TELL 'EM WHERE TO GO

   I cannot resist referring to Herb Sorenson again.  If you want to understand the science of shopping, there’s no better place to start.  In his books and his blogs, Herb shows where so many retailers and consumer packaged goods companies go astray.  Common sense isn’t so common.

   In this 2010 blog post, Herb points out that shoppers want to know what to buy.  They want to be told where to go!  Think of it: the average shopper enters a store seeking three-to-seven items.  They may be attracted to the store by the massive array of products – maybe 20,000 up to 100,000 items – but must then try to find the needles they want in the retail haystack.  ATTRACTING is very different from SELLING. 

   Great store design helps people quickly find and buy what they want with a minimum of hassle.  Frankly, common wisdom among retailers runs counter to this idea.  Instead, they look for ways to keep shoppers in their stores longer.  The most successful retailers today, e.g., Costco, Trader Joe’s, Aldi, understand how the science of shopping works. 

   Tusco Display does, too.  As display and fixture producers, we advise our clients on how to put these same lessons to work as we encourage CPGs and retailers to think about ITEM management more than CATEGORY management.  When we all help shoppers spend their money faster, everybody – marketer, retailer, shopper and consumer – benefits.

THE FATHER OF SHOPPER MARKETING

   One of the delights of GlobalShop, North America’s largest trade show for the in-store marketing industry, is hearing from some of the world’s premier experts on what works in stores.  Herb Sorenson PhD was one of those delights for me in mid-April this year.

   Herb is arguably the father of shopper marketing.  Though retired, he still actively preaches the art and science of in-store marketing through his blog: www.shopperscientist.com.  I’m a big fan of his excellent books, too.

   One of the many meaty tidbits he shared is the concept of visual width.  Studies prove that people instinctively move toward open space in a store.  It’s a simple, sensible concept.  Yet, store planners often ignore this and try to funnel/drive shoppers, focusing solely on the floor plan and not the sight plan.  They fight human nature and frustrate shoppers who in turn shop less, buy less and return less frequently.  Nobody wins.

   In-store marketing is indeed both art and science.  Some store planners over-emphasize the art part; don’t miss the science, folks.  If you don’t balance the yin with the yang, you risk losing shoppers and sales.  Science may not be sexy but it is essential to understanding how shopper marketing works.  Learning from and working with experts helps make retail environments better.  Thanks for the reminder, Herb!

QUESTIONS OR ANSWERS?

   Asking great questions is both an art and a science.  Done well, it leads to truth, trust and value.  At Tusco Display, there’s no greater compliment from a client or supply chain partner than to have them say, “You ask the best questions!”

   People often make a mistake about questions.  They feel that asking them shows weakness, uncertainty and ignorance.  Perhaps it goes back to our school days when raising our hands meant opening ourselves to potential ridicule by classmates or showing our teachers that we hadn’t understood something.  Yes, technically, questions indicate that you don’t have all of the answers.  Do you really think that others believe that you already know everything?  Ask your spouse, child, parent or true friend for that answer.

   We so often focus on developing great answers that we miss that it’s time spent developing the great questions that lead to great answers.  Ask the right questions, get the right answers.  Ask the wrong questions and…well, you know that answer.

   Effective in-store marketing isn't so much about answering every question that a shopper may have as they cruise down an aisle.  More often, it's about getting them to stop and wonder about what they see, feel, smell, hear, sense.  It's about letting THEM supply an answer to the question your product display presents.  "Hey, I could use that product when I..."

   Worry less about how you’ll answer questions and focus instead on asking great ones - in-store and in life.  From great questions spring great answers.