[lead]Summer 2019 is jam-packed full of huge sporting events that are sure to attract big crowds. But how will this affect retail sales?[/lead]
Just some of the events taking place this summer include; the Cricket World Cup, the Nations League Football semi-final and the Netball World Cup in Liverpool. With dedicated fans flocking to these events by the motherload – we may be expecting retailers to see an influx in sales. It’s time to take action and prepare a game plan for the upcoming sporty months – whether it’s taking advantage of this busy time through additional displays or getting your store “sports fan” ready.
Utilising events as an advantage
Whether you’re a sports fanatic or not, it’s very difficult not to be swept up in the buzz and excitement, with anticipation and community spirit hanging in the air. This atmosphere is a great promotional and sales springboard for retailers.
For starters, retailers may see an influx in sales simply due to out-of-towners. Those travelling in may trigger an increase in sales just because there are a few more people on the streets – an increasing footfall equalling an increase in sales. It’s simple maths really.
With this said, retailers getting into the sporting spirit is a smart move; presenting promotional ends and visual merchandising that is themed with the team or the sport. This may include team colours, team names and specialised products that promote the event. This could easily be integrated throughout promotional points of sale and visual merchandising to encourage further sales through impulse purchasing. Our team at Tactical Solutions have a keen eye for strategic POS placement, especially of themed products, and can help you reap the benefits of the sporting calendar.
In 2018, crisp brand Pringles took advantage of the football games taking place by temporarily re-branding to “Pringoooals” as well as a “buy five get a prize’ promotion. This themed promotion obviously enticed customers, encouraged bulk buying and resulted in mega sales, especially with some stores creating football stadiums out of the tubes in the front of the store. Tactical Solutions can help you follow in their footsteps with creative displays around the store.
The occurrence of a sporting event also helps bring about exclusivity when it comes to products and promotions. Promotions that are relevant to the event can create buzz and benefits, especially if it’s a bargain. If promotions run prior to the event, this urges that ‘grab it while it lasts’ mentality.
Supporting the event, as well as selling products that help customers to do so, secures customer and store solidarity – letting them know that you’re in on the fun and a store to rely on. As well as themed; attractive and strategically placed visual merchandising will encourage customers, old and new.
Knowing what your customers want
When big sporting events come to town, it obviously calls for a party – especially for those stuck at home. Stores that take advantage of this could release promotions or products that revolve around things such as BBQs, sharing amongst friends and cheeky tipples. This also opens up the opportunity to push products such as decorations, partyware and accessories.
Tactical Solutions can help with this by delving into your demographics to ensure that we are giving the right stores the right focus in order to efficiently utilise the buzz created by sporting events.
With London hosting the Olympics in 2012, there was a visible rise in interest within sport and athletics which many brands got involved with to keep up with demands and trends. Brands such as Cadburys, Nature Valley and Coca-Cola were all sponsorships. Not only are they popular brands with an easy sell factor, but they also slip nicely into the theme of sports celebration.
So what can Tactical Solutions do?
Here at Tactical Solutions, we can help by using our bespoke software, like Reapp. It monitors your store so we can pick up on zero sales and quickly fix this issue. With keen eyes on your productivity, we can ensure that you’re performing well and then implement actions, like manager approved additional displays.
