As a retailer, your ultimate goal is to boost product sales – without them, you don’t have a business. In today’s market, consumers have an array of choice, both in store and online. Research shows that one in every four people shop online, and this number is growing. In 2021, there have been 900 million more digital buyers than there were in 2020.

With this rise in e-commerce, and subsequent increase in competition, it is extremely important to come up with new and exciting ways to get people to walk through your doors and buy your products.

The following tips can help you to increase footfall and turn browsers into buyers.

Invest in product knowledge training for associates

Retail customers expect staff to be product experts. Therefore, you must train your workforce to ensure they have a strong understanding of the products on offer. One study found that retail associates who engaged with training sold 87% more than their colleagues who hadn’t. It’s no wonder why 94% of retailers agree that investing in training is important in improving customer experiences and achieving business goals.

You can deliver product knowledge training quickly and efficiently through microlearning – breaking information down into bite-sized pieces. Microlearning means associates spend less time away from the shop floor, as each session takes just 2–3 minutes to complete.

Remember, your employees still need to be ready to apply their knowledge whilst on the shop floor. Incorporating Certainty Based Marking (CBM) into your training allows you to assess both a person’s knowledge and how confident they are in that knowledge.

Make the customer experience a priority

Excellent customer service is key to improving shopper satisfaction and brand loyalty. Retail associates must ensure they listen to customers and understand their needs and wants. Providing exceptional customer service can drive positive word of mouth, which in turn can boost footfall and sales.

Google My Business listing

Now more than ever, customers are using Google to find stores and products. According to the search engine, 88% of people who run a local search on their smartphone visit a related store within a week.

Therefore, to boost retail sales, you should create a Google My Business profile. Make sure to add as many details as possible, including your opening hours, address, phone number and images. You can even add customer reviews. Research indicates customers read reviews before making their purchase. One survey found that ​​74% of consumers say positive reviews make them trust a business more.

Upselling and cross-selling

Upselling can be a great way to boost profits. To upsell effectively, sales associates should be trained in the rule of three. This involves showing customers three items: the product they want, a pricier alternative and a dream version. The objective is to get the customer to choose the dream item, though the mid-range option would also be an upsell.

Cross-selling can also improve product sales. This involves recommending different products to complement the customer’s original choice. The key to cross-selling is to know your stock inventory inside and out.

Optimise your store layout

Your store layout is a powerful tool in maximising traffic and revenue. It’s critical that you invest time into creating a layout plan, directing shoppers to high-priority products and driving impulse sales.

Research shows that most shoppers look left when they enter a store. They then move right, walking anti-clockwise. You will want shoppers to look at your most appealing products first, soplace them at the front of the store.

To optimise your store layout, you should implement point-of-purchase marketing. This is when you place low-investment products near your tills in order to engineer inexpensive impulse purchases. Unlike products on the shop floor, customers only take a couple of seconds to decide if they are going to buy a point-of-purchase product.

The above tips can help boost product sales in your store. Ultimately, you should prioritise customers and train staff to have excellent customer service and product knowledge. You should also utilise your online presence and optimise your store layout to maximise traffic.

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Why Wranx?

Wranx is a microlearning platform that helps employees build outstanding product knowledge and exceptional customer service skills. Training can be done on any device, at any time.

Our platform uses Spaced Repetition in the form of daily drills – a series of around 10 questions a day. These form part of a month-long module, created by a team of content writers, giving you a bespoke training programme.