It’s a busy retail world out there – every competitor wishes they had more customers. Actually, they wish they had YOUR customers. Keep competitors at bay and thrilling your customers with these easy-to-implement, customer-pleasing, traffic-building, sales-increasing ideas!
One the Sales Floor …
1. The customer’s first 10 seconds inside the store sets the tone for their entire shopping trip. What kind of first impression does your give? Check it daily.
2. Hang a bulletin board near your Decompression Zone (the first 5 – 15’ inside your front door). Post a store map, a list of this week’s sale items, Bag Stuffers, class calendar, special event, and other important information. In time, customers stop at the bulletin board first to see what’s going on in the store.
3. Place Speed Bumps – small tabletop displays of product just beyond your Decompression Zone. Make these displays irresistible and easy to shop: customers are far more likely to buy if they are encouraged to pick up the product.
4. The Americans with Disabilities Act requires store aisles to be a minimum of 3.6’. Can shoppers easily maneuver the aisles? Can two shopping carts comfortably pass one another in each aisle?
5. Set your end features to sell! End features are meant to display promotional items; not to house everyday, basic merchandise. You need to plan what will go on your end features, so assign each one a number, and make a list of product each end feature will house each month. Take this calendar with you to trade shows and look for merchandise specials.
6. Studies show that customers will spend 25% more in dollars, and up to 15 minutes longer in the store when they shop with a cart. Even if your store is tiny you can still offer customers a shopping cart. Visit BigBasketCo.com and check out their Basket Carts – they’re no wider that a typical shopping basket, but they sure help sell product.
7. Do not house shopping carts and baskets in the Decompression Zone because customers will walk right by them. Instead place them just past the DZ and in key locations throughout the store. Instruct associates to get carts for customers’ carrying product – once their hands are full they tend to stop shopping.
8. Implement a signing program. Signs serve a purpose – they act as silent sales people, help customers until a real person is available to help. And unless you handwritten signing is part of your store décor, don’t do it. Sign making software is available from a variety of vendors.
One the Sales Floor …
1. The customer’s first 10 seconds inside the store sets the tone for their entire shopping trip. What kind of first impression does your give? Check it daily.
2. Hang a bulletin board near your Decompression Zone (the first 5 – 15’ inside your front door). Post a store map, a list of this week’s sale items, Bag Stuffers, class calendar, special event, and other important information. In time, customers stop at the bulletin board first to see what’s going on in the store.
3. Place Speed Bumps – small tabletop displays of product just beyond your Decompression Zone. Make these displays irresistible and easy to shop: customers are far more likely to buy if they are encouraged to pick up the product.
4. The Americans with Disabilities Act requires store aisles to be a minimum of 3.6’. Can shoppers easily maneuver the aisles? Can two shopping carts comfortably pass one another in each aisle?
5. Set your end features to sell! End features are meant to display promotional items; not to house everyday, basic merchandise. You need to plan what will go on your end features, so assign each one a number, and make a list of product each end feature will house each month. Take this calendar with you to trade shows and look for merchandise specials.
6. Studies show that customers will spend 25% more in dollars, and up to 15 minutes longer in the store when they shop with a cart. Even if your store is tiny you can still offer customers a shopping cart. Visit BigBasketCo.com and check out their Basket Carts – they’re no wider that a typical shopping basket, but they sure help sell product.
7. Do not house shopping carts and baskets in the Decompression Zone because customers will walk right by them. Instead place them just past the DZ and in key locations throughout the store. Instruct associates to get carts for customers’ carrying product – once their hands are full they tend to stop shopping.
8. Implement a signing program. Signs serve a purpose – they act as silent sales people, help customers until a real person is available to help. And unless you handwritten signing is part of your store décor, don’t do it. Sign making software is available from a variety of vendors.
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