PROPER SIGNAGE CAN TURN IMPULSE SHOPPERS INTO LOYAL CUSTOMERS

While keeping up with current valued customers is important, understanding the other types of customers and how to market to them will help convert even an impulsive shopper into a loyal customer

Every successful business owner

…will tell you that longevity and growth don’t come from your product and services alone; it comes from your customer base. Your products could be life changing but consumers hold the economic key to your business success.

A certified educator on enotes.com explains, “ Basically, without consumers there would be no economic system. Without consumers to purchase the goods, there would be no demand for the goods. This has an effect on the entire economic system as well. It includes everything from the product itself to marketing.

What You Should Know About Customers

If you haven’t already completely found you target market or are looking to expand understanding the way different shoppers make purchases can help you find and give you knowledge on how to approach previously untapped customer base.

Mark Hunter, writer for business know how.com, breaks own the 5 types of customers as...

• 1.Loyal customer: they make up roughly 20% of your customer base, but that’s nothing to scoff at considering they also bring in more than half of all your sales
• 2.Discount customer: they are all about the deal and will make their purchase decisions based on the size of your products’ markdown.
• 3.Need based customers: they are here with a specific intention. Tunnel visioned to only what they came looking for.
• 4.Wandering customer: this is our “no, thanks, just looking” customer who is actually in search of experience or community and are waiting for something to spark their desire.
• 5.Impulse customer: shoppers of the moment, they will purchase what seems good at the time.

While keeping up with current valued customers is important, understanding the other types of customers and how to market to them will help convert even an impulsive shopper into a loyal customer.

Why do we impulse purchase?

Psychologist have put forth a lot of energy into understanding the urges and desires behind impulse buying. This is mainly because, like most recreational activities, when not properly managed can land you in hot water and become an addiction.

That may sound intense but a majority of consumers have or do impulse purchase. Who hasn’t gotten something in the spur of the moment?

Creditcards.com commissioned a survey on impulsive consumerism and found that 84% of the poll respondents say they’ve made impulse buys at some point, 77% of which claim they’ve impulse purchased in the 3 months prior to the poll.

Here are some reasons why…

Nostalgia and Emotional States

“By recalling a memory of the past, you are remembering it as your brain has chosen to distort it, not by the actuality of its events,” says Lauren Martin in her elitedaily.com article The Science Behind Nostalgia and Why We’re So Obsessed With The Past. “Because of its distorted and pleasant qualities, people spend days wrapped up in the fantasy of it, longing for it the way some do lovers. This yearning, this distorted idea of better days and times we wish were again is known as the common infliction of nostalgia”

In short, seeing colors, foods certain products remind us of distorted memories that make us feel emotionally secure, happy and content. You find yourself having a rough day and see some donuts on your way to check out that remind you of how your mom would make you feel better and you buy the donuts to connect to feeling better. Novelty items often play on nostalgia for sales.

Sense Of Urgency

The sense of urgency is a driving force behind most of our actions and expediency can calm it. You want it right now, its there right now, you buy it right now and move on until the next sense of urgency. Discounts and sales help to hammer in the urgency by implying the limited time on the deal. Customers hate the idea of missing out on a bargain and purchase accordingly to battle the feeling of exclusion.

WHAT DO CUSTOMERS WANT FROM THEIR IMPULSE BUYS?

Usefulness: impulse shoppers can often have buyers remorse, prompting them to return and refund the items they purchased on a whim. You can cut this down by insuring that your products provide a usefulness the customer can’t ignore. How often can it be used or how long until it needs repairs or replacing?

Ease of use: don’t make it complicated. If it takes 12 steps to get something to function properly or comes with a lot of customer questions, you may run into a problem. Your shoppers rely on your products to not only work, but work effortlessly to ease them into buying them and more from your service.

Entertainment: make it fun! Make it something relatable that multiple people can enjoy at once or add exciting elements to show your business goes the extra mile to bring joy and entertainment to all. Don’t be afraid to throw some humor into the mix. Laughter breaks tension and establishes trust.

Products with sensual appeal: Appeal to the senses and give them something to try on, taste, smell, feel or admire with their eyes. Much in the way infants and animals are delighted and captivated by colorful, bright or shiny objects, so are impulse shoppers. They are looking for the next cool thing to cross their path and catch their eye. Which of your senses will be satisfied and for how long?

Practical products: don’t overlook everyday products, even if they seem a little novelty a first. They help fulfill a need for consumer as well as justify its purchase regardless potentially unique design and appearance. Think items that your clients can use daily.

Products that complement your primary bottom line: this your “you know what goes great with that” product that is usually overlooked on its own but packs a great up-sale punch at check out time. Point of Sale Display signage when your customer is ready to check out, why not offer a little something extra? Signs strategically positioned near the register or by an employee work station gives customers more options and provides you sales team with an easy jump-off point to friendly engage with your customers.

The Best Signs Have 3 Things In Common:

Grab Attention: 4 seconds is your window before the eye decides to move on to something else. Encourage inquiry and inform potential shoppers of what’s in store. Sometimes traditional signs can be cumbersome and in the way. But what about your walls? Wall and floor stickers provide directions to different sections of your store and inform your customers as they shop. How can you grab your customers focus in that small time frame?

Conveys a Clear Message: Your sign tells the customer exactly what they need to know and leaves out what they don’t. It’s best to use as few words as possible to keep fonts large and readable for your target market. Say more by saying less. Banners are a great example as they typically greet or direct your customer to where you want them to be. They require concise keywording and make for great readability.

Gives a Reason to Stop: Why should your customer pay attention to you and your business and not something else? Give them a reason to stop and shop with your company with deals, offers, discounts, giveaways, workshops and other exciting incentives. Window graphics, banners-immediate and inexpensive. Turn unused windows into a branding board where you can promote your services to window shoppers that will pull them into your store or stop at your stand. Use removable and reusable window clings for seasonal sales or to get the word out about a new offer

Pairing products and signage is about location, location, location. As mentioned is our blog piece 5 Tips to Get Your Sign Working For You, where you place your signs on display has a lot of importance to your customer. Economic Center at the University of Cincinnati on what makes signs hard to read, 71.4% of consumers agree that poor sign placement was a deterrent

Online Point of Sale: We didn’t forget about our web-based businesses; you have a point of sale, too! Add simple offers at check out like an additional $25 purchase comes with a free gift or free shipping on the current or next sale. It’s true that impulse buyers are mainly store front shoppers, but properly using nostalgia and a sense of urgency can still benefit your business greatly in the digital world.

Don’t Over Do It

There is such a thing as too many signs. Walls windows and countertops covered in signs, posters and displays can make customers feel overwhelmed and makes your business seem cluttered unfocused and disorganized. Use signage in high traffic areas, with new or specially priced items and with your impulse buy products.

Same with an online business. You’re customer may not mind a pop up offering discounts with subscriptions or showing a similar product but frequent pop ups and large sales signs on every page takes away from what they came to your website for. Keep it strategic and simple.

SO WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED?

All customers matter to your business and converting them into loyal customers that do more than purchase on a whim can be accomplished through understanding them, your products an your signage.