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Saturday, May 29, 2010

Let's Push Away From The Desk And Head... In Stores!

Many years ago I was Director of Marketing for a large footwear retailer that was recognized in the industry as a leader in retailtainment. The company placed tremendous value on the in-store environment and recognized that ultimately, no matter what marketing efforts we put into place, the shopper experience in-store provided the first moment of truth. During this job as a director, I logged more hours in store observing, talking and selling than most sales associates spend in an entire life! If I wasn't at a desk, I was on the sales floor. Working the retail floor wasn't my ideal way to spend the weekend by any means, but the experience did leave me with an indelible belief. A belief that time spent at retail, observing, listening and talking is critical to brand success.

With so much interest and hype surrounding social media, mobile and digital, I question whether marketers are getting in stores any more. My sense is that we are so enamored by our new found friends online that we aren’t pushing away from the desk and taking retail observation seriously.

Certainly the online communities we have worked so hard to establish are enticing, and without a doubt vital to our brands movement forward. But, let's not forget that the majority of retail purchases still take place at brick and mortar and at the end of the day, the "followers" and "fans" we connect with online do have the first moment of truth with our brand on the shelf or at the rack.

There has never been a more innovative, exciting time at retail, and the in-store experience is one that you can only appreciate when witnessed firsthand. I don't recommend sending out a junior member of your team; get out there yourself! It may seem like a chore to head out to the stores for observation, particularly when you need to complete a task on a much more grand scale, but the inspiration gained will motivate you in ways you never thought possible.

Posted by Ciri Fenzel at 7:51 AM Labels: Customer-Centric Marketing, in-store, innovation, marketing-at-retail, retail marketing, retail solutions, social media