Gloom and doom. It’s what sells so it’s what the media reports. It’s what people love to gnaw over around the water cooler and p*ss and moan about. How stupid can the government be? Have you heard about that resale shop that closed and took all the money? And Who knows if I’ll have a job tomorrow and who can’t afford to buy a house and on and on. (Keep reading, we’ll get to the piggy banks soon.)
No wonder that your customers, the few who manage to get up the enthusiasm to come shopping, are down and gloomy. And if YOU, as a retail shopkeeper, buy into the doom-and-gloom, what are you offering these poor beleaguered souls? More of the same. It’s a truth you need to have posted in your brain:
Doom and gloom SCARES people, and scared people don’t shop.
So do what you need to do to create an oasis of good feeling and ease in your shop. Sound, scent, sight, AND FOR HEAVEN’S SAKE, do not talk trouble and strife. And if a customer starts to, derail her.
You can change your customer’s focus by saying something as simple as “But, you’re smart… to shop here and save…” while handing her a piggy bank. Who can be gloomy around a fat little pig? Pretty soon, you’ll be known as “the piggy bank store”… heck, you could even advertise:
Feeling blue about your budget? Come let our Piggy-Bank-Approved goodies cheer you up. We’ll even GIVE you a piggy bank to stash your savings in!
Can’t “afford” to give away a $1 piggy bank? (I’ll leave the lecture about you-can’t-afford-not-to for later!) Give your clientele a reason to feel good, whether it’s a peppermint, upbeat music, or a smile. Give them as many reasons as you CAN, every day and in every way.
BAN DOLDRUMS within your shop.
Wear red. Bustle about as if you can’t WAIT to have fun with her. Play bouncy music. Post positive messages on your social media. Soon, you’ll have people coming in just to feel good. And what do people do, when they feel good? They shop!
