Merchandising through narratives is a significant part of experiential marketing. Experiential marketing is an effective way of meeting the needs of the new consumer so often neglected at digital store fronts. The notion of marketing to your customer through investing in them an elated experience connected with your products is hailed as the new way to sell.

No matter what industry you are operating in, it is vitally important for retailers with bricks and mortar shop fronts to do more to encourage a richer consumer experience. Products and services can no longer be defined as the sole purpose of business’ core existence. Small businesses need to find new ways to define themselves and to compete with other online stores, mega brands in shopping malls and department stores.

Modern life is consumed by endless amounts of phone calls, texts and emails. Whether work or leisure, the lines continue to blur with the increased prevalence of technology.

The new consumer is bombarded by images, messages and videos from the moment their smart phone wakes them up to the moment they lay their heads to rest. Endless impressions of blinking advertisements on email interfaces or social networking sites have made it harder to get the attention of a consumer, thus creating confusion and disapproval for others.

Merchandising through themes and narratives will both amuse and inspire your customers, giving them guidance and theatre for consumption through experiences of enrichment and relevance. The world is educated through the rampant availability of free content and information. The social discourse preoccupied by the media and general public regarding sustainability, wastage and consumer behaviours has inspired new patterns of selective buying.

In the face of endless amounts of choices online and offline, the new consumer will buy and select brands and products relevant to their needs, aspirations and conscience. The consumer will buy when the themes of your merchandising strategy connect with them.

The new consumer wants to experience the act of consumption through a myriad collection of contexts and stories. The narratives of your merchandising style have to be unique but bond accessibly with the consumer’s mental, social and philosophical needs.

The powerful reach of merchandising through narratives is extensive. It provides the client with a multi-dimensional experience through many senses. While the online stores may provide cheaper deals and product choices, they lack the multi-dimensional experience a fantastic merchandising strategy can provide.

The by-product of narratives and themes start with language and signs. Language will trigger an on flow of product styling concepts around the store encouraging the clients to experience the store like a playground of dreams and aspirations.

When products are styled with a theme in mind, clients can form their own personal journeys, paving a connection between self and products through emotional passages meaningful to them. These passages may be enhanced memories brought on by nostalgia or it can arrive as an inspired vision of the future.

The experience of narrative merchandising is made even more powerful when the client engages with the product. It is at this point that the client reasons whether the consumption is justifiable. This is also the moment when sparks may be ignited creating a sense of ownership and inspiring possession.

This is a fulfilling way to contextualize consumption for the new consumer. They are no longer buying a product but actively engaging with a multi-dimensional shopping experience, narrative being the facilitator, stories being the enrichment.

Clever merchandising and marketing through narratives and themes is no longer a restricted field for the mega brands. While small businesses may be restricted by the usual confines of budget and cash flow issues, what makes them so dynamic is their size. It is precisely because they are small that enables them to manipulate their look and feel at lightning speed.

Small businesses can change their windows and merchandising style regularly creating new and exciting themes with a mix of products and prop styling. How effective the merchandising would work in the store is only limited to the imagination and hard work put in.

Themes chosen for merchandising have to form a connection with respective clients. Work out what kinds of clients you have and what values they find important, and employ language and story boards that they can relate to.

Expenses accrued from these merchandising exercises should be factored into the operation or marketing costs of the retail business. Whether you like it or not, you will have to work twice as hard to inspire your consumer to spend with you. It is also a realistic and attainable way to promote your business and generate leads and traffic. Remember, keeping merchandising fun and relevant is the key to unlocking your client’s desire to spend.

Our Guest Writer | Roderick Ng
Director at Australian Luxury Fashion, Bridal & Lifestyle brand, Master/slave. They were featured in over 35 Magazines, television shows and multi-media platforms in Australia. You can visit their glamorous website: www.weddingsbymasterslave.com.au

Thousands of new small businesses are started in Australia every year. Many new business starters have invented something, or started an online business or have licensed a product forAustralia. You may also be setting up a consultant business or a shop.

Once you have worked out what the business is going to do and who you are targeting to purchase your product or service, then you have to make your potential customers aware of the business and know where to find you. If you haven’t had any previous experience at marketing, this can be a daunting experience.

Of course the first thing you should do is get online. Create a website. Sign up to social networking sites.   Start a blog and update your website frequently. Check out other websites and see if you can organise reciprocal links. Be as active as you can as this should create awareness for your business and may increase sales. But it may not work for everyone.

If you don’t have money for regular and frequent advertising, which is what is needed to get results, what else can you do?

