Step Four: Journey of Trust

Step One - Journey of Discovery

Step Two - Journey of Inspiration

Step Three - Journey of Excitement

Step Four - Journey of Trust

You have got your customers’ attention through your innovative marketing, you have dared to be different. Then you inspired them when they first entered your business and when they have purchased it has been an exciting and rewarding experience. Now it’s time to win customers’ trust so they keep coming back.

One of most important issues for retailers is a lack of trust by consumers. In U.S.A. consumers do not trust businesses and in recent Australian surveys 69% of respondents mentioned they do not trust big business. This is a huge opportunity for independent retailers.

During 90’s we saw independent retailers lose market share to large box store retailers who could purchase at a better price and pass savings on to consumer. Independents found it difficult to compete, but now game rules are changing.

Large retailers are still able to buy on price, but consumers now prefer to trust small, local, independent businesses that have a trust strategy. Small businesses now have a unique marketing tool, ‘trust’ factor.

The “Trust” Factor The key is how you use this tool to your advantage. If you are perceived as a trusted business you have an opportunity to expand your market share. Customers talk about trusted retailers.

What can you do? Consider following actions:

1.Name Badges A garden centre owner in New Zealand recently changed his name badge to say “John Smith, Proud Owner”. This small detail has made a difference. One of most common comments he has received is “I did not realise you were a small business, I thought you would be part of a chain”. Research carried out by Shopper Anonymous in Australia indicated that people who wore name badges were perceived to provide 15% better customer service.

2.Promote Promote fact you are a locally owned business in your adverts and at entrance and exit to your store. Remind customers and thank them for supporting ‘local’.

Successful retailers take consumers on a journey. In next series of articles I will explain journey to you giving you examples on how to implement it in your business along way. But firstly, let me provide outline to journey so we are all aware of process:

Step One - Journey of Discovery

Step Two - Journey of Inspiration

Step Three - Journey of Excitement

Step Four - Journey of Trust

Step One: Journey of Discovery

As retailers we often forget that our customers are passing through our business on an extended journey. Although their visit to your store is a critical part of their journey, it is only a part of journey.

The first step on their journey is actually discovery of your business. The majority of potential consumers will discover your business via “interruption” marketing, such as radio commercials, flyers and newspaper adverts. In a typical day, you will be one of up to 3000 businesses aiming to get their message across to a potential customer. As you’d expect, majority will miss their target as interruption marketing is becoming less and less effective in attracting that new customer.

Placing ‘safe’ adverts in newspapers stating where you are located and this week’s offers just doesn’t work effectively for most businesses these days. If you want to be discovered you cannot afford to play safe anymore. In today’s competitive market it is essential you come up with original ideas to grab new customers’ attention. You have to dare to be different.

How to play unsafe Involve your team as well as marketing arm of your business to invent ways consumers can discover your business. I use word invent on purpose. You may have to try something you’ve never tried before. Brainstorming ideas that get you away from traditional newspaper advert, but are not looked on as a gimmick, are real key to your success. I would definitely suggest you get a copy of Seth Godin’s book Purple Cow, Portfolio, 2003, ISBN 159184021X.

Consortium Loyalty Programs Kare Anderson, in her new book, Smart Partnering - How to attract and delight more customers while spending less (visit bookstore on our website to purchase a copy) picks up on a trend I have seen grow around world in last twelve months, Consortium Loyalty Programs.

This is where a group of retailers identify they have same consumer and then jointly promote to attract that consumer to all their businesses. The result is they promote to a larger database, but for a reduced cost per target consumer.

Some retailers are partnering in what at first seems bizarre ways. For example, a Dutch fashion label, 50/50, are partnering with Salvation Army. The Salvation Army sends specific clothing to designer who makes this clothing “hip.” The designer then sells clothing and halves profit with Salvation Army.