News of Today
August 2011
News, views and snippets from Today Software Ltd.
Retail Merchandising Displays – Squeeze Every Last Dollar Are you one of those retailers who’s always craving more floor space? You’re not alone. One of the common points on the wish lists of retailers around the globe is more space to display product to keep those registers ringing. To stay competitive, it’s critical to ring every last drop of sales possible out of your allotted piece of retail floor space and maximise your return on investment. All you really need is the will to boost your sales, and a few crafty merchandising tricks up your sleeve that you can pull out as required and turn your dull areas into dazzling little deal sealers. Read on and you will find 6 simple ideas that can experimented with, combined and ultimately tailored into killer merchandising displays for your business. 1. The only way is up! Or down. To get the most from your displays it’s essential to make use of both vertical and horizontal space. We all know about the importance of displaying product in the shoppers’ field of view, but don’t let that lead you to ignore the opportunities to display items above or below eye level. If your customers can see the space, there is no rea-
son that it can’t be transformed into a productive little goldmine that nicely supplements the most lucrative display areas on your shop floor. All you need to do is wrestle the eyes of shoppers using some of the black belt display tactics listed below! 2. More is more! One tactic to attract more attention to those harder to see areas is to be excessive. Go over the top with adding display accessories such as wobblers, shelf talkers, lighting or sirens that can’t help but be noticed. Depending on the type of shop interior you’re working with, you might think that this kind of in your face technique will ruin the visual appeal of your displays, but don’t mistake this merchandising method for simply cluttering up a space - it’s all about creating contrast with the surroundings. So if your displays are very minimal, you’ll have success creating displays that are excessive by your regular standards, though in fact they may be quite refined when compared to displays used by other retailers. 3. Shine a little light! Have you ever been in the audience at a concert or stage show? Did you notice how effectively the spot lights are used to guide your
eye to where the action is? Probably not, because you were too busy taking it all in, but this same effect can be created in a retail environment. A more brightly lit area will command attention regardless of where it is. Just be sure not to over do it, you don’t want to steal centre stage from star performers. Just a small increase in light levels can be enough to turn a dark corner from a dead spot to a valuable piece of promotional real estate. What’s best is that this technique is frequently overlooked by retailers, so you’ll be one step ahead! 4. Razzle dazzle ‘em! Use colour to draw the eye. Again the amount of colour required will depend on the other merchandising displays in your shop. For example, a single block of colour will grab attention when placed within a very busy merchandising display. You only need to think of the Coca Cola displays in refrigerators and supermarket aisles for proof of this tactic – when viewing the products on display, shoppers are hit with a wall of red that instantly grabs their attention. It’s simple and very effective. Continues on back page
“ We can't think narrowly. We have to think in the biggest possible way. ” Alice Waters (1944 – ) American chef and writer
Inside this issue: Display Tips
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Vanity Barcodes
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Digital Signage Packs 2
Survive Your Online Offer
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Monthly special
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News of Today
Vanity Barcodes “surprise, delight or entertain the customer in some way. “
The best retail marketing ideas are ones that surprise, delight or entertain the customer in some way. Very often we thing about how to do that on a large scale: flagship stores, websites, billboards, cinema ads, etc. But the size of the execution doesn’t matter, as long as it is engaging. These barcodes are a good example of that.
