Yesterday we discussed some of the ways retailers can attract consumers to their stores, but when you have them in store, what happens next?

Keeping shoppers engaged is just as vital as getting them in the door, and there’s a few different avenues retailers can explore to do this. Here are some examples.

Use Brand Ambassadors to Educate and Engage the Consumer

Let’s face it, everyone loves an experience in-store, but there’s less and less of them available. Yet data demonstrates that using brand ambassadors to engage consumers is very effective.

Research suggests that by placing your brand ambassadors close to points of purchase you increase your chance of driving sales of that product. In fact, 35% of consumers who sample a product will buy that product in the same shopping trip. If you think about it, it makes a great deal of sense; if the consumer enjoyed the product and it’s still fresh in their mind, they’re likely to purchase that product there and then.

And if you want to really double down on engagement, you can also run a promotion on that product so that when they do see that item, there’s a much higher chance they’ll buy.

It’s a great tool for brands too as it raises awareness of them and their products, and if you do that, everyone wins.

Get Experts In Store and Capitalise on Active Selling

Using product experts to actively sell certain items is an excellent way for retailers to keep their shoppers engaged.

It is absolutely right for retailers to use promotional offers and deals to drive more sales. However, if the consumer was armed with a little more information, they may gravitate towards a more suitable purchase that is not on offer because, in long run, it offers better value for money.

Active selling is a great way to encourage this. In places like tech and fashion in particular, having someone with expertise in certain brands or products can make active selling beneficial for all parties. Consumers can ask these experts questions about the products, and the experts in turn can take them through various options that are suitable to their circumstances. Not only does this engage the consumer, but it also elevates the shopping experience, because it tailors a purchase to an individual.

Offers and deals that use eye popping POS or sit on end caps are good, but when it comes to some big-ticket items, sometimes a little extra attention goes a long way for consumer, brand and retailer.

Partnering with Direct to Consumer Companies Can Elevate the Shopping Experience

The rise of DTC companies over the last five years has been tremendous, with many companies dispensing with retailer product placement altogether.

But in recent times, DTC companies have partnered with retailers to produce excellent results. In the US, Walmart recently partnered with SmileDirectClub to offer a brand new range of dental hygiene products that are only available in Walmart stores and not for sale through the brand’s normal DTC model.

The scope for how this can increase engagement is stores is huge. By showcasing their brand in a retail outlet, DTC brands automatically engage the consumer because they now have access to products that are unavailable elsewhere. It’s a big move, but it’s one that’s sure to pay dividends, blending online, offline, innovative and traditional models to give consumers the experience of a product they may otherwise have overlooked.

This is just the tip of the iceberg. Each of these tactics are a great way for retailers to increase consumer engagement, and it also offers brands a brilliant opportunity to showcase what their product offer over that of competitors. Keeping shoppers engaged using any of these tactics is, in our experience, a win for everyone involved.

If you’d like to hear more about the services mentioned here, get in touch. If you’d like more content that talks about the future of retail, keep an eye on our LinkedIn page as we continue to talk about this, and more, throughout July.