Businesses lose $75 billion over poor customer service every year.

With the retail industry going through a massive shift, store owners must now come up with innovative models that find new ways to connect with the consumer.

Although many think traditional brick-and-mortar stores are becoming a thing of the past, research says otherwise. Over half of consumers say that their most recent and memorable shopping experience that they really enjoyed took place in a physical store.

This means that there’s still huge potential and money to be made in retail.

But, in order to be successful, you need to know how to redefine the customer experience.

This is exactly what we’re talking about in today’s article. 👇

In today’s age, emotion drives consumer behavior more than anything else.

So creating a unique experience that fosters positive feelings and connection is key to building strong customer loyalty.

But how do you go about doing this?

Let’s take a look at the 3 most important aspects you should consider:

Did you know that 80% of consumers are more likely to purchase from a brand that offers a personalized experience?

In fact, 77% of consumers will also pay more, recommend your company, and choose it over your competitors if you’re willing to put in the effort of making their interaction with your brand more personal and exclusive.

So make sure you’re using technology to gather relevant data on all your customers. Recognize them by name, send them targeted messages, and recommend products based on their past purchases and shopping patterns.

89% of consumers switch to a competitor following a poor customer experience.

If you want to build a positive reputation for your brand, you need excellent customer service. Your staff needs to be attentive, engaging, and great problem solvers. But, most importantly, they need to be happy and satisfied with their jobs.

Their attitude towards you as a company is bound to reflect in each and every interaction they have with a client. Think about it like this, if they don’t feel valued and appreciated, how are they going to make your prospects feel this way?

It’s also important that they receive training on how to better relate to customers. Nobody likes a salesman approach when they’re shopping, but instead, customers welcome guidance, consulting or friendly advice that they feel is in their best interest.

Even if you’re doing everything right, you might not be getting as many returning customers as you’d like for one simple reason:

You’re not memorable to them.

Part of creating a unique in-store experience is making sure that the encounter each prospect has with your brand sticks in their mind.

A foolproof way of making your retail experience memorable is through multi-sensory marketing.

Multi-sensory marketing basically boils down to not only engaging all five senses for your customers, but also finding the right combinations between sound, smell, and visuals that elicit a specific reaction in them and drives them to buy more.

Here are a few ideas to get you started:

• Make sure your store’s layout is well-designed and the entire space looks inviting
• Choose colors wisely and use them to tell a story
• Make it easy for prospects to feel and touch the products that are showcased
• Use scents that are proven to boost sales in a retail setting (like cotton or vanilla)
• Play background music that your customers love
• Create a signature sound for your brand that reflects your core values
• Use feedback from your store’s visitors to refine your methods

If you want to learn more about doing retail marketing right, check out Storeplay Radio and let’s start creating an in-store experience that drives more sales and traffic for your brand.