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.

Step Two: Journey of Inspiration

Step One - Journey of Discovery

Step Two - Journey of Inspiration

Step Three - Journey of Excitement

Step Four - Journey of Trust

In last article in this series we looked at Journey of Discovery. Consumers need to discover you exist. If you are innovative in your marketing and external promotions they may just get in their car and journey to your business. Your next challenge is that you have thirty seconds to inspire them, yes, that’s right, thirty seconds!

Researchers tell us that majority of potential customers will judge your business based on three, thirty second zones. Seventy percent of that decision will be based on what they see; therefore you need to create a visually inspiring view of your business.

Within such a limited time frame you need to create a focal point that is simple and different. Easy to put into words, but difficult to put into practice, so let’s look at three zones and at some easy methods of being visually inspirational:

1.Start in parking lot – first 10 seconds The image zone starts outside your business. Your adverts, external landscaping, paint work and shop window displays are all going to play an integral part in creating a mental picture of what customer is going to expect from whole experience he will have within your business.

For example, I recently worked with a public library. All team members came to work via ‘back’ door. As a consultant, I entered via front door. My visit was ten days after a national holiday on which all businesses were closed. As I entered, there was a large sign across front door informing everyone that library would be closed next Thursday for holiday. When I pointed out that holiday was previous week, it became clear that nobody in library was walking building as a customer. They were all entering by wrong door! Image can change by moment. Litter on floor or dirty fingerprints on windows can change your image in just seconds. It’s essential that all your team members are aware of how important ‘image zone’ is and that they are empowered to take appropriate action to correct any flaw in image immediately.