By Kirk Hendrickson, EyeFaster
Retailers spend millions of dollars creating in-store marketing signage and displays to help shoppers find the items they need, and maybe even some that they don’t. But these marketing efforts aren’t worth a dime if customers don’t notice them. Here are a few tips to consider when designing and displaying in-store marketing materials.
1. Bigger is usually better
Through eye tracking research, we’ve noticed that certain design elements, like color contrast, brand recognition, or eye-catching phrases, can draw the attention of shoppers. However, we’ve consistently noticed that, especially at the shelf level, the space taken up by in-store marketing is often similar to its overall share of attention. Another, perhaps more obvious reason that bigger is better when it comes to fonts and messaging is that larger font sizes can be seen from further away. This gives shoppers more opportunity to see the message from different locations in the store. Speaking of different locations in the store…
2. Keep in mind hot spots for attention
One of the biggest missed opportunities we discover when looking at in-store displays and marketing materials is not placing these messages where customers have idle time. Any location where a customer is forced to stand and wait should be viewed as an opportunity to provide information on sales and promotions. There is a reason why most impulse purchases occur in the checkout lane as idle customers seek things to pay attention to. The same logic could be given to waiting at deli counters, fitting rooms or making returns at customer service.
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3. Keep your messaging short and sweet
Our research has found that to reach the greatest number of people, marketing messaging should articulate a point in one second or less. In one second the average brain can read four words, so make sure the main message is clearly articulated. Customers who are interested in learning more will seek out additional information after reading the initial message.
4. Place signage and displays at eye level
Another opportunity retailers often miss is placing marketing displays above the shopper’s head. Most shoppers are on a mission, trained to focus their attention on products, which are typically closer to eye level or just below. Placing messaging and displays at this level provides the greatest opportunity to be noticed. One exception to this rule is information wayfinding signs, which shoppers have been conditioned to look up to locate.
In-store marketing is not just about good design. The in-store customer experience plays into the ability of marketing messages to be noticed, read and understood. Keeping in mind where the shopper will be located when viewing the materials, from what distance, and what else they are focused on, are of paramount importance to creating effective marketing in stores.
Kirk Hendrickson, CEO of Eye Faster, a leading provider of shopper research, developed his expertise in eye tracking and shopper research while leading worldwide field operations for EmSense Corporation and product management for MarketTools, Inc. Hendrickson holds a patent for conducting surveys on mobile phones and was twice a finalist for the EXPLOR Awards. He holds an MBA from the Amos Tuck School of Business Administration, Dartmouth College, and a BS and MS in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford University.
