers glance |
| Team members are encouraged to approach | | | | longer. In the entrance was a power display of |
| consumers to build relationships and make a sale. | | | | the new Harry Potter book, but consumers' |
| But, is the process really working? | | | | interest was maintained by the Hamleys team |
| Many of us as potential buyers are either ignoring | | | | who were playing with flying saucers at the |
| the messages or are confused by the messages | | | | entrance. |
| retailers are sending us and as a result do not buy | | | | All this visual activity which included displays, |
| what is on offer. | | | | movement and team banter could not help but |
| The role of a retailer in today's highly competitive | | | | make passersby curious, plus the information |
| market is to bridge the information gap between | | | | coming across was this is a fun experience to be |
| consumer and product. | | | | involved with. Hamleys easily took the customer |
| Two Types of Consumer | | | | to the next stage in the information game. |
| In today's market place, we have two types of | | | | Make Your Customers Actively Interested |
| consumer. There is the consumer who knows | | | | You have got them in the store and they are |
| what they want before they even leave from | | | | curious; this is a huge opportunity that retailers |
| home; they rely on the internet and do their own | | | | often miss. |
| homework prior to venturing out; they may even | | | | If this is a new experience for the consumer, |
| organise home delivery to avoid the shopping | | | | they often do not know enough information to |
| experience completely. | | | | actually ask the right questions; they are often |
| In this article, I want to concentrate on the | | | | too embarrassed and do not want to look foolish. |
| second type of consumer; the consumer who | | | | This is where the information gap is at its |
| enters your store. | | | | greatest and where most mistakes are made. |
| As retailers, you have invested in these people | | | | At this point it is the retailers role to be proactive |
| and it's these people who should be your target. | | | | in engaging the customer, not the other way |
| We often neglect or confuse these people when | | | | around. |
| it comes to the information process. | | | | Some salespeople will still completely ignore the |
| Consumers to your store can be divided into four | | | | customer, even though the customer has given |
| groups and how you provide information to these | | | | out a number of signals to tell the salesperson |
| groups varies dramatically. | | | | they have reached this critical point. |
| Your objective is to actually take the customer | | | | Other salespeople will jump in with both feet and |
| through the four stages of the shopping | | | | assume the customer knows the ins and outs of |
| experience. | | | | the product and then bombard them with jargon. |
| The journey of discovery | | | | In my experience, computer and telephone |
| The journey of inspiration | | | | retailers are the worst at this. |
| The journey of functionality | | | | The key is to take it slowly, firstly observe or |
| The journey of excitement | | | | listen to the customer so you can gauge what |
| The Glancing Consumer | | | | level they are coming from, novice, expert or |
| A large proportion of shoppers have no intention | | | | somewhere in between. |
| of buying from you, yet over 60% of purchases | | | | Then my advice is to provide three key points of |
| are impulse. This means there are a lot of | | | | information. Make these three points relevant to |
| retailers doing something right, yet there are still | | | | the customers' needs and wants. Any consumer |
| plenty of opportunities out there. | | | | can manage three key points of information and |
| A typical customer glances at a display for about | | | | this allows them to then ask more questions, as |
| ten seconds. This means you have a short span | | | | they feel appropriate. |
| of time to get a lot of information across. | | | | One of the most important ways of getting |
| The key is how do you get a 'glancer' to linger | | | | information across at this stage is to use product |
| longer and move to the next stage in the buying | | | | signage. |
| process. | | | | The most effective signage system is to provide |
| Your 'how to' checklist should include creating a | | | | the name of the product, three benefits and the |
| typical simple, fashionable and colourful display that | | | | price. |
| encourages the 'glancer' to look at the display for | | | | And Finally Provide the Detail |
| longer than ten seconds. | | | | The last stage in closing the information gap is in |
| Many displays are too confusing for customers. | | | | providing the detail. I am sure, as a consumer, we |
| They often are so intriguing or | | | | can all relate to the person who provides |
| over-communicative that the 'glancer' switches off | | | | information overload and conversely the situation |
| and keeps moving to another glance opportunity. | | | | where we have left the store none the wiser. |
| Glance displays are your shop window. Your | | | | . |
| display needs to stand out from the crowd. The | | | | At this point it is obvious to all concerned that |
| most effective eye catching displays are simple, | | | | more information is required. |
| uncomplicated displays. Tom O'Toole, one of the | | | | The biggest mistake of many sales team |
| world's most successful retail bakers, often says | | | | members is that they assume that we can |
| 'displays need to be simple, this does not mean it's | | | | absorb new information rapidly, just by listening. |
| easy'. | | | | The result is often a confused shopper who |
| Effective information providers at this point tend | | | | leaves the store with a comment such as 'I need |
| to use simple colour combinations that are | | | | to think about it'. |
| fashionable and displays that are uncluttered. | | | | When it comes to providing detailed information |
| Part of the success formula is to ensure your | | | | consumers need to see it, not hear it. This |
| team observe the 'glancer'. If a 'glancer' shows | | | | information may need to be provided on |
| interest, that is an opportunity to build a | | | | packaging or labelling. It may need to be provided |
| relationship with them. If they glance and do not | | | | on the Web. In some situations, it is best to |
| register any interest, then do not build a verbal | | | | provide it on 'How to' leaflets. |
| relationship with that consumer. | | | | When it comes to big-ticket items, the consumer |
| Make Them Curious | | | | may need information in writing they can take |
| An objective of the retailer is to convert a | | | | away with them to study prior to making a |
| 'glancer' into a curious shopper. This can be | | | | decision. |
| achieved by daring to be different in the way you | | | | If this is the case, it is important that the |
| merchandise and/or how team members interact | | | | salesperson is proactive in keeping the relationship |
| with the consumer. | | | | going; otherwise the consumer may use your |
| I recently visited Hamleys, the largest toyshop in | | | | store for the information and then use another |
| the U.K. This was a week after the London | | | | store for the purchase. |
| bombings and coincided with the film release of | | | | Many sales are lost due to the information gap. |
| Batman Begins and the launch of the new Harry | | | | Your and your team's role is to reduce the gap. |
| Potter book ...... enough challenges for any retailer | | | | Analyse your processes, train your team and |
| to cope with. | | | | grow your business. |