Reaching this audience will require an “untraditional” approach to marketing. One of the most unique aspects of Millennials is their use of technology and social media to gather information. Here’s just a few of the facts:
Here are 4 ideas furniture retailers can use to digitally connect with tech-savvy Millennials:
1: Make Yourself Easy To Find Online
Millennials use online resources for pre-purchase research. They explore product features and information, look at company reviews and compare sites. Some sources report that Millennials are 5 times more likely to be influenced by retargeting tactics (banner and pop-up ads) that they encounter during the research process. (5 times more likely to be influenced by retargeting than what?—retargeting versus ?)
These are a few of the most popular online resources used by Millennials when doing pre-purchase research:
2: Use Social Media
Social media is the modern-day “word of mouth” advertising. According to eMarketer, 84% of Millennials use social media. They are looking for brands they can engage with and who provide interesting content. 62% of Millennials state that they are more likely to become brand loyal if a company engages with them, sincerely, on social media.
3: Be Mobile
Millennials spend 14 percent more time on their mobile devices when compared to other age segments. They use their smartphones and tablets to research, shop and compare prices. Your website MUST BE MOBILE FRIENDLY! Here’s why:
4: Invest in building brand loyalty
Many retailers have the misconception that Millennials lack brand loyalty. The reality is, they can be loyal– they just want something in return. Customer service, personalized promotions and discounts are the most popular. 8 out of 10 Millennials say they are highly influenced by coupons sent to their homes in addition to mobile banners. More brands are also rewarding social behaviors – such as tweeting, posting, checking-in, and sharing.
Be sure that any type of loyalty program is compatible with mobile – otherwise, you will be missing your mark with this group.
The transition of the Millennials is happening now. Show them that you understand their unique shopping habits and needs. That starts with incorporating more online, social and mobile strategies into your marketing mix.
The post Transitioning Millennials first appeared on SPI Collective | Digital Media Production | Virginia Beach, VA.]]>Consumers who were unable to go to a brick and mortar store quickly changed their shopping habits. They turned to the convenience of online shopping. Just look at the online shopping giant Amazon. From July last year to July this year, they reported a 26% increase! Pretty nice, eh?
The shift to online shopping is likely to continue long after the pandemic is over. Why? Convenience. Consumers who traditionally shopped in-store (especially older consumers) have quickly embraced the convenience… not to mention the safety… of shopping online
Traditionally, furniture purchases have been experiential. Customers wanted to sit on the sofa or mattress and feel it. They wanted to open drawers, feel the textures, and measure the pieces. The question is, how do you take all that and create an online shopping experience to sell home furnishings? Here’s a few ideas to help you “up” your online sales game.
Make the online experience user friendly
Your site should be easy to navigate so customers can quickly find what they’re looking for. Offer filters that allow customers to shop by category, style, and price range. You may even offer a “My Collection” folder where customers can create a personal account and save the pieces they’re interested in. This also gives you the opportunity to capture their email address to continue the relationship.
The human touch
Have a chat feature manned by knowledgeable sales associates where online customers can have questions answered in real-time. The easiest way to capture customers at the top of the attribution funnel is to show them you genuinely care about them from the very beginning.
Make it visual
Shopping for furniture is a visual decision-making process. Your website should have multiple, beautiful images of everything… room shots, closeups of interesting details, the more the pictures the better. Remember, a picture is better than a thousand words of descriptive copy. You want to make it easy for the customer to visualize how the furniture will look in their home.
Size matters
The more information you can provide a customer, the easier it is for them to make the decision to buy. Overlaying the dimensions of items like sofas, tables, and dressers is a very helpful tool that will help customers determine if a piece will fit in the desired space. Some companies have gone as far as investing in AR (augmented reality) technologies that allow customers to virtually overlay items into an existing space. This allows customers to actually “see” what things will look like in their home.
Be mobile-friendly
Customers use all types of devices. Make sure your site is easy to browse on mobile devices.
Make it easy
Give customers a quick and easy guest checkout option. The last thing you want is for them to leave your site with something in the shopping cart because they must create an account.
COVID has changed the way consumers shop. To stay in the game, you’re going to have to evolve, too. Hopefully, you already have.
The post The evolution of the COVID consumer first appeared on SPI Collective | Digital Media Production | Virginia Beach, VA.]]>The first one was, “Sales are bad BECAUSE of advertising and sales are good IN SPITE of it.
People are quick to put the blame somewhere else… especially when business is bad. As marketers, there are many things we can do to influence consumers. We can build brands that people want to engage with. We can develop sales events that create excitement. We can design great looking ads, websites, and point of purchase materials. We can produce clever TV and radio commercials. We CANNOT, however, close sales once the customer walks through the door.
That’s why I was always more interested in traffic counts than sales numbers. I wanted to know how many people I convinced to take time out of their day, to get in the car and drive to the showroom to buy something. If traffic counts were up, I had done my job… at least as far as I was concerned. So, where’s the disconnect? Shouldn’t higher traffic counts translate into increased sales? The answer is not necessarily.
I remember what my father always told me, “If you see a problem and ignore it, you’ve made yourself a part of it.” As marketers, we have to be problem solvers. Sometimes that requires putting boots on the ground and doing a little reconnaissance in the form of mystery shopping. Take in your client’s shopping experience from a customer’s point of view. Then, do the same thing with your client’s competitors. I’ve done this on many occasions and have even recruited team members to get multiple points of view. The information collected is presented in a document with recommendations on how to make improvements. In most cases, they already know that the problems exist. You’re demonstrating your willingness to help. Remember, clients, measure your worth by their success.
