The In-Store Experience | DAN MANN
Focusing On The Cool Stuff
T
he customer’s experience. In this economy, it is all about the customer’s experience. What do they want? Where ARE they? Where is their loyalty? If we are not careful, we begin to focus on the peripherals: store design, signage, sound systems, fixtures, etc. But let’s be careful to keep our attention on the main focus--the products. Central to the customer’s experience is the products. Remember why the customer is in the store in the first place: cool stuff! If you truly want to create a great in-store experience for your customers, you must have a strategy for their interaction with your products. We can make poor assumptions about our customers that can damage our effectiveness with them. Here are some assumptions that get in the way: • The customer knows what we have to offer • The customer understands how our products work • The customer is looking primarily for a deal • The customer already knows what he/she wants These types of assumptions can damage our interaction with the customer and limit our effectiveness. If product is central to the customer’s experience, then there are several things we must do to insure we’re at our best: • Hire people who are excited about your products. Their enthusiasm will be the best thing for your business. Do not be satisfied with just a “warm body”. Look for people who are into what you do. You will find that the person who does your hiring may be the most 18 • Sports Insight ~ July/August 2010
important person in your company. • Provide your staff with EVERY detail you can find about the products you sell. They should know every feature, every benefit, each “cool factor” and the competitive advantage that your products offer. In a perfect world, they should know it from personal experience--that credibility is priceless... • Provide opportunities for customers to interact with your products in your store. When you can offer the feeling of ownership, you substantially increase the likelihood of a sale. That is why we have dressing We can rooms, test-drives, listening make poor booths, etc. The question assumptions is; “How can you create that about our feeling with your products?” customers You will notice that I have used the term “feeling” that can several times above. That is damage our because – when all is said and effectiveness done – the buying experience with them. is largely an emotional one. Look at how we buy cars: Sure, we walk onto the lot with documents, research and statistics (very logical!) But once we are test-driving the car, we are fiddling with the radio, checking ourselves out in the mirror, looking to see if any pedestrians have noticed us, and enjoying that “new car smell”. Like it or not, that is entirely emotional! That test drive is what we are looking for in most every other purchase, too. Give your customers the opportunity to feel what it feels like to own your products and they are likely to take them home. This experience was perfectly created for me during a recent trip to a running store to buy clothing for running in cold weather. First of all, my salesperson was very passionate about the product. I learned about socks, layering strategies, as well as overall comfort during my run. I had been doing it all wrong. No wonder I was uncomfortable. This salesperson’s product knowledge helped to solve my problem. His enthusiasm for my experience was engaging and made it fun for me. But, ultimately, I was able to put the clothing on, go outside and see how it felt. During that time I imagined what it would be like to run in that gear. (This was February in downtown Chicago!) Do you know what? I bought it all. So, whether you are selling running gear, basketballs, golf equipment or cars: Know everything about your products. Have your customers interact with salespeople who are passionate about your products — and have experience with them. And give your customers the opportunity to know what it feels like to own your products. That is the ultimate in-store customer experience. l
Dan Mann is the founder of The Mann Group, a leading retail training and education company that focuses on results. He began his career as a teacher. His goal? To create leaders. That same goal followed him to his next job at Bachrach, where he led the largest privately owned men’s clothing chain, to great success. His company, TMG, is a nationally known leader in helping retailers get results.