Ways,Encourage,Impulse,Purchas marketing 5 Ways to Encourage Impulse Purchases

Automation technologies represent a fundamental aspect of any modern industry. The major types of industrial automation solutions, such as DCS, PLC, SCADA, and MES, are used on a large-scale in process and discrete industries.DCS technologie Awhile ago, I got an email from one of the "gurus" I follow and it shocked me. The gist of it was this person wanted to trade services for a household item.To say it floored me would be an understatement.What was worse was a few days later t

I just bought six square pieces of spongy fabric for $20 andwalked away happy - "victim" of an impulse purchase.I was at one of those big show events and walked past ademonstration booth. I even knew it was coming. About 50% ofthe people walking out were carrying two bright yellowcylinder-things.As we walked toward the convention center, I told Tim (myother half), "There's one of those guys with a microphone inthere, doing a demonstration. He gets people so excited theythink they have to buy those things. They over-pay thennever use them." I said this a bit smugly. I know of suchthings, so I wouldn't succumb.Yeah, right. This guy was good. So good, I came away withfive ideas for increasing sales from impulse purchases. Nexttime you evaluate short-term sales and marketing strategies,think about and apply these five impulse purchase lessons...Impulse Purchase Lesson 1: Demonstrate an impressive,relevant feature.If the product is chocolate, sold at a retail checkoutstand, you have no need for this one. Human nature takesover. When you are selling unrecognizable cylinder things,people need some encouragement.You would never know it to look at them, but these thingswere super absorbent shammies. They can suck 8 - 10 ouncesof soda out of your carpet in nothing flat AND it makes foran impressive demonstration. When the demonstrator mentionedthey could dry a sweater in three hours, I was hooked. Nevermind we have about two spills a year in my house and I don'town any "lay flat to dry" sweaters.This ability to get people to "live in the moment" is onekey to a successful impulse purchase demonstration. Thesalesperson has a lot to do with it, of course. Repetitionof an incredible, attractive feature, however, is key aswell.Think of any infomercial or "Billy Mays" product. There isalways an "AMAZING!" feature - cooks in minutes, instantlyremoves stains, easily pulls dings from your car, etc.2: Try to "time it right".Quite coincidentally, one of those semiannual spills in myhouse happened the day before I bumped into the yellowcylinder guy. I was thinking "If I'd had these yesterday,right now we wouldn't have books stacked in the middle ofthe living room floor." Quite by accident, he had related tosomething that was top-of-mind for me.Fortunately, you do not have to rely on coincidence. At anyone time, there are usually six or eight generally popular"themes" you could tie into. Better yet, your targetaudience is likely to have it's own unique interests.On the Internet, you can "time it right" by associatingcomplementary products or services. If someone isresearching monitors, for example, perhaps they need an inkcartridge for their printer.Showing or highlighting ink cartridges on the screen alongwith the monitors may incite an impulse purchase. Better yet- and this is impossible unless you have order histories ordetailed profiles - show them the exact cartridge theyneed.3: Make it easy.It turns out the cylinder things costs a flat $20. There wasno change to mess with, no stopping to fill in order forms,and no multiple pieces of currency. As people pulled $20'sout of their pockets, the demonstrator took them and handedover the shammies in a single motion.On the Internet, you can make it easy in two ways - orderingand delivery.Make the order process as simple as possible. Amazon's"Quick-Click" links are a good example of making orderingeasy. Impulse purchasers simply click on the "Buy fromAmazon" button and order straight off a pop-up window. Youcan see how it works here, in the left column under "Amazon'Quick-Click' Example":http://WebSiteMarketingPlan.com/Arts/ImpulsePurchase.htmEasy delivery is another way to encourage impulse purchaseson the Internet. Immediately downloadable digital items arean example. For physical items, quick delivery - overnight,same day, or local store pick-up - can increase sales.:4 Give an enticingly presented discount.A roll of three shammies was $21 something, but the guy wastaking care of the sales tax, which made it an even $20 (Butwait, there's more!). Because it was early he would throw inanother 3-roll for no additional charge. Caught up in themoment, we nodded agreement. We were getting a deal - nosales tax plus three free.The way a discount is presented can make a deal sound eitherappealing or "not such a deal". Which sounds better?...1) "Buy One, Get One Half Off." OR "Buy Two and Get a 25%Discount."2) "3 for $5.00" OR "$1.67 each."3) "40% Off Sale" OR "On Sale, $12.00 each." (Assuming $20item.)Another way to encourage impulse purchases is to give adiscount by bundling. Offer to reduce the price on a second,related item (Like in example #1, above.).Online, I have seen this done with books. Some booksellersoffer you a chance to save money on shipping and/or bookprice if you also purchase a related item.5: "Keeping up with the Joneses."Instead of putting the shammies in a bag, the demonstratorrolled them up into a cylinder. This way, people at the showwould see others carrying them around and wonder what theywere missing.The same concept can be applied to the Internet. I have seenmessages like: "Others who bought 'x' also bought 'y'" onorder forms, at check out, and on product screens.© 2003 Bobette Kyle. All Rights Reserved.