In-store events in a digital world

Store events are alive, well and as wacky as ever. Shoppers have recently enjoyed author David Whitehouse sitting in a double bed at Foyles on the South Bank promoting his book Bed, bra fittings in Debenhams’ shop windows, and N-Dubz’ Dappy causing a stir in Asda.

Such events are hosted to draw crowds and boost sales, but is there a risk that today’s digitally-connected consumers will be underwhelmed by traditional book signings, product sampling and celebrity appearances?

“There will always be a place for store events because done properly they’re more about inspiring customers and colleagues, than simply selling – they’re an investment in the future,” says marketing expert and author Martin Butler. He adds that despite the rise of digital marketing, which enables retailers to recommend items relevant to a customer’s purchasing profile, store events are massively popular because people can be surprised and delighted, shocked and entertained. “Everyone loves newness, stumbling across products and services they’ve never heard of or considered before,” says Butler. “This sense of discovery and interaction is very hard to replicate online – but some of the best digital operators are becoming more magazine-like and catching-up.”

Asda invests heavily in events as part of its wider marketing strategy, with a dedicated team working cross-functionally to ensure their baby events, seasonal celebrations and celebrity signings deliver commercial results as well as entertain shoppers and attract new customers. Asda general manager for marketing events Deborah Grass says: “‘Retail-tainment’ has always been a big part of Asda, because our brand is all about family fun, and also our everyday low pricing strategy means that we don’t do big price promotions, so events are a great way to add excitement to the weekly grocery shop.”

She adds that the grocer specifically recruits people who will embrace and enhance its store events – be that dressing up at Halloween or doing some ‘active selling’ when it has themed cross-category promotions. “We also work closely with the big brands, and are able to unlock some of their marketing spend, and marry it up with our ability to host fun, family-geared events on site, to push new product, and educate on ranges and innovations,” she adds. 

Asda spokesman and social media co-ordinator Dominic Burch says Facebook and Twitter will be used far more in the future to publicise forthcoming events, building on Asda’s Facebook site, which launched in May 2011, and is more of a listening tool at this stage, rather than influencing fans to act.

The ‘Your Asda’ social media portal is being used extensively to inform followers of what’s happening in each individual store, and event co-ordinators are encouraged to post photos of celebrity appearances and other seasonal events so that those who couldn’t make an event can see what happened anyway. “Looking ahead, we have to remember that fans of Asda are only fans of their local branch of Asda, so communication must be locally focused and highly relevant to that town or city,” says Burch. 

Bringing a brand to life

Meanwhile, Debenhams says its in-store events are a crucial way of bringing brand experiences to life. It holds events to support a new product launch, a campaign launch or when it supports a theme such as ‘Sex and the City’.

A spokesman says: “Its most recent larger events have included designer roadshows and personal appearances of its Designers at Debenhams, Jeff Banks grooming events and fragrance launches. There are also events that take over the entire store, such as Gala days celebrating Race days, and new store opening events.

In terms of commercial results, Debenhams says specific product launches allow success to be visible. “However, the bigger events are more about raising awareness of our range and showcasing lots of products – therefore the success is looked at as a wider benefit.”

Butler insists retailers have much to gain from keeping in-store events “emotionally precise”. “Customers want authentic experiences. From sampling new product in supermarkets, with all the interaction and banter this should encourage, to the flamboyant, cultural celebrations that Selfridges has hosted over the years, we cansee retailers inspiring customers to come in and discover, come in and buy – in that order,” he says.

“But high-profile annual store events can generate massive sales too.” Butler cites a success story in Australia, where general merchandiser Target hosts its Big Toy Sale in July – traditionally a quiet time in Australia. It provides an opportunity for shoppers to secure the latest ‘must-have’ toys at a discount – on credit if necessary – long before Christmas.

Butler says the Big Toy Sale has created the company’s biggest sales day of the year, and for years has been a major calendar event for millions of Australians where “stores and staff” are dressed-up, carnival-like, for a sociable celebration launching at midnight. “It’s a brilliant piece of authentic fun that’s doing wonders for the brand and bottom line,” says Butler.

Multichannel events

Facebook, brand websites and mobile apps are bringing a new dimension to store events today, says Richard Bailey, central marketing manager at Capital Shopping Centres (CSC). “Retailers and shopping centres are taking a multichannel approach when hosting events, because consumers want to see live events, but they want to hear about it, and watch it again later, online,” he says.

Lakeside has 60,000 Facebook fans and the Trafford Centre has 80,000, and Bailey says it is increasingly promoting its events through Facebook pages as well as using local PR.

CSC ran a ‘Jean Genie’ event across 10 shopping centres in April this year, which involved pods being installed from which stylists helped shoppers find the perfect pair of jeans in 30 minutes. Retailers provided stock for the pods and ran promotions on their denim lines. Stores taking part reported strong sales. Bailey says about 80% of the consultations were pre-booked online, so it was able to accurately predict demand and ensure it didn’t disappoint customers.

“We’ve found that people registered to centre websites or followers of our social media websites like early notification of events and the chance to reserve tickets. It all helps our retail tenants get the most out of hosted events, and the switched-on retailers make sure their websites and Facebook pages are plugging promotions very clearly too.”

It would be easy to assume an in-store event is just that; a way to boost store footfall and keep the excitement of visiting a bricks-and-mortar store alive. But in this increasingly digital era, it’s a way to raise awareness and interest in the multichannel brand too. Overlook such multichannel opportunities, and retailers risk hindering their brand’s growth.