If the target market for your business is local then your PR will need to be more focused but you can still do PR. Target local media – radio, press, possibly even regional TV.  You can be a local business and generate national publicity by putting yourself out there as an ‘expert’ on certain topics. 

If the business sells products or services via a website which delivers nationally, or it is available in stores nationally, then PR may be the way to go.  It can create a much bigger bang for your buck than traditional advertising.

Now we have to talk about the unmentionable. Money. For most start ups, paying a PR agency a minimum of $2-3000 per month for 3, 6 or even 12 months is out of reach. The budget just won’t extend that far. But you still need to let potential customers know where to find you or your products!

Editorial endorsement of a product can make a huge difference to sales. It is not as daunting as it sounds. It basically consists of thinking of a newsworthy ‘angle’ for the business. There is always something that business owners believe makes your product or service stand out from the crowd. You can use this to create a great media angle.

Imagine you are talking to someone and describing your product or service, you would definitely cover off the major points and that’s what the media release has to do. Get the journalist’s attention and then explain the story behind it. 

Once you have a great media release, you just need to send it to the relevant journalists. Most media outlets have your details online or you can be found via a phone call.

In the search of publicity, people can also subscribe to free newsletters which notify you by of journalists who are looking for specific types of people to interview. If you or your business fits the bill then all you need do is reply.

One of the drawbacks of publicity is that there is often a time lag between starting to let the media know and when the stories start to appear. Businesses need to persevere! Most magazine journalists work in advance, often by a month or two, so even if you put a story in the issue you are currently working on, it will still take some time for it to appear. Daily newspapers won’t be like this though.

Of course, if you contact daily newspapers, radio and TV producers then you can get a much faster turnaround, and often a bigger response. Make sure that the story will fit into the program you produce before contacting them. And be ready for the producer to say they want you on air later that day or week if you say yes!

Getting publicity for small business isn’t always easy. But it’s certainly not rocket science and a few great editorial hits will prove its worth in no time!

For more on how we can assist your business or new idea, you can connect with us at http://www.TheMarketingManager.com.au

Cons:
It takes time. Content needs to be generated, and your online audience expects swift responses and a smooth transactional process from your business. A good test of your readiness for social media is how long it takes you currently to respond to an email query to your website. If it takes longer than a day, you’re not ready yet.

Social media doesn’t replace marketing strategy. Social media tools aren’t built to create productive customers on their own. Ultimately, it comes down to your business and marketing strategy, to help convert your social media community into business customers. Don’t confuse the difference between your online community and your marketplace.

Employ the right talent. Social media requires engaging content and should not be left to the “guys in IT.” Make sure your PR/marketing people are fully utilised to generate new and exciting content relevant to your online audience.

Surrendering control isn’t easy. Social media involves opening up your business to the outside world, and the feedback isn’t always positive. Not everything should be dealt with online; for example an invoice query shouldn’t be discussed on Twitter. On the plus side, critics can be turned into your biggest promoters by engaging with them and addressing their concerns.

Return on investment is long term. Like a traditional PR campaign, the return on investment for engaging in social media is difficult to measure as the impact will be felt over the medium to long term. However, it is possible to measure social media feedback through such sites as SocialMention.com, Search.twitter.com or NutShellMail.com.

The Pros:

Social media gives your business a new voice. It’s hard to compete with social media when it comes to building a personality for your brand. Used properly, social media can enhance relationships and boost your reputation in the online and offline worlds. Remember though, it’s not all about you – social media involves sharing much more than simply promoting.

Reach new markets. For old-timers, social media can appear bewildering. But as we know, today’s youth will soon become tomorrow’s power generation. Social media can open up new audiences, as potentially the world is the audience for your blog, Facebook page or YouTube video.

Improved customer feedback. You may not like it, but social media gives you free feedback on your business. Use it to improve your products and services, thereby enhancing your reputation and growing market share.
Social media bypasses intermediaries. Send out a media release or organise an interview, and your message will be filtered by the publisher or journalist. Social media gives you a direct voice to your customers, with no intermediaries to block the message.

Social media gives you flexibility. If your business is suited to videos, use YouTube. If writing is your forte, get blogging with WordPress. If you’re in retail, check out what your customers are saying on Foursquare. And with the spread of smartphones, there’s plenty of potential for you to be spreading the word while waiting at the bus stop or at the supermarket checkout counter!

These are just some of the many benefits of social media. But rather than jumping in at the deep end, dip your toes in the water first by spending some time gaining familiarity as an individual user with Twitter, YouTube, Facebook and LinkedIn. Learn how it works, and make sure your website, ecommerce and other internal processes are organised properly to allow for smooth transactions with your new, online customers. Who said dancing wasn’t meant to be easy?

