Although I have worked in marketing and merchandising for many years, I still consider myself a student of this dynamic field. Why? All lines and arrows on a theoretical merchandising flow chart point to the consumers, the shoppers, the end users of the goods and services we offer.
When the consumers’ needs, preferences and behaviors change, the strategies used for effectively reaching them also must change. Although we might try to resist this phenomenon, history reminds us we can never truly control the marketplace. (See Blockbuster, Radio Shack, Circuit City and Sears Wikipedia entries)
Without digging up any time capsules, I think we can summarize what happened to these businesses as a failure to watch, learn and react. Specific causes include fierce competition, poor strategic decisions, failure to innovate and a decline in consumer experience, which combined to create the perfect storm and, ultimately, these companies’ demise. Businesses must remember to learn from others’ past mistakes, continue to train and educate employees and adapt to evolving consumer preferences.
On the learning topic, a new retail strategy floating around is called “retailtainment.” Here I go again with another esoteric retailing catchphrase, right? Let’s start with a definition.
Retail guru James Farnell defines retailtainment as the “intersection of entertainment and retail, where the customer is engaged in a meaningful activity that delivers a memorable experience.” He continues by saying this concept “elevates retail from a passive, functionary role (needs-driven replenishment that can mostly be achieved online) to an active, engaging experience where a two-way relationship is formed: customer to customer, customer to associate and directly with the brand.”
In a post-pandemic world, consumers are looking for a reason to visit brick-and-mortar stores. What can we buy inside the physical store that we cannot buy on the retailer’s website? Retailtainment is proposed as one solution to drive sales and profitability.
For me, the new term just reinforces what we already know. Consumers are more sophisticated than ever and often are armed with more product information than the salesperson. Smartphones’ prevalence means shoppers can check prices, features and consumer reviews anywhere. As such, you can place your messaging at a potential consumer’s fingertips everywhere.
Technology is a valuable element in our marketing toolbox. The key is to be intentional about defining and developing a unique value proposition in your business establishment and using the tool to create an engaging and memorable store and dealership visit. In practice, this could include frequent product demonstrations, local RV club meet-and-greets, “road chef” cooking classes or first-year mentors for novice campers. You could implement this concept by integrating camping’s sights and sounds into your business.
Since 1995, the Point-of-Purchase Advertising Institute (POPAI) has reminded us that more than two-thirds of purchase decisions involve some in-store decision making. In other words, we can still influence consumers’ purchase behaviors while they are in the store.
Remember, the shopping experience fills a much larger need in our lives. We shop to alleviate boredom, to socialize and to fulfill our basic hunter/gatherer instinct. In the RV industry, we can even use emotional marketing—marketing and advertising efforts primarily using emotion to make your audience notice, remember, share and buy.
Think about the last time you bought a product or service you did not need. When was the last time you consciously paid too much? Most of us can remember one or more occasions fitting these descriptions and how we justified the purchase.
Often, consumers make purchase decisions based, in part, on how they feel versus purely rational motives. Almost every rule has an exception, but that wine tumbler, magazine, bottled water, silly string or patio lights purchase largely resulted from an orchestrated strategy to get you to spend more money. As we both know, emotional marketing works.
Cars, houses, jewelry, apparel, toys, charities, sporting goods, RVs, food and even lawn care equipment are among the many product categories funded or bought largely based on emotional drivers. “I’ll be cool/accepted/envied if I wear/drive/own ‘x’ item.”
In a recent article in Entrepreneur magazine, a marketing communications expert discussed the effectiveness of 10 emotional triggers that should be used in marketing:
- Fear
- Guilt
- Trust
- Value
- Belonging
- Competition
- Instant Gratification
- Leadership
- Trendsetting
- Time
The RV industry uses this tool effectively in the Go RVing campaign, which serves to attract new campers and inspire veteran RVers to experience the lifestyle. RV parts and accessories sales also benefit from this strategy.
Your distributor might offer accessories designed to help you sell more products. Shelf talkers and general retail signage are valuable in attracting a consumer’s eye to promotions, new items and clearance merchandise.
Our newly enhanced lifestyle poster program offers an effective way to market to your consumers’ emotions. Images depicting the great outdoors, families bonding and fun activities can tug at heartstrings and neutralize objections to price and wait time.
Although providing the consumer with facts and figures concerning a new sway control is important, the underlying message is loving their family and wanting to keep them safe while traveling.
Again, I encourage business owners and managers to hang on to their student hats. We always have new days to learn and grow.
Our 2024 Expo trade show will be held in January in Kissimmee, Florida, and will feature our RV University learning sessions for students of all experience levels. If you have not registered, please do so today.
Remember, as Zig Ziglar said, “If you are not willing to learn, no one can help you. If you are determined to learn, no one can stop you.”
Val Byrd is NTP-Stag’s customer merchandising manager. She has worked in the RV aftermarket for the past 20 years and is a leading RV retail expert on store layout/design and aftermarket product display.
