Or, how does the average guy buy his wife a gift from the scrapbook store?
If you sell craft or scrapbook supplies, chances are pretty good that your customer is a female. By now, you’re probably pretty good at marketing to women, right? Let me ask you this—what about the guys?
One Husband’s Experience
Recently, a scrapper named Beth posted a message on my local online scrapbook bulletin board. She’s new to scrapbooking and wanted to learn about it, so she wrote “scrapbooking supplies” on her birthday wish list and handed it to her husband. In her email message, she related her husband’s story:
“My husband, bless his heart, bought me scrapbooking supplies for my birthday. I guess he went to a five stores to find out what materials are needed. It was interesting to hear his impression of the stores and how willing they were to educate him on the craft. He was happiest with one chain store and their willingness to educate him; unhappiest with another chain; and neutral with two out of the three scrapbook stores since he said they were too busy to help.”
Beth’s husband ended up purchasing her gift from an independent retailer about 45 minutes from where they live.
“You know, I’m their best customer!”
It must be a fluke, I thought. Surely a scrapbook store would recognize that a gift-shopping husband equals sales! After all, a gift is typically a higher dollar sale than an everyday purchase; he’s much more likely to spring for the newest tool; he’s looking to someone-—anyone—for ideas and suggestions for product; and he probably doesn’t want to hang out at the scrapbook store.
“You know, I’m their best customer!” said one man. “I’ve got money in my pocket and I don’t know what to spend it on. And I don’t want to spend a lot of time at this store. Basically, if they suggest something to me, I’ll take it. After all, the game’s on.”
Ask a few questions, provide some basic customer service and you could turn this shopper into a regular customer! After all, Beth’s husband is going to be shopping for her again: there’s Christmas, Mother’s Day, Valentine’s Day to name just a few shopping opportunities.
Intrigued, I decided to investigate. Promising adventure, espionage and the opportunity to go undercover, I asked for male volunteers to mystery-shop a local scrapbook store, then report back with information on the shopping experience. Four brave souls took the bait and ventured out to shop.
Secret Shopper #1: Stan R.
Location: craft chain store
Number of employees working: Three—one at the register, one stocking shelves, one patrolling the aisles
Stan’s Shopping Experience: Lost Man in a Woman’s World
“When I entered, the store was rather busy with a line at the register about 6 deep. I strolled the store not expecting to be helped right away until the line at the register cleared. That took about 15 minutes.
I wandered around looking "lost" for quite some time, making it obvious I was a lost male in a woman's world. After a while of strolling I walked up to a lady with a tape measure around her neck and asked for help. She looked surprised and said, "I don’t work here, I'm shopping". I guess the tape measure threw me. I wandered some more.
The salespeople definitely saw me, but never once approached me or acknowledged me until I decided I had waited and wandered enough and walked out the door. To my surprise, the salesperson nearest the door said, "Have a good night" as I left the store. That was the only communication I received from the sales people for the entire 45 minutes I was in the store.”
Sales Solution:
Always, always acknowledge your customer, preferably with a greeting and a question: “Hi, how are you? What can I help you with today?” Never, never let a customer walk by without greeting him or her. And greet the customer when they walk in the door—not out! Train your employees to greet a customer within a certain time frame (it’s usually 30 seconds) from when he walks in the door; if the employee is busy, a smile, wave or eye contact will suffice until the employee is freed yup to speak with the customer.
Secret Shopper #2: Dick H.
Location: craft chain store
Time of Day: After lunch. The store was moderately busy, but with only one clerk on the floor
Dick’s Shopping Experience: Not All Chains Have Bad Service
“I wandered around the store for 4 minutes; there were no clerks in sight. I finally found a sales clerk, then waited a minute for her to help someone else. I asked if she was the scrapbook department and she said, “Not really, but maybe I can help.” She took me to the department and showed me tools for scrapbooking, mostly scissors and a $40.00 paper cutter. She was helpful, kind, courteous and informational.”
Sales Solution:
Kind, courteous, informational—even better, she’s showing this guy a $40.00 paper cutter! In a perfect world, she would have approached him rather than the other way around—but at least she knew the department well enough to offer suggestions.
