CONFERENCE REPORT
THE PLATFORM ERA (CONT) Add entertainment in DIY or die
Strategic marketing consultant Paul Moers believes businesses need to start thinking outside the box and add emotional touchpoints into their retail businesses, rather than just focusing on function. He said: “Most companies try and copy and match their competitors. It’s a shame really. There’s no original strategy. “The more common wisdom you share, the more of the same things you do. It’s a shame because you miss out on opportunities. “It’s time for a new paradigm. It’s about more than just physical value.
You can add value in different ways: emotional value, fiscal value, mental value, social value, inspirational value. “Auto-pilot behaviour is dangerous. Functionality is important in DIY but so is emotion. We are dealing with humans, not machines. Never forget that.”
Mr Moers advises that home improvement retailers look at other industries for inspiration and new ideas. ““Look at what the likes of Starbucks, Duracell and Bloomingdales are doing, he said, adding: “DIY is lagging behind the whole retail sector. Those DIY centres that inspire are more successful than the ones who don’t.”
Retailers who pay attention to the emotional aspects of their stores will make them more interesting to their clients. He quoted the statistic that 95% of decisions are taken based on intuition and emotion, leaving just 5% to battle with. “Why do we focus on that 5%?” he asked. “Even if you talk about price, emotion still has a place. Ikea and H&M
offer cheap products but high design. Good prices with emotional touchpoints will become the new wheel of the industry. “By engaging people, you start to create brand ambassadors. They are crucial and encourage more people to buy your products.” Looking at ways that retailers can reach emotional points, he advises looking at store layout and also at the people in your business – “how friendly are they?” he asks.
Retailers need to: “There’s lots you can do,” he said. “You have to be creative and get out of the lazy chair. It’s not about the products, it’s about the solution. Try to show the end results in shops. Try to help the consumer imagine and picture the end result. Stay away from talking about functionality only. He continued: “If you walk behind the herd of cows, you always walk in the shit. Think about a new perspective for your business and shops. I know it’s a lot of work and requires a lot of energy. Maybe you should hire new people – people who better understand the new perspective. “Make your shops spectacular. Don’t wait, do it today. You can’t wait. Customers are changing.”
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