SIRS
Webinar:
Building Your Value Position in a Down
Economy
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Wednesday, April
15th, Noon (EST)
Register
Today!
SIRS has been tracking
Value for over 20 years - what it means to
shoppers and what retailers need to do to
improve it
- from
the Shopper's viewpoint and thru POS/Frequent
Shopper Data
Analysis.
Recently -
within the past 6 months - there's been a major
shift among consumers that's causing a lot of
problems. Today, more time-starved and
skeptical consumers are looking for ways to get
more Value for their dollar. In fact, how
they define Value has changed. Likewise,
retailers are attempting to fine tune their Value
Proposition. Some have succeeded . . .
others haven't. There are 10 factors that
explain this shift and identify what retailers
need to focus on in this down economy. They
define the most important elements needed to be
evaluated to maximize ROI on a Retailer's Value
Equation.
This Webinar will
cover:
· The most important elements
that need to be evaluated to maximize ROI on a
your Value Equation
· Examples of what the
most successful merchants are doing to capitalize
on what might be called the Shopper's New Value
Equation
Presenters:
Bill
Welch, President, SIRS
Chris Ohlinger, CEO,
SIRS
Register
Today!
As a thank you for participating, you
will be entered to win a $100 gift card to
the retailer/restaurant of your choice, or a
donation of $100 to the charity of your
choice!
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Value
Communication: Top 10 Value Building
Factors
|
Enclosed is the THIRD of FOUR articles
of SIRS Shopper Insights & Retail
Solutions. These articles will take you
through 10 Factors that some of the most
successful merchants have focused on to adjust to
today's new Shopping Value Equation caused by a
seismic shift in consumer demands and expectations
resulting from the current economic
upheaval. They also happen to be some
of the most common areas where merchants who DON'T
get credit for Value fall down.
TOP 10 MOST IMPORTANT VALUE DRIVERS:
KEY FACTOR #8 - COMMUNICATION
STRATEGIC AREA: VALUE
COMMUNICATION... Clear, Important, Credible,
Differentiating, Engaging & Memorable Message
Communication - Broad-based thru Digital to
In-Store
Sales changes are a
poor barometer for whether your customer and
employee communication is working. But
several measurable factors can determine whether
you are EFFECTIVELY COMMUNICATING messages
important to your potential customers . . . and,
if not, WHY NOT.
The most
successful merchants in creating an effective
Value appeal have developed a clear, important,
credible, differentiating, engaging &
memorable message known and understood by at least
40% of the targeted shoppers in their trade
areas. This communication is consistently carried
through from their Broad-Based Advertising thru
Digital Communications to In-Store signage and
support.
Key Factor #8:
Consumer & Associate Communication
Effectiveness: Broad-Based & Targeted
Advertising + Digital + In-Store
Communications.
KEY
QUESTIONS: Several of the Best Value Merchants
regularly assess which specific communication
factors need to be strengthened to better
communicate Value from Creative Content to
Broad-Based
Communication.
Measureable
Diagnostic Attributes That Drive Communication
Success:
* Awareness
* Recall
*
Engagement/Stopping
Power
* Understanding
*
Memorability
* Believability
* Impact
on Your
- Selling
Proposition
- Brand Strength
-
Shopper
Behavior
But shoppers are not
the only key communication target for Value
retailers. These messages are also
understood, believed and supported by a majority
of Store Associates who come into contact with
shoppers. Employees play a huge role in
communicating value to shoppers. If your employees
don't believe in your Value Proposition claims,
consumers won't either. The best
retailers communicate effectively with their
store teams to insure that their value message is
being supported. And it should be much
easier and cheaper to convince your employees than
shoppers.
Are your other stakeholders
- store associates in particular - aware of your
goals & how they can better contribute to and
reinforce them? How are they helping your
stores communicate your Value Message to shoppers?
COMPARE
YOURSELF:
HOW EFFECTIVE IS YOUR VALUE APPEAL TO TODAY'S
SHOPPERS?
The survey link below
contains questions that can allow you to
identify how well your stores are creating an
effective "Value" appeal to today's shoppers
compared to some of the most successful value
driven merchants. More importantly, your answers
can help identify what areas you need to address
to improve your Value Position at a time when
doing so is critical.
Please take a few moments to
answer these questions. As a follow up, we will
share with you how your responses compare to some
of the most successful Value Merchants & how
these comparisons identify where your efforts need
to be focused. We will treat your input with the
utmost confidentiality - our reputation depends on
it.
|
 Around the World of
Retailing:
Jenners
- Edinburgh,
Scotland
|
 JENNERS: Where the
Queen Mum Shops
In its third century of retailing, one of
Britain's oldest department stores, now under the
ownership of House of Fraser, (which sounds much
more legitimate than being owned by Enron or
China's Quality Control Board) has maintained its
original location on Princes Street, Edinburgh,
since 1838. And who can blame them.
