BD[T@RIAL

A customer is a terrible thing to waste

Some retailers suffer from the understandable misapprehension that once their advertisement has appeared, that's the end of it. Not so, the best kind of advertising continues inside the store, supporting and expanding the initial effort. The old onetwo punch.

Newspaper, electronic and direct mail feature the price and value messages needed to draw consumers to your store. Without this, nothing is likely to happen. But it is the other side of the equation - when they're inside the store-that is the most important. Will they buy anything? Will they just cherry pick the bargains, grabbing up the low and no markup merchandise?

It's at this stage that in-store advertising really can be powerful. The leaders and bargain/price sensitive items in the initial advertising need the visual impact of in-store signs to reinforce the first message. Here's where you can create synergism, or 2 + 2 = 5. The outside and inside ads work together to support each other and take advantage of repetition.

DAVID CUTLER edltor.publisher

But don't stop there. Now that you've got them in the store, use high-impact feature and benefit signage to sell the un-advertised items. These products may well be the part of inventory that produces the most profit. Be sure your signage gives plenty of reasons for the customer to make the purchase.

Signs, banners, hot sheets, copies of your newspaper and flyer advertising all need to be displayed. Get them up front and at other logical spots throughout the store. Use your copier to make enlargements of certain portions of your ads to remind customers once again that they need to buy these items. Spend the money for the best professional help you can afford to help you create these visual parts of your merchandising. To do otherwise is a false economy.

Most customers are receptive to considering additional purchases, the trick is to convince them through in-store efforts that the add-on buy is in their best interest.