Do you know the importance of making the right first impression with your customers?
The Power of the First Impression and Why Scaring
Away Customers is So Dangerous to Your Sales
A 60 year old, recently retired woman, wanting to improve her fitness and start walking again, enters your store for the first time and is greeted with a chaotic mess of product that looks like it got merchandised by a tornado. She looks at the counter to find 2 teen aged “employees” buried in their phones who appear about as happy about hiding behind your cash wrap as they would be at the dentist and the music overhead is blasting 90s Death Metal.
Your excited, potentially new, loyal customer turns around and backs out of the store, pretending she meant to enter the mattress store next door. That’s it for her. But not only have you lost that potential customer, you’ve lost any thread of a chance of gaining business from anybody in her family or friend circle. You see, 60 year old retired women spread the word on retail experiences they have...like wildfire! EVERYBODY on her block hears about the amazing stores she visits and EVERYBODY IN TOWN hears about the horrible ones. You’re sunk. No digging out of that hole.
A few tips to remember:
Love at First Sight: In the retail world, first impressions are like a blind date—you’ve got a few seconds to make the customer fall in love. If your store is clean, organized, and has a vibe that says “we’ve got our act together,” you’re halfway to a long-term relationship.
Impulse Buying Magic: The first thing customers see sets the tone for their entire shopping experience. If your store looks inviting and well-stocked, those impulse-buying instincts will kick in. There’s a reason people walk in to Target planning on buying a notebook, but end up leaving with a cart full of merchandise they had no idea they “needed”. Some clear, professional signage that your customers see from the entryway can inspire them immediately to explore more and buy!
Confidence Boost: When customers walk into a store that looks polished and professional, they feel confident that their shopping experience will be smooth. And a confident customer is one that spends money. It’s retail science. Trust me on that.
Avoid the “Walk of Shame”: No one wants to do the awkward “I’m just going to leave now” shuffle out of a store like our 60 year old retiree from earlier. If you nail that first impression, customers won’t even think about leaving—they’ll be too busy filling up their bags with cool new stuff from your store!
So in conclusion, don’t make your first impression on your customers like a bad first date. Keep things clean, inviting and organized as to silently tell your customers, “we’re great people here with awesome product, come on in and take a look!” Make it feel safe and welcoming to all who enter and for the love of retail, don’t scare new customers off with a dated, dare I say, offensive, play list stuck on an ear blasting loop! Your customers (and sales) will thank you!