This has to be one of the most spectacular views
in the world - especially if you're a Queen.
Because it looks directly at the most beautifully
spectacular castle in the world - Edinburgh
Castle, the "Castle of Castles" as it is called,
perched high atop Mt. Castle Rock overlooking
Edinburgh. And when your family use to live
there - and the store is located on Princes
Street, the Queen has to be at least a little bit
nostalgic. But this is not why she shops at
Jenners.
This magnificent Jenner's building
is home to over one hundred different departments,
selling everything from international designer
fashion to locally crafted Scottish goods. Jenners
has gained a world-wide reputation for selling the
finest contemporary merchandise with traditional,
first-class customer service.
In a building
that is now over l00 years old, you should not be
surprised to see designer names like Armani, DKNY,
Moschino and Paul Smith, exclusive names from the
perfumery houses of the world, the most sought
after toys, and the most delicious Scottish
fare.
But they lie well in a store that, in
its third century of trading, has retained its
enviable reputation for quality and
style.
Jenners in Edinburgh is
thriving in its third century of trading. A
lengthy refurbishment programme culminates in the
unveiling of dramatic new windows along Princes
Street, all returned to their original 1895
splendour.
|
Smilers...thoughts to make you smile from
SIRS Back to
Top
|
|
The Ten Commandments Of
Employment
If it rings, put it on
hold.
If it clunks, call the repairman.
If
it whistles, ignore it.
If it's a friend, stop
work and chat.
If it's the boss, look
busy.
If it talks, take
notes.
If it's handwritten, type it.
If it's typed, copy
it.
If it's copied, file
it.
If it's Friday, forget
it!
|
Inspirations...thoughts to inspire you from
SIRS Back to
Top
|
"What I know is, is that if you do work that
you love, and the work fulfills you, the rest will
come." - Oprah Winfrey, Talk Show Host and
Business
Woman
|
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| For more information on
these articles, please email sjobedye@sirsinc.com |
|
TRUE STORY
No one can make you serve
customers well. That's because
great service is a choice.
In San
Francisco, when a cab pulled up, the first thing I
noticed was that the taxi was polished to a bright
shine. Smartly dressed in a white shirt, black
tie, and freshly pressed black slacks, the cab
driver jumped out and rounded the car to open the
back passenger door for me.
He handed
me a laminated card and said: 'I'm Wally, your
driver.. While I'm loading your bags in the trunk
I'd like you to read my mission
statement.'
Taken aback, I read the
card. It said: Wally's Mission Statement: To
get my customers to their destination in the
quickest, safest and cheapest way possible in a
friendly environment.
This blew me
away. Especially when I noticed that the inside of
the cab matched the outside. Spotlessly
clean!
As Wally slid behind the
wheel, he said, 'Would you like a cup of coffee? I
have a thermos of regular and one of
decaf.'
I said jokingly, 'No, I'd
prefer a soft drink.'
Wally smiled
and said, 'No problem. I have a cooler up front
with regular and Diet Coke, water and orange
juice.'
Almost stuttering, I said, 'I'll
take a Diet Coke.'
Handing me the drink,
Wally said, 'If you'd like something to read, I
have The Wall Street Journal, Time, Sports
Illustrated and USA Today.'
As we were
pulling away, Wally handed me another laminated
card, 'These are the stations I get and the music
they play, if you'd like to listen to the
radio.'
And as if that weren't enough,
Wally told me that he had the air conditioning on
and asked if the temperature was comfortable for
me.
Then he advised me of the best route to
his destination for that time of day. He also let
me know that he'd be happy to chat and tell me
about some of the sights or, if I preferred, to
leave me with my own thoughts.
'Tell
me, Wally,' I asked the driver, 'have you always
served customers like this?'
Wally
smiled into the rear view mirror. 'No, not always.
In fact, it's only been in the last two years. My
first five years driving, I spent most of my time
complaining like all the rest of the cabbies do.
'I take it that it's paid off for
you,' I said.
'It sure has,' Wally
replied. 'My first year, I doubled my income from
the previous year. This year, I'll probably
quadruple it. You were lucky to get me today. I
don't sit at cabstands anymore. My customers call
me for appointments on my cell phone or leave a
message on my answering machine. If I can't pick
them up myself, I get a reliable cabbie friend to
do it and I take a piece of the
action.'
Wally was phenomenal. He was
running a NEW SERVICE - a limo service out of a
Yellow Cab.
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