Retailer Talks: Connecting Customers and Products
The number-one thing that a prospective customer wants is to buy something. The first thing a retailer needs to be able to do is fulfil the customer’s hopes of finding something to buy. Connecting a customer to a product is the basis of retail. But sometimes retailers forget this; it’s easy to get caught up in the other parts of growing a business. Growing your social media following, expanding your network of suppliers, getting an army of affiliates to market your products. These are all things that can grow your business. But if you can’t connect a wandering shopper to a product it’s all for nought.
In the end, you need to be able to connect your customers to your products. Of course, it helps if you’re enthusiastic about what you sell, but in our experience that’s rarely a problem. Most of the retailers we talk to got in to retail because they love their products. Fashion enthusiasts become fashion retailers. Sportsmen and women open up shops for the sports they love. Even coffee enthusiasts import beans and blends from around the world and sell them in specialist coffee shops, to support their fellow coffee-addicts here in the UK. It makes a lot of sense when you think about it. If you’re going to dedicate your time, effort and money to something like a shop you might as well sell something you’re passionate about.
The Personal Touch, A Friendly Recommendation
Sometimes shoppers need a little advice on what to buy. Another opinion, especially an expert one, can be very helpful. You know your product better than anyone else. With a little knowledge about what the customer is looking for, you can help find the perfect product for them. This is something that your customers can only get with you, in-store. Remember that you can be your shops biggest asset. If you can connect your customers to the products they’re looking for, you’re providing them a valuable service. This’ll bring customers back in to your store, in person, to engage your services again and again, to give them a better shopping experience than they could get anywhere else.
If you have any thoughts or questions about connecting customers to products, get in touch with us here.