There may be snow on the ground and a chill in the air, but that doesn’t mean your winter sales event has to be shrouded in the safety equivalent of a dreary overcoat. What Impact Absorbents has done for spill clean up and spill containment, you can do for your industry. Innovation is the byword of 2015!
Customers love a good sale, and there are right and wrong ways to go about offering one. Here are four tips for making the most of your winter sales event:
- Don’t overdo it. If your entire store or business flaunts a “Sale” sign, customers are unlikely to perceive a sense of urgency. Instead, section off an area with a banner that makes it clear this is the real deal for customers now: “30% off everything in this section!” Or place a time limit on the event: “Half off through February 21st!” This type of message says the savings are limited either in scope or by date, so you’d better buy now.
- Strategize. To amplify #1, place “Sale” signs on select merchandise, and call attention to what’s on sale with appropriate signs indicating markdowns. Once customers enter your place of business and begin shopping, they’re likely to end up purchasing full-price merchandise as well and they won’t fall into the habit of thinking of your business as a “discount” store. If your product lines can break and spill when accidentally dropped, be sure to have a Spill Station Deluxe discreetly located in each area for quick, safe spill clean up response.
- Build in sale pricing. Another smart way to attract customers is to “build in” sale pricing. In other words, if customers know merchandise at your store will be 20 percent off in two weeks, or moved to a “Sale” rack after a certain date, they can plan their purchases to include sale items though of course what remains for the sale is never guaranteed, so it’s still prudent for them to shop new merchandise for items they really want or need now. This works best in businesses where merchandise is non-repeatable, such as a consignment shop. Customers may know that in six weeks a new item will appear on the half-off rack or table if it hasn’t already been sold. Someone with their eye on that Depression-era glass bowl will know to act fast!
- Hold special events sparingly. In accord with carrot-on-a-stick marketing, be sporadic in offering special sales events. When a special event is rare or unanticipated, it’s a boon for business. Even high-end retailers such as Nordstrom hold sales but only twice a year, and at different times for each department. Such cleverly engineered sales events contain the elements of a game that shoppers are only too eager to play as they wait to snap up the bargains.