Concerned about the idea of suggestion sales, or upselling? Don’t be, especially with gift shoppers. Dick went to the store looking for suggestions! It isn’t a high-pressure sales tactic; it’s making the customer feel welcome in the store, and helping him find what he’s looking for—and maybe a little more.
Secret Shopper #3: Russ G.
Location: Independent scrapbook store
How long were you in the store? Approximately 20 minutes
Russ’ Shopping Experience: Shop With a Six-Year-Old
“I was at the store pretty late on a Sunday evening (about thirty minutes before closing). It was pretty busy, there were about 10 people in the small store, including two customers cropping at one of the back tables. They had two employees and a manager-type working there. I was never acknowledged.
I brought my kid with me with strict instructions that we were on a secret mission. However, the instructions were moot—nobody talked to us or even acknowledged that I had entered the store until it was time to check out. And then it was “cash or credit?” It was late on a Sunday, and it's possible that the worker-bees were tired and in a rush.
I didn’t feel comfortable in the store and I didn’t feel well-served.
Would I shop there again? I would rather go the extra four miles to my preferred scrapbook store—they know me and greet me by name, and during Christmas told me what my wife had been shopping for.”
Sales Solution:
Russ’ wife scrapbooks regularly—so regularly that Russ has a preferred scrapbook store where they know him by name. Consider capitalizing on this type of opportunity by marketing to guys like him: gift certificates, personal shopping service, wish list service where his wife can write down the product she likes.
Secret Shopper #4: Chad H.
Location: Independent Scrapbook Store
How long were you in the store? 20 minutes
Chad’s Shopping Experience: Service Turns One-Time Shopper into Regular Customer “I actually had three employees ask me if I was finding everything okay or if I had any questions. Lots and lots of stuff in that store! There was also a hidden room in the back for the really bad addicts. (Chad, we call them our customers.)
It took the salesperson about 30 seconds to acknowledge me; her greeting was, “Can I help you find anything?” I told her, “My wife scrapbooks and I’m trying to get some ideas on things to get her for her birthday.” The salesperson was very eager to help.
She asked me, “What sort of items does your wife already have?” then directed me to the cutters, stamps, albums, pens, scissors and paper. I was shopping in the early evening on a weekday; at the time, there were about 3 or 4 other customers in the store and from what I could tell, four employees.
I felt I had been well-served and I would shop there again.”
Sales Solution:
Chad went into this store looking for a one-time purchase. Within twenty minutes, he’s been treated well enough that he plans to return to the store! The salesperson expressed not just willingness, but eagerness, to help him. She asked him questions about products his wife had, and she suggested a wonderful array of new items.
Ways to Market to Men
First of all, acknowledge him. Don’t assume that the man who enters the store is lost. Greet him as you would any other customer.
Good customer service always starts with dialogue. Ask questions to determine if he’s shopping for a gift or for himself (yes, there are men who scrapbook!). What kind of product is he looking for? What size album? What theme of project?
Suggestion sell. If he’s buying the Home Pro Eyelet Setter, suggest he add a small package of eyelets. Don’t forget the consumable products that will bring repeat sales. What about paper, idea books, stickers? Show him the newest idea books and magazines.
Gift certificates. When in doubt, a gift certificate is a perfect gift option. Offer them in $5.00 or $10.00 denominations. Another idea is gift certificates for classes or crops.
Gift wrap. Do you offer gift wrapping solutions in your store? Why not offer a standard gift bag with your name and logo printed on the side, and a gift tag tied on?
Shopping options: One smart retailer we know decided to offer gift wrap, personal shopping, gift registry and gift certificates marketed at her customers’ husbands. She printed a brightly colored flyer that advertised these services, then handed them out to her customers, who immediately posted them on the refrigerator for their husbands to see!
Mystery Men Reveal All
Mystery. Intrigue. Espionage. Fun and games aside, the end result of our mystery shopping experiment does effect your bottom line. Each of these men expected to be offered good customer service. They were sure they would be approached, assisted and served while shopping. Those who were not well-served were surprised. And they didn’t buy.
The lesson? Marketing to men is one of your competitive advantages. Maximize the opportunity—or you may find that your competition will do it for you!
