When you are the kind of owner who’s contented with the fact that customers enter your store buy a thing they want, pay and leave, then you are bringing yourself nowhere because your capability to supply your shop with products that customers can choose from is not the end of your job. In fact, it is just the beginning.
As a business owner, you are required to be strategic. Think of yourself as a commander on the brink of war where you need to plan wisely and mobilize effectively. Point of purchase is one of the things that you should know first as it can change the way you see your in-store business. Through it you can understand that positioning is important and can affect your sales positively if done right.
You might not notice but installing a point-of-purchase is being done by many businesses. To make it simple, let’s use one of the most basic examples; putting certain products near the cash register. How does it work? Simply by making the customers lining up for the cashier to buy additional products. This strategy attempts to market other products to shoppers who are already in the store and ready to make a purchase. Placing small, inexpensive, and relevant items on the counter can boost sales. So can using displays of these items to create an area where customers can queue while waiting to check out.
The point of purchase marketing strategy works by making customers more likely to buy an additional product if it does not significantly add to the total price of their purchase. It turns a long check-out line and wait time into an extended shopping experience for your customers through your display which can keep them engaged and interested as they wait. It also maintains their decision to buy a product and reduces the chances that they just leave without buying just because they saw a long line at the register.
Your point of purchase marketing can be supported by your salespeople who will guide the customers or try to talk them into buying in case they still have some hesitations. They can also act as a resource to customers engaging with displays or samples and assist them in making a purchasing decision.
You can also use modern technology to aid to customers as they roam around your store. You can make them interact with a mobile app on their smart phone which can increase sale by helping them see special offers, specific discounts, or information on a specific product line as well as give directions as to where to find it within the store). While your point of purchase at the cash register will be your last resort and final opportunity to boost sales even more within the last minutes of the customers inside the store.
By effectively implementing a POP plan and taking advantage of all the opportunities around you, you can integrate point of purchase marketing in your retail space and increase sales through added value, information, and deals.