Friday, May 25, 2012
5 Tips for Retail Success
Eye Level is Buy Level
Keep your products in easy access. Especially for the home health sector, many customers aren't mobile and if they can't reach a product they aren't likely to purchase it. Take tips from grocery stores and big box retailers by putting the items you wish to feature at customers' normal eye level. Other tactics are merchandising smallest to biggest putting lighter items at the top and heavier items at the bottom. This makes it easier to reach and less likely heavy items might fall.
Fully Stock
Keep shelves and racks full of products. There is a false belief that full shelves may look like items aren't selling, but actually studies have shown full shelves sell more. When displays are picked over it is less inviting to customers. Keep them full of product, neat and organized.
Talk it Up
Use signage and self-talkers to call attention to products. Signage can be informative to direct shoppers to the items of interest. Shelf-talkers can call out special offers, gift with purchase, or product benefits. Avoid hard to read fancy fonts or cluttering with too many signs.
Window Display
Create an eye-catching visual that draws customers in. Potential customers have a no-pressure area where they view your product offering in a beautiful display. Don't be afraid to use bold colors and some signage, especially if you have special promotion, but remember less is more. This isn't something to set it and forget it. Be creative and keep refreshing the display every month so that each time a customer visits it looks new and inviting.
Reception and Checkout Area
If you are offering services and retail, position your retail away from your reception area. Ideally clients should walk through the retail areas to your reception. This offers the opportunity to browse. Don't keep products behind your desks areas. Customers love to touch, feel, and explore items. Remove all roadblocks to making a purchase.
With a bit of focus and attention to detail, your retail can be flying off the shelves! Have additional tips that worked for your business? Please share in the comment section below.
Friday, April 27, 2012
The Coupon Craze

A standard printed paper coupon offer. These coupons are included in community area coupon pack mailings such as Val-Pak or Community Newsletters. You can also create your own mailed postcard campaign very inexpensively. Mail these coupon postcards to your patient database or buy names from local marketing agencies. There are many local or online vendors can walk you through this process. We also recommend using the US Postal Service offer where you can do everything from art creative and name selection online and they handle the mailing. These work very to target big offers or special event promotions.
Go Digital
You can put coupon graphics on your website, in emails, and on your social media channels. Alert customers to print their coupon and bring into the store to receive their special offer. This can help drive engagement for your digital marketing channels because customers want see the latest offer. It also can drive more foot traffic to your store since customers want to take advantage of the special discount.
Coupons need an offer such as percentage or dollar off discount. Gift with purchase coupons are also very successful. Grab attention with bold colors, prints, and images. Be sure you put your company name, address, website and phone number. Add an expiration date to create a sense of urgency to use the coupon quickly.
Track Success
Add unique tracking codes for each marketing vehicle you place a coupon. For example, use a code such as WEB12 for your website coupon and DM12 for your direct mail piece. Keep a record of all coupons redeemed and track these codes. You will know which marketing channel (website, email, mailer etc...)and which offers performed the best. Then you will know what offer and and what marketing channel to place future advertising.
