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LESLEY DUNNE
SOUNDING OFF
Making Scents Of It For Lesley Dunne, owner of Feathering Your Nest in Rayleigh, fragrance is top of the list for attracting - and keeping customers in store. But that’s not all that will keep her customers satisfied, as she explains. “To me, an enticing atmosphere is of the utmost importance in any business. Setting the scene for a pleasurable shopping experience goes hand in hand with your product offering and customer service. Luring customers in with tempting window displays, and then keeping them there for as long as possible, is half the battle of running a shop. All our senses come into play when we enter an establishment, setting our expectations up for what we hope to gain by the visit. Garlic aromas wafting out of a favourite Italian restaurant; freshly brewed coffee hitting your nose as you open the door to that guilty pleasure coffee bar and stale beer from the pub, all set our juices flowing, getting our hopes up for the good time we are intending on having. Everything comes into play, but how many times has a delicious meal been ruined by a mardy waiter, or an average meal been made memorable by the staff who couldn't do enough for you, cracked jokes and made you welcome. We all feel better paying for something when the person who is serving makes us feel a bit special. So do you go back because of the service or the food? It's usually a bit of both, but as retailers, that's what we need to hit on every step of the journey with our customers too. So how do we deliver, and do we know what it is our customers are expecting as they walk through our door? Let me explain. There's a cute little hidey hole eatery which I only use in the summer, as you can sit in the garden in peace and tranquillity. Spotlessly clean, with pleasant staff, sandwiches and coffee, prices are fair. But the inside sometimes has the odour of wet dog! Now I love dogs, but I don't want to eat lunch in a pet shop, so it doesn't fulfil my overall
Above: A fragrance lamp from Ashleigh & Burwood helps to draw customers in.
expectations of a pleasant lunch if I keep getting whiffs of Fido! (Since you asked, I think it's their mop!). Sight, sound, touch, smell, taste. How many boxes are you ticking in your shop? If your customers aren't saying, then maybe ask a trusted friend, one who won't mind being punched in the face when they give you their honest feedback and will continue to remain a friend! At Feathering Your Nest, we always have a WoodWick candle, or an Ashleigh and Burwood fragrance lamp, burning, with Bomb Cosmetics' bath bombs by the door. Unsurprisingly, most of the comments as customers enter is how lovely the shop smells, which opens the door nicely to a conversation about the products. And the reason we sell so many of them is because we burn them. Additionally, speaking personally, I love going into shops where I feel at ease to touch the products. (Tell me you don't
squeeze the cucumbers, peaches or bread?). We all buy with our eyes and touch. I for one, need to feel that sumptuous, soft baby blue woollen blanket or aqua silky scarf. I'm a terribly tactile being, I just can't help myself. Give me a blatant glare of ‘don't touch the displays’ or, even worse, a sign saying it, and I'm out of there with my money still in my purse. Of course Feathering Your Nest gets stock that has been mauled, but we sell far more because customers have caressed it, held it, felt it. Touchy feely shops are fun to be in. Stunning works-of-art displays are a must, but if your customers feel awkward about picking up a bag, journal, candle or any gift for that matter, then how can they know if it's right for them? As for taste, many of my customers have asked me to open a cafe upstairs - and it has long been a dream of mine - but as you can imagine, I've got enough on my plate already! Nevertheless, we always have Haribos on the counter so, for now, that has to be enough to whet their appetite. And this is where we bricks and mortar retailers can excel and win over internet purchasing. If we can get people out on the high streets into our shops then it's up to us to be the best we possibly can be. We can't beat the internet on price but we can win on providing a beautifully engaging customer experience. Thus these five small, but incredibly important aspects of running a shop, where customers come in to buy your service, needs to be continuously reviewed with fresh eyes and nose. Even if you don't sell fragrance, pop an Ashleigh and Burwood fragrance lamp on for an hour to freshen your offering or burn a candle - it's a good talking point if nothing else. And if you do sell fragrance, then burning a Christmas or Autumn fragrance will set the scene for customers to start Christmas spending early. Let’s face it, fragrance takes you back in time. Palma violets is my dear old nan, coconuts are holidays, cinnamon is Christmases past. There, you've already nailed it without even trying!” PROGRESSIVE GIFTS & HOME WORLDWIDE
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