That brings me to the other ridiculous quote that I heard quite often; “Let them (the customers) smell the steak. Let them hear it sizzle on the grill. But, NEVER give them the steak.”
Customers expect a certain degree of quid pro quo. If you make a special offer, deliver on it! Consumers today have more choices than ever where they can spend their hard-earned dollars. Creating disingenuous offers with lengthy disclaimers is a quick way to turn high traffic counts into disappointing sale numbers.
When you start “serving the steaks,” your customers will reward you with sales and brand loyalty. You can quote me on that.
The post Lessons learned about furniture, advertising, and steaks on the grill. first appeared on SPI Collective | Digital Media Production | Virginia Beach, VA.]]>According to Global Workforce Analytics, an estimated 56% of the U.S. workforce holds a job that is compatible (at least partially) with remote work. Current numbers show that 3.6% of the workforce works at home half the time or more. It’s believed that those who worked remotely prior to the pandemic will increase the amount of time they spend working remotely. Those who were new to working remotely will begin to embrace it even more.
Employers are quickly embracing the work-at-home model. A survey noted by Forbes indicates a 47% increase in employee productivity. When working from home, employees are working longer, getting more done and are much happier with their work/life balance. The same survey estimated that employees who work at home at least half the time are saving $2,500 to $4,000 a year. Those savings are due to reduced cost for commuting, parking, tolls and eating out.
The COVID-Effect? The workplace of the future will likely look much different. It’s estimated that 25 – 30% of the workforce will transition to working at home on multiple days of the week by the end of 2021.
There are two very important things that remote workers will need to be successful:
Hey Mr. and Mrs. Furniture Retailer, sounds to me like there will be a real demand for home office furnishings in the coming year!
It’s something to think about as you prepare to head off to High Point in October. We all know IKEA has a lot to offer in the home office category. The real question is, will people view IKEA-style, knock-down furniture as a solution to creating a comfortable home office space that they will be proud of? Some may. I believe many will choose to “take it to the next level.” They’ll be looking to create unique spaces that express their personal tastes and fulfill their individual needs.
This is a real opportunity for furniture retailers. It may be time to dedicate more square footage in your showroom to home office furniture. Create room vignettes that make it easy for the customer to imagine how it will look in their home. Add chairs, occasional items, accessories and seasonal accents to make the space look complete. You could incorporate a “home office corner” into a few of the living room or bedroom vignettes on your showroom floor. Show your customers what a dedicated, comfortable workspace would look like in their home.
Limited showroom space should never limit your business. Expand your home office offerings online. Have a computer available on the sales floor where your consultants can show customers everything you have to offer. To be successful, you’re going to need to look for the opportunities. I think giving more attention to the home office category is an opportunity to score a win in 2021.
The post Home Sweet Office first appeared on SPI Collective | Digital Media Production | Virginia Beach, VA.]]>The events of 9/11/2001 turned everyone’s world upside down. It created anxiety and fear. In response, families retreated to a safe sanctuary… their homes. Following 9/11, many retailers experienced a downturn in business. Conversely, the furniture chain that I was working with at the time was experiencing strong sales. Why? I attributed it to nesting. People were focused on their homes… their safe place… and they wanted to make their homes to be more comfortable.
I’m seeing that again with the Coronavirus pandemic. As businesses and government offices were forced to close, people sought the safety and security of home. They began to nest. They sought ways to make their homes a little nicer and more comfortable. Did you try and get into a Home Depot or Lowes?
How is nesting impacting the furniture industry in the age of Corona? At the onset of the pandemic in March, Furniture Today noted a 200% increase in online furniture browsing. The shift to working from home created a 242% increase in demand for home office furniture. There was also a 260% increase in demand for outdoor furniture – people want to be comfortable in their “nests.”
Online furniture retailer Wayfair is reporting huge increases in sales since the onset of the pandemic. Imagine Retailer (an e-commerce software provider for the home furnishings industry) notes a 127% increase in online sales amongst its 400-family owned furniture stores. Yes… people are nesting and, more and more, they’re using e-commerce to do it. The big takeaway is that people are buying furniture in the midst of a pandemic!
As long as the coronavirus threat lingers, people will gravitate towards the safety of their homes… and the need to make them more comfortable. Furniture retailers need to be ready to help them “nest.” Whether that’s through implementing or expanding their e-commerce capabilities or by clearly communicating what’s being done to make the in-store shopping experience safe.
The post Nesting in the age of Corona first appeared on SPI Collective | Digital Media Production | Virginia Beach, VA.]]>Over the years, many of the furniture retailers I have worked with resisted the idea of selling home furnishings online. The list of excuses was varied and plentiful. Of the five major furniture retailers in my market, one offers a limited selection of furniture that you can purchase online, and another doesn’t offer an online purchase option at all. Here are a few furniture e-commerce facts they should consider:
Furniture e-commerce giants like wayfair.com and overstock.com are proof that consumers are more than willing to buy home furnishings online and that any perceived barriers exist with the retailer, not the customer.
Think of it this way; when customers visit your showroom, they browse the store and when they find something they like, a salesperson writes up the ticket. Your website is like your showroom. You wouldn’t let a customer that’s ready to buy just walk out! Without an easy to use e-commerce component to your website, that’s exactly what you’re doing… you’re losing sales.
You can make the decision to buy online even easier by offering your customers a convenient return policy. According to Statista, only 5% of online buyers returned an online furniture purchase in the past year.
To stay competitive, furniture retailers will have to embrace e-commerce with the understanding that it doesn’t replace their brick and mortar store. It simply provides an additional avenue for customers to shop at their store.
The post To “E” or not to “E”… that is the question first appeared on SPI Collective | Digital Media Production | Virginia Beach, VA.]]>