When OLG was given the opportunity to work with Rug Doctor to help them roll out their brand new professional carpet cleaning service—Rug Doctor Pro—we jumped at the chance to assist this well-known company break into a new market. Stay tuned to The Dial in the weeks to come to learn more about Rug Doctor’s new service and what led them to this development. For now, here are the six things this Point-of-Purchase marketing project taught me, and how it changed my thinking about in-store marketing all together.
1. It’s all about attention
To the core, in-store and Point-of-Purchase marketing is an all-out competition for eyeballs. If your customer is too busy looking down the aisle at that new Dyson they’ve always wanted, chances are they may look right past your banner bragging discounts, new products or even a free giveaway.
2. It’s even more about being different
Once you have their attention, what is going to hold it? What is going to make that customer spend more than .08 second scanning your display? It needs to be unlike everything else they see. Because, guess what? You’re not the only POP display out there, which leads me to my next point…
3. Know your competition
Understanding what else your customers are going to be viewing, experiencing or interacting with in a store will help you better understand how to make your POP marketing stand out. Maybe that means it needs to have a mobile element, maybe that means it needs to have a dynamic design with a 3D aspect, or maybe that means taking a unique and different approach with your color palette. They key is to know what exists and then break away from the typical in-store mold.
4. It’s never big enough
The word “scream” may have been used at some point in our design…and it’s then that I learned it’s truly never big enough. In other areas of marketing you may tread lightly to keep your TV spots from being too loud or your ads too flashy. When it comes to POP marketing you must invite a different mindset. Bigger, louder, bolder and bigger still. It’s simply the nature of this type of advertising.
5. POP is one of the most important elements of your sales team
Don’t underestimate the power of the POP display. While many customers may be in touch with a member of your sales team at some point, this is the first introduction to your product or service they will experience. And, many other customers will only ever interact with your display. Is it doing its job as the most important member of your sales team? Is it telling the right story to strike a great first impression?
6. Maintain the brand
While you may need to go bigger—or louder—for POP, don’t stray away from the brand. Take advantage of a product, service or company with a reputation the proceeds your display and capitalize on that reputation. In the case of Rug Doctor Pro, we attempted to kick the existing Rug Doctor rental brand up a notch to introduce a whole new service offered by a company that many customers already know and trust.
