Sales strategies for specialty retailers

by habiba_abudu | April 16, 2019 9:31 pm

By Ted Lawrence

[1]

A piece of advice from the author, which applies to any business, is to devote a fair amount of time “on” one’s business as “in” it. Although simple by design, it is critical to identify the difference between the two, which acts as a constant reminder of what one needs to focus on accomplishing each day.

Yes, customers need to be taken care of, products are to be ordered, and bills must be paid; all these are items “in” the business. Creating marketing plans, data analysis, and sourcing new products are items “on” the business. It is relatively easy to concentrate on items “in” the business as that is what one aims to accomplish day-after-day. The art lies in shifting one’s focus from this aspect of the work and thinking about how the consumer views the business and make changes accordingly. This lesson not only impacts one’s business, but also the consumer and their overall experience.

Fast and easy products in sales

It is important to understand that not all consumers make rational purchases. There are various reasons why they may choose certain products—based on impulse, necessity, or desire. Among the many reasons, there is one segment of products the author refers to as “Fast and Easy.” Consumers buy these items because they improve the speed and efficiency of a chore and allow them more time to pursue what they enjoy.

Automated products are some of the fastest-growing items in the home lifestyle category. For example, the Roomba is a robot that vacuums floors.
A smart product, it can avoid obstacles such as stairs, furniture, and children’s toys and even returns to its charging base to recharge until it is time to clean again. The device may appear silly to some who question the time it takes to complete a task. Others, typically those in the affluent demographic, look at this as a way of not spending too much time working “in” the house, rather “on” leisure activities, such as soaking in a hot tub or swimming in their pool.

This is one of the main reasons automation sales have skyrocketed in the past few years. In the pool business, robotic cleaners service a similar consumer, one who wants to make life easier by automating mundane household chores. Vacuuming the pool is one such task most would want to avoid tackling every week. Like the Roomba, these robots, too, do a remarkable job cleaning the bottom of a pool, perhaps even better than the homeowner. One can argue that every pool and outdoor living store must offer automation and cleaning products. Even if a consumer does not want or cannot afford a robotic pool cleaner, the fact remains, they are looking for ways to simplify and decrease chores. Devices such as pressure or suction side cleaners are as popular as before, so one must not lose sight of these items as they are still in the market and allow the consumer to spend more time “in” the pool rather than “on” it.

Automation is the key for sales

In modern home design, there are apps to automate almost everything. Consumers want to be able to turn lights on and off in their homes, set thermostat temperatures, and even open front doors/garages using these apps. They especially love the idea of being able to check the status of their homes via a plethora of cameras on their property as well as speak to the person who is delivering a package to their front door. In the backyard too, consumers are expecting businesses to develop products which allow them to control certain features, certainly the pool. One may have seen these devices at a pool show, or probably heard about them from a marketing representative calling on the business. The latest industry survey states 85 per cent of consumers want automation in their pools. The important question remains, what is the business offering? Are the products being offered up to date with what is available in the market?

“On” or “in” the pool for sales

There are tons of products a business can offer that appeal to the above-mentioned target consumers. These items can be categorized into two groups—“on” and “in” the pool. “On” the pool includes devices that take the chore out of owning a pool, whereas “in” the pool comprises items that allow consumers to relax as a result of the time saved by using those devices.

Some “on” the pool products a business can offer to make the customer’s life simpler so they enjoy the backyard more include:

• Automated devices that take away the regular “chore” items from pool maintenance;
• Robotic pool cleaners;
• Pool automation control devices from a smartphone or smartwatch;
• Chlorine generators or supplemental sanitation devices (these products still need a weekly maintenance chemical program);
• Safety devices such as pool alarms and gate alarms; and
• Efficiency items, such as light-emitting diodes (LEDs), heat pumps, and variable-speed pumps (VSPs).

“In” the pool items that would allow customers to enjoy their leisure time, include:

• Luxury pool floats and loungers;
• Basketball and other games;
• Learn-to-swim products;
• Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and landscape lighting;
• Pool furniture;
• Outdoor kitchens;
• Warming products such as fireplaces, fire pits, and heaters;
• Zen items such as out-of-the-pool fountains and waterfalls;
• Outdoor television (TV); and
• Outdoor stereo and home theatre systems.

Conclusion

It is imperative to understand every market is different or more progressive than the other, and these products are not farfetched from the original concept of building pools. One’s business needs to evolve into an outdoor retail service, selling more than just a pool—an entire backyard or products that will enhance the customer’s family and home life. Today, the backyard has become more than a mere space; it is now considered a new “room” in the house and consumers want all the conveniences of the inside in their outdoor room, including a kitchen.

Outdoor retail businesses are the future of the industry. One can start today by adding just a few items from the list, beginning with items that complement one’s services. This is the fastest way a retailer can work towards becoming an outdoor destination store.

[2]Ted Lawrence is a global retail specialist with Pool Corp., a wholesale distributor of swimming pool supplies, equipment, and related leisure products in Cleveland, Ohio. He has served the swimming pool industry for more than 20 years and is an authority on retail, sales, and management. Lawrence is a regular seminar presenter at national and international industry events, and participates on several professional retail boards and councils. He is also a member of Pool & Spa Marketing’s Editorial Advisory Committee. He can be reached via e-mail at ted.lawrence@poolcorp.com

Source URL: https://www.poolspamarketing.com/trade/features/sales-strategies-for-specialty-retailers/

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