Perking Up for the Pop Up Experience
Pop-up shops have redefined the notion of when and where a sale can be made
These temporary spaces not only deliver an element of surprise just by their mere existence, they provide an engaging experience that can lead to a sale right then and there.
Max Lenderman, author of Experience the Message: How Experiential Marketing is Changing the Brand World, offers seven tips for a successful store opening.
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CONVEY VALUE: There’s a reason why you’re there. Make sure visitors thinks so, too. Give them an experience, not just an impression. Make your interactions meaningful and personal, and be mindful of the needs of the target shopper. For instance, moms often have kids in tow. Make sure you cater to both.
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STAFF UP: Models are great for showrooms, not pop-ups, which involve moving people through small spaces. Good traffic flow is essential to a compelling store, so hire staff with crowd management and retail experience.
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GET PERMISSION: This may seem obvious, but ensure you have permission/licenses from all necessary parties (property owner, city, etc). You’d be surprised how many agencies attempting pop-up stores forget this.
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LOCATION, LOCATION: Set up in high-traffic areas; don’t expect people to come to you, no matter how valuable the experience seems. There’s a reason why Target popped-up in Times Square. Hard to find works only for limited or exclusive brands.
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KEEP ‘EM BUSY: Minimize consumers’ potential “dead time” in the space. Be thoughtful of every minute they’re there. This is your opportunity to totally control the sensory and contextual experience of your brand.
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TIMING: Along those lines, plan the experience around the desired amount of time you want the consumer to spend with you. Be practical in determining how long that engagement should be.
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FIRST IMPRESSION: Consumers’ moods will be set instantly, and you’ll want their interest to grow each minute they’re with you. Consider it live theater. What’s the story arc to your pop-up experience? How do you keep them coming back for more?
IDEA TO STEAL?
- Let pop-up visitors test drive products at home
EA Sports did that last December, allowing temporary shops in Boston and San Francisco to loan out the Active Personal Trainer and More Workouts software for the Nintendo Wii. The stores took credit card swipes to discourage shrinkage, but apparently had no problem with users keeping the programs over the three-day limit.
