You know what customers tend not to remember? Online retailers. It’s true. When you buy something online, you may remember the outlet, but it’s unlikely you’ll remember much about the source of the item itself.
Online shoppers, being convenience oriented, go where they know there’s a large selection of items at competitive prices. There’s no interaction (except with the user interface itself), so what’s to remember?
Not much, right?
Brick-and-mortar retailers hoping to exploit this obvious advantage of traditional retail, need to put themselves in the customer’s shoes. Figuring out what they want is figuring how you’re going to thrive. Here are 5 ways to get customers to remember you, so they return to your store.
1. The royal treatment.
No. You don’t have to ask if the customer’s purchase is a present and, if so, if they’d like it gift wrapped. Neither do you have to offer to carry the purchase out to the car. But you should, because customers tend to remember service that attentive.
2. A warm welcome.
Greet incoming visitors with the name of store. “Welcome to (insert store name)! How can I help you today?”, is a warm, value-added greeting that makes your shoppers feel special. Everyone wants to be recognized and this is a great way to do it.
3. Pro-active inventory.
It goes without saying that popular items should always be supported by back room availability, but you can do much to keep your inventory nimble with RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) to ensure you know where stock is and how much of it you have.
Don’t be the store that’s always out of something your customers want. They’ll keep walking and may not return.
4. Plain talk.
As knowledgeable as your sales staff is, they shouldn’t be spewing esoteric information at customers. Speaking in simple terms that the customer easily understands is a must.
It’s the benefits of the product being explained that matter, not the salesperson’s superior knowledge. There’s nothing a customer will remember longer than feeling less than “in the know” and that’s not the memory you want them to walk away with.
5. A fond farewell.
When customers reach the POS, you have yet another stellar opportunity to stamp yourself on their memories. Every purchase should be accompanied by a warm “Thank you for shopping at (insert name of store), please come again!” and a genuine smile.
These are 5 ways to get customers to remember you, so they return to your store. We know that you’ve got a few others which have probably floated to the surface as you’ve read this. Distinguishing yourself by making your store a destination outlet keeps people coming back. Service, selection and a positive experience are the pillars of any successful retail store.
Clip Strip Corp.
Clip Strip Corp. has been designing, developing and manufacturing superior retail POP display supports since 1980. We’re leaders because we answer the needs of retailers like you.
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