Storefronts

Stores are perfect learning environments for understanding digital marketing and sales. Get offline, and go visit your local grocery store. Pay attention to how the store is laid out.

There are circulars or flyers (or whatever term you want for the “specials” put down in little newspapers) at the front of the story where you get your basket. Most US-based grocery stores put their produce in one corner, their meat/deli in another corner, their dairy and bread down the other side, and then fill the middle of the store with the less-expensive items. Then, there’s a whole magic to the cash register/checkout area that merits its own conversation, because that’s where they put every possible impulse buy that you’ll ever consider.

I started thinking about how a grocery store like that (or a similar store – you can pick whatever you fancy) translates to our efforts online.

The Specials and the Circulars

Blogging is our “free information to get you interested” part of the deal. I write about things that interest you so that you might choose to hire me for professional speaking or want to learn more to improve your small business. My participation on places like Twitter and Facebook are like coming out of my store to talk with you on the sidewalk. Does that all make sense? These are the ways we advertise or draw attention or start relationships to get people into the store.

Impulse Buys

Everything after that costs something. At the front of the store, near the cash registers are the impulse buys. These areas are where the little items are that might be useful to your buyer, but are also something that’s easier to decide upon. Buying a Snickers bar is easier to agree upon than buying a pork roast, for instance. It costs less. There are fewer decision points, etc. Do we agree?

Big Ticket Items

Grocery stores know you need some time to think on some of the items in the store. For instance, cereal. There’s a whole row dedicated to which types of grains you’d like to eat. Across from most of these displays are candy or sometimes coffees and teas. These long-decision areas are built that way. Other areas like the meat and the produce section are built to make you buy in a “yes, and” way. I need a pork roast, and I might as well get some bacon for breakfast tomorrow morning. I’ve got some lettuce, but I need carrots and cucumbers and whatever else.

These are your big ticket sales. Maybe it’s the difference between the ebook you offer as an impulse buy versus a course that will cost a bit more, and will be a bit more complex to consume.

Think Like a Store

If your products and services were laid out like a store, you’re probably doing something with your circulars and flyers. You probably have email marketing, blogging, etc. You might be the kind of shopkeeper who comes out to the sidewalk to talk with passers-by (on sidewalks like Twitter and Facebook). But are you balancing your impulse buys and your big ticket purchases? Are you laying out your store so that your buyers find these things they didn’t realize they needed so badly?

What’s your store look like? And how are you helping your buyers?