Effective Ideas to = Make Certain That Reality Overlaps With Your Store's Perception in the = Market

SaveE-mail Print Most Popular= RSSReprints=20

Effective Ideas to Make Certain = That=20 Reality Overlaps With Your Store's Perception in = the=20 Market

Aug 1, 2008

-By Dr. Kenneth C. Herbst and = Harold=20 Lloyd

When Harold and I last wrote to you = in our=20 column in May, we discussed the importance of = focusing=20 on your customer service perception all over = the=20 store -- and we do mean all over your store. = We=20 stressed the importance of the restroom's = cleanliness in=20 creating an attractive position for your store. = We also=20 revealed that it is a place for suggestive = selling (and=20 creative cross-merchandising!).

As Harold = and I=20 independently travel the country speaking at = various=20 industry conferences or with associations, we = compile=20 lists of items on which to focus in future = columns here=20 in The Gourmet Retailer. We hope our idea = for=20 this column brings you great results at the end = of the=20 month when you view your top line.

Now = it's time=20 to focus on creating a physical impression in = your=20 store's parking lot and front entrance. What you = want to=20 do is build a message that matches with the = perception=20 you are trying to create in the mind of your = customers.=20 We want you to think carefully about how to make = a first=20 and lasting impression on your valued=20 customers.

Recently, I visited a small = food=20 retailer with stores on the East Coast, and I = was very=20 impressed with the way the store created a = physical=20 impression appealing to smell, sight and touch = by having=20 many of their fresh fruits out for people to see = right=20 in front of the store. It was as though the=20 strawberries, blueberries and mangoes were = saying,=20 "Welcome to our home; if you like us, you'll = like many=20 of our fresh, sweet and juicy siblings inside = the=20 store."

This store tries hard to create = an=20 impression of freshness in part because the = freshness=20 perception (and reality) helps them sell to a = more=20 up-tier segment of food buyers willing to pay = more for a=20 higher-quality product. From the parking lot, = you can=20 see freshness -- literally. In the entrance, you = can=20 smell freshness. In the first three steps taken = in the=20 store, your senses of smell, sight, touch (and = even=20 taste) are completely stimulated. There is even = fresh=20 complimentary coffee with cream and skim milk in = addition to sugar for you to sip while shopping. = They=20 create an experience for shoppers by hitting = customers=20 over the head (lightly and lovingly, of course) = with=20 freshness as they set foot in the store. When = your=20 effective position is freshness and quality, you = want to=20 deliver those promises early and often. They do = it, and=20 they benefit greatly from it as do their=20 customers.

In the same way, but via = different=20 tactics, on a recent trip, I noted a store known = as a=20 low-price operator. Their track to winning share = points=20 was to make clear that their prices were very=20 competitive relative to the local competition. = This=20 specific store did this very well -- again, in = the three=20 areas we listed above (the parking lot, the = store's=20 entrance and in the first three steps taken by = the=20 customer inside the store).

From the = parking=20 lot, I saw low-price signs on the store's = windows and,=20 bang, as I set foot in the store, it was evident = that=20 this place sold items they felt were good = quality for=20 less. More important than their prices being low = was the=20 first impression they created. Their signage and = promotional efforts made it clear that they were = cheaper=20 relative to their competition, and the = impression was=20 not short-lived -- it seemed to be effective and = long-lasting on their customers.

Despite = their=20 intentions not to judge items, products and = places by=20 their covers, consumers do so -- and often. So, = we=20 suggest you realize that this is how the = consumer's=20 psyche works and, based on this knowledge, = create the=20 impression you want clearly and on a grand = scale. Make=20 it impossible not to know right away the = impression with=20 which you want your customers (a) to come to = your store=20 and (b) to leave your store -- happily, of = course, with=20 expectations exceeded or, at minimum, met. The = two=20 stores to which we allude in this column do this = well.=20 The cover of their "book" is freshness, high = quality=20 and/or low price, but most importantly, the = perception=20 they want to create is clear from the store = parking lot,=20 the entrance, and in the customer's first three = steps=20 all the way until checkout. In other words, the=20 perception created is in line with the reality = of the=20 in-store shopping experience -- from cover to=20 cover.

