For better or worse, every public facing aspect of a business is a marketing opportunity. Every sign, banner, web page, customer interaction, etc. contributes to customers’ perception of a business. For example, imagine that you are in a store and see a beautiful outdoor patio set, complete with chairs and a table. You’re interested because it caught your eye, but then you see a sign on the table that says “FOR YOUR OWN SAFETY DO NOT SIT ON CHAIRS…” Are you going to buy the patio set? Or has the sign made you think that, possibly, the included chairs aren’t actually safe to sit on?
A Real-World Example of Bad Marketing in Winston-Salem, NC
This actually happened to me in a major supermarket chain in Winston-Salem, NC. No doubt, the cautionary sign was the result of either a well-intentioned legal department or an annoyed store manager who wanted to discourage the use of a floor display. Although I suspect that the chairs were actually safe, I decided that I did not want to take the risk.
This is a perfect example of how something so simple and innocuous can negatively impact a brand’s marketing and customer perceptions, which ultimately impact revenue streams. Let’s break down the problems with the sign on the patio set and how they negatively impact marketing and revenue.
Problem 1: Creating a Negative Brand Perception
The patio set that inspired this blog was beautiful and something that I think my wife would have liked. Its design and placement in the supermarket immediately established a positive perception. Unfortunately, a large, prominent sign saying, “FOR YOUR OWN SAFETY DO NOT SIT ON CHAIRS…” immediately establishes a negative perception that the chairs may not be safe to use. On top of that, it may cause some customers to wonder why the supermarket chain is selling unsafe products in the first place.
Problem 2: Undermining a Value Proposition
The value proposition for a patio set with chairs and a table is simple. A patio set is for anyone who wants to sit comfortably at a table outside. Safety is an understood requirement of that value proposition because you can’t be comfortable if you are harmed. By instructing customers not to sit on the chairs to stay safe, the sign undermines the fundamental value proposition of the patio set.
Problem 3: Discouraging an Interested Customer from Intent to Buy
As soon as I saw the patio set, I immediately started considering a purchase because of how nice it looked. Unfortunately, rhe sign discouraged me from actually buying the patio set. Instead of making the decision to buy, I sent my wife a picture of the patio set with the “DO NOT SIT” sign to make fun of it. The supermarket missed out on at least one sale because no one thought about the marketing implications of the sign.
Integrated Marketing: A Better Approach for the Patio Set
What most likely happened in this example is that someone without a marketing and sales background decided that, for whatever reason, they did not want customers sitting in the patio chairs in the store. Placing a sign saying “FOR YOUR OWN SAFETY DO NOT SIT ON CHAIRS…” was the easiest solution, but it was not the best solution.
The marketing team should have been involved in coming up with a solution that prevented use of the patio set while still improving brand perception. The store could have simply displayed the patio set in a way that inherently prevented use, such as placing the set on an angled and elevated surface or by placing mannequins in the chairs. Both examples offer opportunities to enhance the presentation of the patio set, improving brand perception instead of harming it.
Arguably, the best thing would have been for the supermarket to place the patio set in an area that actually allowed customers to safely try it out for themselves. A free trial is a highly effective promotional marketing technique. In my opinion, this was a significant missed opportunity by the supermarket. In this case, I was considering a purchase based on visual appeal alone. If I had been able to try out how comfortable the chairs were, I would have sent my wife a picture asking if she liked the patio set. I might have bought it instead of making fun of poorly thought-out signage.
The patio set is a real-world example that illustrates the importance of integrated marketing communications. The problems presented here are things that TCWS considers when working with our clients on anything that their customers could see or experience. We want our clients to use every opportunity to build brand value and encourage customers to make a purchase.