A vanity barcode is a product barcode that’s been turned into a decorative design but still scans like a regular barcode. A powerful marketing tool that can transform a boring, spacehogging barcode into a terrific brand asset www.vanitybarcodes.com
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“ could be use to complement catalogues, promote specials, increase product awareness, increase walk in customers. “
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August 2011
How to ensure your store survives your online offer Many retailers fear losing their in store custom to online retailing. But online shopping doesn’t mean you have to shut up shop if you expand your online presence. This cross pollination relies on a mix and match approach to your marketing. The key to making this strategy work is to engage people online and encourage them to come in store while also encouraging in store visitors to have an ongoing relationship with your brand online. This needn’t be complicated or time consuming, but it does take discipline and persistence. First, let’s start online and go to where most people are for most of the time, especially consumers. That is Facebook. A Facebook fan page is easy to create and update. If you’re not already doing this, do it now. Start ‘liking’ your wholesalers, trusted business partners and your customer base. Hang out where they hang out and walk in their shoes. If you’re in fashion, like fashion trends pages or highlight upcoming trade events. Facebook is all about engagement so visuals and video work well here. As do polls, updates and strategic alliances with businesses that don’t compete, but complement each other. Blogs are ideal for sharing your expertise and can be linked to your facebook fan page, website, and then posted to Twitter. Ideally every retail business has these online essentials: A website you can update your-
self. An email newsletter. Using www.mailchimp.com you can email up to 2000 subscribers for free and personalise their email. A blog which you connect to your website and your Facebook fan page. A blog which is linked to your website also enhances your SEO and can be as simple as a weekly photo or video of new products . Google’s www.blogger.com is free, as is www.wordpress.com A Facebook fan page. Once you have 25 ‘like’s you can create your own vanity url eg. www.facebook.com/YourStore. Now for how you can integrate these to promote your store, increase engagement and make more sales: Promote an in store event with special offers for people who attend and mention your Facebook fan page, blog and email newsletter. Post pictures of the event, prizes and Facebook, in your newsletter, your blog and on your website. Encourage every buyer who purchases to opt in to your monthly email newsletter. Always ask their permission as they’re much more likely to keep and read your email. Every person who subscribes receives a free eBook with tips to help them use your products, services or both. Twelve useful tips are ample. Remember it’s free, but make sure the quality of the tips is strong. The more potential customers know how to make the most of your offerings, the more likely they are to buy them.
If you have online commerce and a store, give special offers for a limited time to the people who normally buy from you online and specials to people who normally buy from you in store. Give each offer a code so you can track its effectiveness. Form alliances with complementary (but not competing) businesses and showcase each other. Create your own collective VIP card between you and promote each other in your newsletters, and if appropriate on your Facebook fan pages and websites. This means you’re not just promoting your business, but adding value for your buyer. These are just some of the ways you can integrate your online and in store marketing. If you’re already doing these, great. If not, start with one tactic or tool a month and keep doing it. If you say you’re publishing a monthly newsletter stick to that, and keep building your database. If you’re blogging, start with one a week rather than every day and keep working on it. If you’re holding in store events make them monthly or quarterly to begin with and see how you can make the most of that event, before, during and after the event itself.
Michael Neaylon is a speaker, author, coach and consultant who helps SMB’s achieve greater brand presence, make their marketing stick and achieve their sales goals. Michael is also the author of the book, ‘True Brand Toolkit: How to Bring in Big Money for Your Small Business.”
“Facebook fan page is easy to create and update. “
“Form alliances with complement ary (but not competing) businesses and showcase each other. “
www.todaysoftware.com.au Today Software Ltd (TSL) has offices in New Zealand, Australia and in the United States. We design, develop, distribute and support Point of Sale and Retail Management systems internationally, under the brands of POSperfect and Corporate Controller. Building on a strong customer base within the Pacific region, TSL has moved out to the global market with multi-language versions. More and more Customers, in a variety of Retail markets around the world, are recognizing the superior benefits, versatility and pricing of the company's products, ensuring the strength and stability of POSperfect for the future
Systems for retailers
P.O Box 991 Spring Hill Brisbane QLD 4004 Phone: 07 3852 - 4177 Fax: 07 3852 - 4188 E-mail: sales@todaysoftware.com.au
Retail Merchandising Displays – Squeeze Every Last Dollar 5. Focus, Spotlight, Highlight! Focusing your targeted space into dedicated display zone for a single product or product range gives it a cohesive and considered feel, thus elevating it’s importance and commanding attention. “A product range with its own dedicated zone? This must be worth checking out”, the shoppers reason. It’s a simple, but classic less is more approach – less head-
aches and more sales! 6. Repeat, Re-shuffle and Renew! Finally, make sure to re-merchandise your target space often in an effort to bring new interest to it while also giving the items there new life in another space in your store. Remember that the key to successful merchandising is renewal. This is the single most important rule for positive sales impact. So stay on the ball, be ahead of
the game and never stop thinking of you next merchandising move. Making the most of your retail display space isn’t rocket science, but it does take commitment, but by keeping in mind the steps above you’re already well on you way. Happy retailing!.
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