Our shopper traffic research will = unveil=20 some quick and manageable tactics which could = have a=20 profound impact on your top line as well as = customer=20 satisfaction and loyalty. For more information = on how we=20 can conduct research for you or speak at an = upcoming=20 conference, please e-mail me at Kenny.Herbst@mba.wfu.edu<= /A>.=20 Alternatively, feel free to visit my Wake Forest = University Web site at www.mba.wfu.edu/herbst. I = can also be=20 reached via phone at 336-758-4215.

Dr. = Kenneth=20 C. Herbst is an Assistant Professor of = Marketing=20 in the Babcock Graduate School of Management at = Wake=20 Forest University in Winston-Salem, N.C. He = earned a=20 Masters and Ph.D. from The University of North = Carolina=20 at Chapel Hill. In addition, Dr. Herbst earned a = B.A.=20 from Wake Forest University.

Dr. = Herbst=20 has been interviewed about his food research and = industry expertise by, among others, The New = York=20 Times, The Wall Street Journal, = The=20 Philadelphia Inquirer, the Washington = Post,=20 the Chicago Tribune, the Ottawa = Citizen,=20 the Montreal Gazette, the San = Francisco=20 Chronicle, USA Today, and Woman's = Day.=20 In July 2007, he gave a keynote presentation on = his=20 in-store food shopper research at Shopper = Insights in=20 Action. He has also recently spoken at FMI and = IDDBA. In=20 April, he presented his top tactics for = retailing and=20 merchandising at the 2008 NARMS Spring = Conference and=20 Annual Meeting in Williamsburg, Va.=20

Harold Lloyd was the President = and CEO=20 of a 14-unit retail organization for 10 years. = His=20 practical, exciting ideas and dynamic = presentation style=20 have combined to earn him a highly regarded = reputation=20 reflected in his top ratings at numerous = appearances at=20 such prestigious events as the annual FMI and = IDDBA=20 conventions.

For almost two = decades,=20 Harold has worked very closely with small and = large=20 businesses to provide a "powerful push in the = right=20 direction!" His mission is to provide qualified, = executive-level assistance to companies on a = "temporary=20 basis," eliminating the need to add permanent = top=20 management overhead. To further assist his = clients,=20 Harold authored the book It's About Time, = focusing on time management.

Save E-mail Print Most Popular= RSSReprints=20

Effective Ideas to Make Certain = That=20 Reality Overlaps With Your Store's Perception in = the=20 Market

Aug 1, 2008

-By Dr. Kenneth C. Herbst and = Harold=20 Lloyd

When Harold and I last wrote = to you in=20 our column in May, we discussed the importance = of=20 focusing on your customer service perception = all over=20 the store -- and we do mean all over your = store. We=20 stressed the importance of the restroom's = cleanliness in=20 creating an attractive position for your store. = We also=20 revealed that it is a place for suggestive = selling (and=20 creative cross-merchandising!).

As Harold = and I=20 independently travel the country speaking at = various=20 industry conferences or with associations, we = compile=20 lists of items on which to focus in future = columns here=20 in The Gourmet Retailer. We hope our idea = for=20 this column brings you great results at the end = of the=20 month when you view your top line.

Now = it's time=20 to focus on creating a physical impression in = your=20 store's parking lot and front entrance. What you = want to=20 do is build a message that matches with the = perception=20 you are trying to create in the mind of your = customers.=20 We want you to think carefully about how to make = a first=20 and lasting impression on your valued=20 customers.

Recently, I visited a small = food=20 retailer with stores on the East Coast, and I = was very=20 impressed with the way the store created a = physical=20 impression appealing to smell, sight and touch = by having=20 many of their fresh fruits out for people to see = right=20 in front of the store. It was as though the=20 strawberries, blueberries and mangoes were = saying,=20 "Welcome to our home; if you like us, you'll = like many=20 of our fresh, sweet and juicy siblings inside = the=20 store."

This store tries hard to create = an=20 impression of freshness in part because the = freshness=20 perception (and reality) helps them sell to a = more=20 up-tier segment of food buyers willing to pay = more for a=20 higher-quality product. From the parking lot, = you can=20 see freshness -- literally. In the entrance, you = can=20 smell freshness. In the first three steps taken = in the=20 store, your senses of smell, sight, touch (and = even=20 taste) are completely stimulated. There is even = fresh=20 complimentary coffee with cream and skim milk in = addition to sugar for you to sip while shopping. = They=20 create an experience for shoppers by hitting = customers=20 over the head (lightly and lovingly, of course) = with=20 freshness as they set foot in the store. When = your=20 effective position is freshness and quality, you = want to=20 deliver those promises early and often. They do = it, and=20 they benefit greatly from it as do their=20 customers.

