Linking POS to wider marketing
Tony Best, managing director of retail design specialist The Attic Room, talks about how point of sale (POS) can be a key driver in boosting customer spending.
Retail design agencies consider getting the POS right in-store to be more important compared than any above the line advertising.
Over the last five years POS has moved on from just being a basic card structure. It has stepped up a gear and become much more edgy and forward thinking promoting both current and new brands.
The progression of print processes, new materials and technology, all much more affordable now, allows the designers to produce more innovative and creative ideas which in turn offer the brands more variety and opportunities in-store.
Once a new brand has been launched, it is imperative to get the POS right in-store; otherwise there will be no return on investment to the advertising campaign. So, it is therefore vital that the retail design agency ensures that the same messages now come alive and stand out amongst the other brands in store. This can be delivered using a strong team that includes designers, project managers and good quality manufacturing team maximizing sales.
Temporary POS is vital in today’s market place as the pace of change in retail is fast due to the amount of time a product will stay in store for. Consumers have a mind set for a fast change around and seeing new products in the market place on a continuous basis is second nature to them. So it is up to the retail designers to make sure that their client’s brands are the ones that jump out at the customer.
There are number of factors to consider when starting the design process through to installation to help achieve strong presence in-store and to maximise the exposure for the product and brand.
To ensure the messages stands out, it is essential that the designers behind the POS encourage the brands to use new materials and new technologies to complement existing styles. The consumer must be stimulated by fresh, new looks and interesting POS to tempt them to make a purchase.
The use of technology is an excellent example of where retail designers can encourage more interaction between the consumer and the brand at the first point of contact, increasing the ease to purchase the product. In recent times, the use of technology in POS has become much more cost-effective and creates the opportunity to link this back into the advertising, press and overall marketing objectives.
