Casual Living

Cindy Cragg

Engaging the Customer
October 7, 2008

Well, I'm back and the "Williamsburg Festival" at Pine Tree Barn was a huge success!! This is the third year that I have been a part of the festival and with the economy such as it is we were all braced for a potentially slow weekend. When Saturday proved to be a record-breaking day, both in terms of attendance and sales, it got me thinking about what made this festival so successful.  

The moment you get out of your car, you know you are in for an experience. Every retailer at this event is dressed in colonial garb and demonstrating their trade. There are weavers, painters, candle makers, potters – just to name a few- and at each tent adults and children alike are enticed to participate in the activity. Not only is it entertaining and educational but it also encourages sales by engaging the customer.

While, at a glance, the differences between retailing at a Colonial-themed festival versus a casual-living storefront might seem vast, but there are lessons to be learned here (and I’m not suggesting you have to dress in costume!). Make sure your customers are able to EXPERIENCE your products. Allow your retail space to be very tactile. Encourage customers to sit on the furniture, fluff up the pillows, open the drawers or ring the wind chimes.

More and more, the phrase "engage the customer" refers to multi-media engagement like blogging and interactive retailing. This weekend I was reminded of one of the easiest and most rudimentary meanings and you know what… it works!

Posted by Cindy Cragg on October 7, 2008 | Comments (0)