In the same way, but via = different=20 tactics, on a recent trip, I noted a store known = as a=20 low-price operator. Their track to winning share = points=20 was to make clear that their prices were very=20 competitive relative to the local competition. = This=20 specific store did this very well -- again, in = the three=20 areas we listed above (the parking lot, the = store's=20 entrance and in the first three steps taken by = the=20 customer inside the store).

From the = parking=20 lot, I saw low-price signs on the store's = windows and,=20 bang, as I set foot in the store, it was evident = that=20 this place sold items they felt were good = quality for=20 less. More important than their prices being low = was the=20 first impression they created. Their signage and = promotional efforts made it clear that they were = cheaper=20 relative to their competition, and the = impression was=20 not short-lived -- it seemed to be effective and = long-lasting on their customers.

Despite = their=20 intentions not to judge items, products and = places by=20 their covers, consumers do so -- and often. So, = we=20 suggest you realize that this is how the = consumer's=20 psyche works and, based on this knowledge, = create the=20 impression you want clearly and on a grand = scale. Make=20 it impossible not to know right away the = impression with=20 which you want your customers (a) to come to = your store=20 and (b) to leave your store -- happily, of = course, with=20 expectations exceeded or, at minimum, met. The = two=20 stores to which we allude in this column do this = well.=20 The cover of their "book" is freshness, high = quality=20 and/or low price, but most importantly, the = perception=20 they want to create is clear from the store = parking lot,=20 the entrance, and in the customer's first three = steps=20 all the way until checkout. In other words, the=20 perception created is in line with the reality = of the=20 in-store shopping experience -- from cover to=20 cover.

Our shopper traffic research will = unveil=20 some quick and manageable tactics which could = have a=20 profound impact on your top line as well as = customer=20 satisfaction and loyalty. For more information = on how we=20 can conduct research for you or speak at an = upcoming=20 conference, please e-mail me at Kenny.Herbst@mba.wfu.edu<= /A>.=20 Alternatively, feel free to visit my Wake Forest = University Web site at www.mba.wfu.edu/herbst. I = can also be=20 reached via phone at 336-758-4215.

Dr. = Kenneth=20 C. Herbst is an Assistant Professor of = Marketing=20 in the Babcock Graduate School of Management at = Wake=20 Forest University in Winston-Salem, N.C. He = earned a=20 Masters and Ph.D. from The University of North = Carolina=20 at Chapel Hill. In addition, Dr. Herbst earned a = B.A.=20 from Wake Forest University.

Dr. = Herbst=20 has been interviewed about his food research and = industry expertise by, among others, The New = York=20 Times, The Wall Street Journal, = The=20 Philadelphia Inquirer, the Washington = Post,=20 the Chicago Tribune, the Ottawa = Citizen,=20 the Montreal Gazette, the San = Francisco=20 Chronicle, USA Today, and Woman's = Day.=20 In July 2007, he gave a keynote presentation on = his=20 in-store food shopper research at Shopper = Insights in=20 Action. He has also recently spoken at FMI and = IDDBA. In=20 April, he presented his top tactics for = retailing and=20 merchandising at the 2008 NARMS Spring = Conference and=20 Annual Meeting in Williamsburg, Va.=20

Harold Lloyd was the President = and CEO=20 of a 14-unit retail organization for 10 years. = His=20 practical, exciting ideas and dynamic = presentation style=20 have combined to earn him a highly regarded = reputation=20 reflected in his top ratings at numerous = appearances at=20 such prestigious events as the annual FMI and = IDDBA=20 conventions.

For almost two = decades,=20 Harold has worked very closely with small and = large=20 businesses to provide a "powerful push in the = right=20 direction!" His mission is to provide qualified, = executive-level assistance to companies on a = "temporary=20 basis," eliminating the need to add permanent = top=20 management overhead. To further assist his = clients,=20 Harold authored the book It's About Time, = focusing on time management. =

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