Merchandising expert and retail strategist Jim Fleming offers creative suggestions retailers can use to boost floor traffic and purchases in November.
“If there’s ever a time to prompt homeowners to replace that dining room fixture, it’s just prior to holiday entertaining,” advises Jim Fleming of Camelot Consulting Group. “November is the ideal time to promote chandeliers.”
With so much fashion awareness going on at the consumer level, why not launch a promotion that targets those who want to be fashionable in all areas of their lives. How about an ad along the lines of: “Friends coming over for the holidays? Is your lighting guest-worthy or does it look so 10 years ago?”
While sending out holiday cards in December might seem ideal, Fleming points out that most businesses are inundated with cards at that time. He suggests standing out from the crowd by sending out “Thank You” cards at Thanksgiving instead.
“Send Thank You cards to your preferred clients and include a gift card for, say, $50 off a $100 purchase or $100 off $250. You’re targeting them at the most opportunistic time when they are thinking of sprucing up for the holidays,” he explains. “If you’re going to allocate money for marketing, you should spend it in ingratiating your store with existing clients.”
If you can’t afford to send out gift cards to your entire customer database – and Fleming mentions one retailer who profitably did this promotion with 40,000 names on their list – then narrow it down to those who have the most influence on future purchases. Who might they be? “Interior designers, builders, remodelers, and any businessperson who has the ability to purchase from you over and over again. You want to influence the influencers,” he states.
Retailers can purchase generic Thank You cards and gift cards in bulk at a decent price, but if that’s out of your budget, Fleming suggests an oversized, attractive postcard that prominently thanks the recipient for helping to build your business and includes a coupon with the gift card offer (bring in this card for $100 off a $250 purchase) printed on it. “Ideally, the Thank You campaign should kick off on November 1,” Fleming advises.
This month retail stylist Gayle Maccia offers a few tips on Seasonal Display Ideas follow the Link or scan the QR Code
