Whether traveling for work or play – or even both – there are a variety of ways to help capture customer attention for those on-the-go. Among them include the three tips below to help support traveling customers.
Tip #1: Offer Customers Personalization
Who doesn’t like a little TLC? This is particularly the case for customers who are already away from home and hoping to experience some memorable moments during their travels. To help support this, stores targeting tourist customers can introduce name-drop items to their inventory to add value to their store assortment and sales. Name-drop items – which are items that feature individual names or the name of your demographic area, destination location, etc.– provide customers the chance to connect themselves more individually to store inventory while also making the perfect excuse for an impulse purchase or souvenir buy.
Another way to deliver personalized experiences for customers is through customer service, which – quite simply – never goes out of style. Offer a refreshing drink to customers who come into your store, provide comfortable chairs for shoppers who prefer to wait for their friends or family to stroll your store and go above and beyond to deliver outstanding customer care to help offer this TLC. It’s these seemingly simple yet often overlooked strategies that truly separate the best stores from others.
Tip #2: Consider What Your Customers Want AND Need
Out-of-town customers like to shop for leisure, but they also have to shop for needs. Whether it’s because they forgot to pack a sweatshirt and it’s unexpectedly cool outside or they need last-minute toiletries, consider how you can stock your store to support customers beyond their travel wants but also their needs, as well. The International Gift & Expositions Show (IGES) in Tennessee provides a variety of items to support travel customers with both of these factors in mind. Learn more about the IGES show here.
Tip #3: Train Your Employees to Ask Tourist Focused Questions
Want to know one of the best kept secrets in retail? Ask questions.
Yep, it really can be that simple.
In other words, engage in conversation to learn more about your customers. But don’t do so in a generic way but rather a thoughtful way that encourages your customers to want to share more about their travels. Where are they from, for example? Why are they in town? What plans do they have? Are there any questions they have about their current travels? Are they shopping for any gifts? Is there a specific certain something they hope to find while visiting your store?
Understanding your customers provides the opportunity for your team to better support them… plus, it gives them the chance to make their shopping experience more memorable. Just be sure these same employees understand customer cues who prefer not to have small talk and prefer to shop without conversation.
Finally, aim to remember that when supporting travel customers you have the opportunity to stay in touch with them even if they aren’t sure when they’ll see you again. Share your social media contact details, encourage customers to check-in via social media and ask them to give you a Yelp or other online review to help boost your store visibility. In exchange, offer to provide an immediate discount, gift with purchase or other gesture to show your appreciation.
Be sure to visit IGES in Tennessee to stock your store shelves with travel customers’ needs and wants! Learn more at iges.us now.
By Nicole Leinbach Reyhle
