Appliance Retailer’s longest standing writer, retail trainer Bob Johnson, died suddenly last week. To honour his incredible contribution to the industry in general and our publication specifically, this week we will be presenting a special series called The Best of Bob. Each day we’ll publish a standout piece from his remarkable 20 years of service columns for Appliance Retailer.
Today we go back to 2004 to find out Bob’s thoughts on retail and brand differentiation. Back then, the flat screen TV boom was just about to kick off and Bob, the oracle that he was, had a feeling that too many retailer might focus too much on price. His advice then is just as relevant today…
You don’t have to be better… …just try being different!
By Bob Johnson
“It’s better to be different than it is to be better.”
We recently walked into our favourite pet supplies store to buy a bulk bag of the usual brand of dog food.
Only a few steps inside the store, we were greeted by what appeared to be a chef! Yep: decked out in starched white jacket, red handkerchief, black and white check trousers and, of course, that ridiculously tall white hat with the mushroom shaped bit on the top. We could have been forgiven for thinking we’d walked into a top-notch international restaurant.
Needless to say, the ‘chef’ had our instant attention. He introduced himself, asked if we had a dog (note: good qualifying question there) and when we replied that we had two dogs, he visibly lit up.
He then introduced us to his new ‘gourmet’ dog food and explained some features and benefits to us.
After several minutes, and having had a lot of laughs with the dog food ‘chef’, we bought a giant bag of his dog food. We also bought a bag of the usual food as well, so that we could give the dogs a mixture of both, just for a bit of variety.
Now hang on a minute…
If your dogs are anything like ours, you’ll know that they eat anything and everything they can get their teeth into. As a matter of fact, our youngest dog doesn’t need teeth, he just vacuums up food and swallows it without chewing. Yet, there we were agreeing with a doggie-chef that our dogs would really appreciate the difference in the taste of the food.
I honestly don’t believe that we bought his dog food because it might taste different. We bought it because HE was different. His presentation was different. His merchandising and promotion of the product was different. And the whole experience had that all-important element of fun about it.
So many retail stores, banks, service stations, et cetera, have a ‘sameness’ about them. There’s a degree of comfort in that but it can also become boring. And it’s the same with the service and the people in those businesses; that sameness can lead to predictability and they can become just another ‘also-ran’ in the customer’s eyes.
So, what can a retailer do to create that ‘something different’?
Here are a few ideas for discussion at your next staff meeting:
Products and Services
What’s different about the products you range?
- Any exclusive, semi-exclusive or own-brand products?
- If they’re the same as everybody else’s, can you present them differently?
- Use themes for displays. (For example, a ‘wet, wet, wet’ display around laundry appliances, dishwashers, irons and heated towel racks, with staff in bright yellow rainwear, carrying colourful umbrellas in displays or throughout the store.)
Location
Centre, mall, strip or destination store?
- Passing trade can be taken for granted. Don’t do that!
- Be like those destination stores who know that they must continually give customers a reason to go ‘off the beaten track’.
Pricing Policies
- What are they? And are they consistent with all the staff?
- How can you make them different from competitors?
Promotions
Stand out with promotions that are really different.
- Create opportunities for fun and excitement. Your customers will love it and so will the sales team.
- The fun should include the customers and not just entertain them from a distance.
Store Personality
- Is your store’s personality bright? Is it dreary? Alive? Dead? Exciting? Boring? Surprising? Predictable?
- It’s up to you (all of you) to create and sustain your store’s personality.
Little Extras
- Being different doesn’t have to mean freebies.
- What can you do to make the customers’ day for them?
- Do the unexpected (in a positive way).
- Some suggested actions include follow up calls/letters, carry products to car, walking customers to the exit, installation services, and helpful advice.
We must identify just what it is that sets us apart from our competitors and then promote those differences. They must be apparent (or obvious) to every customer, every day, and delivered by every person within the business.
An old piece of wisdom states: “It is only when we do the things we don’t have to do, that we are seen as being truly different.”
A great piece there by Bob. Amazing how nearly all of those tips are still applicable today as they were 11 years ago. Next time you are thinking of ways to get more sales out of more consumers, think about how you can be different, rather than simply cheaper.
Here are the links to all five entries in the Best of Bob:
Nothing happens in retailing unless you make it happen
Selling on price only… it’s been nice knowing you
You don’t have to be better… …just try being different!
The Simple Art of Merchandising
The Big Four customer objections — and how to handle them
(Commentary by Patrick Avenell. Additional research by Damon Apter.)