Directing traffic

Traffic. Feet through the door. Warm bodies across the lease line. Whatever the category phrase, it's all about encouraging customers inside your store in order to get them to spend more.

So how do you go about achieving that aim? In my experience, there are at least four useful rules to help in generating traffic:

1. The rule of scarcity

2. The rule of exclusivity

3. The rule of buzzability

4. The rule of irresistibility

The rule of scarcity is simple – limiting the time of a promotion or the amount of stock so as to create a sense of urgency and provide reasons to visit your store today. Right across the world at the moment, the department store 'one day sales' are prime examples of the rule of scarcity in action.

Purveyors of "fast fashion” such as Zara, H&M and Top Shop work hard to apply the rule of scarcity by setting up limited ranges and turning stock every couple of weeks. I saw a sign in the UK's Top Shop earlier this year which summed up the consumer effect they were aiming for – "buy it now! (or regret it later)”.

The rule of exclusivity is all about making sure your offer is not open to comparison. Whether you develop exclusive product, exclusive packaging or exclusive offers (or all of the above), if it's only available at your store, there's another cause for the customer to come in. Uniqueness encourages frequency (so long as it's relevant).

Rule #3 focuses on what I call "buzzability” – building the buzz in your stores. I worked on Woolworths liquor chain BWS for many years, and their internal mantra was there should always be "something happening” at BWS – a chance to win, a promotion, a giveaway. Think about turning sales into events by dressing the staff and store so that the atmosphere feels exciting and stimulating. Stage instore product demonstrations. Change out your windows on a regular basis. Keep it fresh.

The final rule centres on irresistibility. I've talked a lot about value in recent columns and this rule is to make the value equation totally irresistible. Remember that value is a combination of price and quality, so making an item "irresistible” is not necessarily a case of cutting the price. Value can be made irresistible through any number of mechanics, for instance bonuses, bundles, cash backs or instant wins with purchase.

Without the right level of traffic, you can have the best offer in the world and die with your secret. So follow the rules of scarcity, exclusivity, buzzability and irresistibility. Simple rules. Simplicity sells.

insideretailing.com.au