Ok,you've set up your showroom-all nice and fancy,but what next?
Build traffic,that's what! Here's how...
1.Decor & Colours:
The decor and colours should be warm and friendly.Far too many showroom are 'stuffed shirt' replicas of the owners.Come on,loosen up a little! Formal showrooms alienate customers-no two opinions on that. Remember,design for impact and not to impress-the customer is buying your product, not your showroom !
Use those yellows,beiges,pinks and greens.Out with the blues, blacks and whites. The showroom is not a place for your personal colour preferences to come to the fore.
Avoid furniture with sharp edges and dimly lit showroom corners. Warm and inviting is the way to go in your decor and colours.
2.Product Display & Lighting:
The products on display are the heroes-glorify them! Put them in the spotlight where they can't be missed. Invest in good quality lighting which makes your product a hero. Far too many showrooms compromise on showroom and product lighting,treating it as an unnecessary and avoidable expense which needs to be minimized.Don't fall into that 'economy' trap! High quality,showroom lighting and focused product lighting is expensive,so bite that cost bullet and grin-yourrewards will appear out of the dark shadows!
3.Salespersons :
Well-paid,smiling and knowledgeable-that's how they should be! Treat your salespeople as an investment and the results will show in increase sales. Train them well,demonstrate new product benefits and talk to them as equals-they are an integral part of your showroom,,, and your life!
Train them to be courteous, polite and helpful at all times-the customer should always feel like royalty,even if he is just browsing your showroom.
4.Mass Communication :
Within the first month of store opening and at strategic times during the year,leaflets,banners,posters must be visible and emails must go out to to the select few residents and commercial establishments in the neighbourhood. People must know you exist for business to follow!
5.Follow ups :
All customers who visit the store must get a follow up email or call. Period. The skill lies in striking up a product-anchored conversation with a personal touch. That's true one-on-one marketing!
6.The demonstration effect:
Finally,lead from the front and handle your customers the way you would like your salespersons to treat them. They'll definitely get the message double-quick!
7.Excitement and Pride:
These two feelings must come through in all forms of your communication-written and oral.
Intoxicate the customer with your love for your products till he too falls hopelessly in love with them. Money is the price he'll then willingly pay for the pride and joy of owning the product.
Follow these few well,known but oft-forgotten tenets and watch your showroom sales climb steadily over the years...
