Essential 4 Success (continued)

Thinking beyond the long run. Nutrition isn’t solely the domain of the marathoner. In fact, Decker seeks to broaden the applicability of nutrition to both staff and customers and show how nutrition can fit into even the recreational runner’s journey.

“All of us have the occasional long day at work and face a workout on an empty stomach. Nutrition items can be just as useful for that person as the one putting in a 20-miler.”

Audio

Headphones, once a fringe offering at running shops, have emerged a growing category in the digital age and running retail stores such as Philadelphia Runner have capitalized on the surge sparked by improved offerings from the likes of Shokz and H2O Audio.

Keep talking. Philadelphia Runner places a Shokz display and demo set near the cash register in each of its four stores. The bright display sparks curiosity, invites questions and spurs trials, during which Liz Pagonis, Philadelphia Runner’s marketing manager, makes a point of continuing a conversation with the customer. “This way, people immediately see the benefit of bone conduction headphones. They hear the music and hear me.”

A category point person. One of Philadelphia Runner’s staff members is a Shokz ambassador. That individual is steeped in the product’s technology and shares that knowledge with the entire Philadelphia Runner employee roster. As a result, Pagonis says, she is constantly learning about different features, battery life, capabilities and how the product interfaces with other tech.

Noting safety. With all of Philadelphia Runner’s four locations sitting within population-packed metro Philly, safety is a priority anytime people are running, walking or biking outdoors. “Whenever someone mentions they listen to music or podcasts, we mention boneconduction headphones, which is easy to tie into the conversation from a safety perspective.”

Hydration

When the weather heats up in the Bay Area, sales of hydration belts, vests and bottles from brands such as Nathan, Salomon and Naked accelerate at the San Francisco Running Company’s two stores. At its height, hydration can account for upwards of 20 percent of store revenue, San Francisco Running Company GM Mecque Tucker says.

Probing. When Tucker worked for Apple retail stores, she learned about approaching the customer, asking probing questions and listening for clues. She applies those same principles to her work at the running store. “When I find out someone is running their first 50k, I’ll ask ‘What vest are you wearing?’ It’s about having the courage and comfort to have a broader conversation.”

Heightening hydration. The San Francisco Running Company doesn’t hide hydration in a corner of the store. In fact, Tucker places hydration products near two high-traffic areas of the store: its footwear wall and its register. “Those are two places virtually every customer in our store is guaranteed to visit. We want to make hydration accessible and visible, so people don’t have to squint to find it.” n