When you do this research, be prepared to learn that your current positioning is outdated, as consumers are a dynamic force. The purpose of branding research is to make sure that a store and its customers share a point of view.
Customer perceptions may be examined through focus groups or other direct contact, where leading questions are posed. Your brand strategy has to answer the question in a way that empowers the customer to achieve their lifestyle goals with the home furnishings products you are selling – in a retail environment that is welcoming, helpful, inspirational, and enjoyable to be in.īranding research is a helpful tool for uncovering your target customer’s point of view. Your retail brand needs to be relevant to your target audience, and encourage consumer loyalty in a hyper-competitive selling environment. Who among us can resist sidling up to the Genius Bar? From its innovative name to the airy, glass and natural wood-filled retail space, the happy, trained store personnel and great products, Apple stores just make you want to be there. Witness technology as cool, universally appealing, and accessible. Walk into an Apple computer store and you experience firsthand the power of effective brand positioning. Does your positioning statement reflect the consumer’s goal? Wrong answer! Another perspective is needed: Consumers purchase home furnishings to enhance the way they live. Price, value, and selection, they all say. Survey furniture retailers and you’ll be amazed to learn how introspective the majority are when they respond to the question. It begs the question: what is your store’s reason for being? Check your response by putting yourself in your customer’s shoes. If brand identity expresses the store’s DNA, then brand positioning might be thought of as the target customer’s interpretation of that identity. Today, that not only includes the retailer on the other side of town, but also the online offerings from polished lifestyle purveyors like William Sonoma Home, Restoration Hardware, Crate and Barrel, etc. Think of your favorite football teams’ winning plays – these are the results of maneuvers planned well before players ever stepped onto the field.īrand positioning is defined by the specific ways your store is perceived, in the context of your store’s competitive framework. Brand strategy affects everything a store does, and defining yours is worth the time invested. Harnessing brand power for positive results requires sound strategic thinking. By helping the customer understand what makes your store stand out from the crowd, you create the brand power needed to attract and drive retail traffic, and stimulate sales.īrand identity work represents a first step in the branding process. Then we discussed using that information to create strong brand identities.īrand identity is the outward expression of what companies stand for, and is critical to creating a potent brand presence in the marketplace it serves. In the October/November issue of FURNITURE WORLD Magazine, we talked about uncovering what makes retail stores unique, that is, the process of identifying a store’s DNA. Part 2: Now that you’ve uncovered your store’s essence, what next?
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