About The Guest Writer | Anthony Fensom

Having worked for more than a decade in the financial and media industries in Australia and Asia, Anthony is an experienced practitioner in strategic media and investor relations and has consulted to a range of ASX-listed companies along with professional services and smaller businesses. As a former Tokyo-based journalist he has a keen interest in improving Australia-Japan relations, and in helping Australian businesses improve their engagement with Asia and the world.

For more information about Social Media, you can connect with The Marketing Manager at www.TheMarketingManager.com.au

To secure any sale, the customer needs to believe in your business. They need to believe that giving you their hard earned money is a good idea. And while your smile and charm might get your foot in the door, they need to believe that you have the corporate strength to deliver; today, tomorrow and next year.

Luckily for the small business owner, perception is reality. Look at the frill neck lizard. The frill neck lizard is relatively small in stature, giving it the flexibly and freedom to move quickly and go where its larger counterparts can not. However, when required it will fair its frills to give the perception of being larger than it actually is. Your company must be a frill neck lizard.
Your ability to make decisions quickly and work closely with your customers is your strengths. But to have your customers believe in your business they will need to perceive you as a real player. To achieve this, work on the big five frills:

Communication
First impressions last. So do the second, third and fifteenth. No matter what, always communicate to your customers with respect. Answering the phone with “hello” says you don’t care. “Thank you for calling (Business Name), David speaking” shows professionalism. This is not a white vs blue collar issue. You don’t know who is on the other side of the phone, so best to assume it is a member of the royal family. The same applies for your email signature, letterhead and voice mail. Perhaps even consider spending that extra $50 for decent business cards.

Presentation
If you wear uniforms, make sure they are consistent and clean. If you don’t, make sure your attire matches the expectation of your audience. This won’t always be a suit and tie, but more often than not it will not be your most ‘comfortable’ board shorts and a tee. Invest in some cologne, get a hair cut and avoid slang. Your customer has five senses; try to impress them all (or at least not to offend any).

Case Studies & Awards
Done a good job? Tell the world about it. Use customer testimonials in your marketing and on your website. Enter industry competitions. Someone else saying how great you are always carries a lot more weight than you saying it about yourself. Systems From quoting through to invoicing, your internal system will inevitably result in how you are perceived by your customers. Anything hand written should be followed up with an email. If you provide a timeline, meet it (even if it means under promising and over delivering). Most importantly, keep records and keep them clean.

Online Presence
We live in an age where a 28 year old virgin can start a blog from their parent’s basement and capture an audience of millions. The internet is the ultimate frill. A website is cheap and easy to maintain. Keep it clean, to the point and easy to navigate around. Engage your audience with social media. Don’t always try to sell, but aim to educate or entertain your market. If they get value from it, they will pass it on. Remember, someone else saying how great you are, is better than saying it about yourself.

About The Guest Writer
David Madigan (BCom & MMark) has extensive experience with Project & Product Management. “I am a big travel fan; I have worked in London, run with the bulls in Spain, been diving in Egypt, partied in Vegas, attended the dawn service in Gallipoli and had an amateur Muay Thai fight in Thailand (to name a few highlights).”

After receiving an invitation to attend a marketing seminar, I was keen to take my assistant and hear about the ‘in’ and ‘outs’ of what another professional has got to say about marketing and getting more ideas. Well, we went, because the email stated it was informative and a bit on guiding businesses the right direction.
I heard about him through another friend, so it was more to see what this guy really had to say. I haven’t read the book he’s written, and it’s a “seller” (apparently).

Three hours of the seminar consisted of bragging about what everyone had mentioned in the papers and or recommended about them, three hours of boasting how great they really are.

Same stuff that was in an email that I had ignored was in front of me again.

The “seminar” turned out to be like the commercials we watch on late-night TV that you really can’t bare to hear another repeated sentence. We decided to watch people start exiting the event hall as the presenter went on and on…. “but wait there’s more”…

One piece of advice left for those people who hold a seminar and promise to give advice about “how to” style marketing tactics but end up being about selling their own process for 2000$: it’s low and lost credibility – it was obvious at people walking out. Didn’t look good while I watched the interruption as people got up and left.

So we left with the confusion at what their intent initially was, and the outcome. False advertising? Hmmm.

I would rather not waste my time to attend these types of seminars.

For the privacy of the person, I have not revealed the title or seminar topic. We can always learn and teach others not to make the same mistake