When Did You Most Recently Shop In The Mall?

If you are a millennial (unofficially 46 to 56 years old) the answer to when were you last shopping in a mall, might be “what time is it?”

It seems that an important component to the overall shopping experience was missing from online shopping. People in general and millennials in particular, want to interact with contemporaries, both the store employees as well as a group they are shopping with. There is interest in actually seeing and handling products too. The acquisition of merchandise is only part of enjoyment. 

A weekend visit to the mall will confirm the renewed interest in face to face shopping. From full parking lots to long lines in the food court, the shopping activity continues to grow,

Main anchor department stores use broadcast and print advertising along with discount price marketing to attract shoppers. Smaller retailers rely on brand recognition and referrals, two things promotional products media is excellent at developing!

For example, a men’s high-end shoe store I visited said they consider every shopper to be an eventual customer. They might not make a purchase that visit, but as long as the shopper returns they will ultimately buy something. With three similar competitors in the mall, developing returning store traffic is critical. One component they use is promotional product media.  Every shopper receives an imprinted shoe horn. Buyers as well as shoppers too. Buyers of athletic shoes will find a free pair of logoed socks in the box. Keeping the brand visible on a continuing basis couldn't be achieved as economically by any other advertising. 

The goal of increased store traffic was measured and confirmed by actual count before and after establishing the promo marketing program.

Based upon the renewed interest (especially with millennials) in face to face business transactions (in person) I believe the same is true with how businesses acquire promotional goods for their marketing efforts. As millennials become more knowledgeable and assume greater profit and loss responsibility, the option of having a promotional products media expert (that’s you) working for them will certainly beat buying -stuff- online! The key is making them aware of the value you bring with you.

The most difficult part of presenting yourself and promotional products media to independent business owners and franchise operators is actually finding them in their stores and willing to give you a few minutes to discuss their marketing. Unlike office based businesses retail is still a “shop keeper” environment as it has been for millennia. I have had success talking with retail decision makers by preparing a gift for that person. I would give them the gift and ask when was a good time to talk to them for a few minutes. The gift was a clear bag with my business card, a key fob box cutter and a bandaid! The humor was generally appreciated and usually prompted a conversation. If the decision maker was not in the store, I left the gift with staff and told them I would follow up with “the boss” later.

It is all worth it! Yes there is work involved and investment of your time and money but mall based retail clients can be very profitable and long lasting. Store traffic of 1200 to several thousand people a week means significant orders for even the simplest in-store distribution. 

A book store has been using bookmark magnifying glasses for more than 15 years and plans to continue. Every book sold gets a bookmark; a jeweler puts an imprinted polishing cloth in every purchase. The baseball hat store gives American Flag pins - with no imprint. Customers are asked several times every day where they got the pin, not the hat! The referral business generates great profit.

Always remember “the harder you work the luckier you get”