The environment that your retail operation has to do more than just house your products. It needs to communicate to your customers a reason to patronize your store. Whether you are selling computers, sunglasses or automobiles; how your environment triggers emotions is very important to turning a browser into a buyer.

Consider how Apple delivers a clean, minimalist environment that allows the products to be the stars of the show. Their products lend themselves to interactivity where the focus of their customers can drill into how to use their assortments. Also consider that Apple has spent millions of dollars to establish a brand strategy of elegance and sophistication that they tactically reinforce through a retail environment that reflects the same.

Not everyone has the money required to establish that kind of equity on brand before a potential customer walks in the front door. Those not in the multi billion dollar sales category need to find a balance that will communicate the brand at store level. First you have to determine what your brand really is. You may be a dealership that relies on selling an established, high equity brand. You do not want to do anything that affects that equity negatively, but you may also not need to build it further within the environment beyond saying “Hey! We have what you want product wise” However, here comes the tricky part. How do you communicate that they should buy that product from you specifically? Are you using your bricks and mortar to full effect? Are you promoting the benefits of who you are in such a way that they understand the value of a real relationship versus the price only focus of a digital interaction?

Think about this for a second. When you call any place that has an automated answering process. How often do you, in your frustration, hit zero in hopes that you can talk to a live person that can just efficiently steer you to where you want to go? We inherently prefer live and if you can make that live experience fulfilling; you have earned a long term customer and one that appreciates value over price.

Is your environment contributing to a fulfilling experience? Our website can show you how

P.S. and don’t forget the importance of planting a seed of reinforcement as they exit the building