One of the major questions which marketers tend to ask is how to attract people to their store. Whether the companies are selling a product or a service, there are key aspects to ponder upon in order to attract the customers to the point of sale or point of service. This article will provide important tips on how to attract customers to your store and a focus will be placed on the shoe industry.

Understanding the Consumer Behavior Process plays a vital part in any organizations survival. Companies should understand all the steps in the CBP so as to better focus their marketing and communication effort. In the consumer behavior process, the customers understands that they have a need to fulfill (problem recognition), then they go in search of information concerning that need (information search). After undergoing all types of search, they evaluate whether there is a better alternative. They wonder whether or not the need is important before making a final decision (purchase decision). The customers decide whether they want to go ahead with the need, that is buying the product or service or whether to leave the need unfulfilled. Hours or days after the purchase was made, they determine their degree of satisfaction (post-purchase behavior). This is how the consumer behavior process works. It is important to note that positive or negative word of mouth is directly related to the post-purchase evaluation of customers.

In the shoe marketing sector, the CBP is generally as follows:

Problem Recognition: The customers need a pair of shoes whether they are ladies shoes, men shoes, teenager shoes, sports shoes, toddler shoes among others.

Information Search: They go in quest of information by visiting several stores and websites. They want to obtain maximum information about price, quality, color and sizes.

Alternative Evaluation: The questions which they generally ask themselves; Are the prices okay? Do the shoes match my personality? Should I buy a new pair of shoes or should I wear the old ones? Should I buy a pair of slippers or beach footwear instead of stiletto heels or a pair of ballerinas?

Purchase decision: A decision is made. The customer buys the pair of shoes or drops the idea of buying one. He may also decide to buy other things instead of the pair of shoes he initially aimed to buy.

Post-purchase evaluation: The customer determines whether the shoes are value for money and whether he/she is satisfied with the shoes products.

Recommendations

Problem recognition: Advertising and communication of your shoes products are essential to be visible to potential customers. There are several ways to advertise namely in-store, on newspapers, on radio, on the internet via websites and social networking sites, on e-commerce sites among others. The HD shoes photos should be neatly taken. To gain a competitive advantage, companies can also use high definition animation of shoes on their websites. There are two types of animations which can best be used for websites. They are 360 degree animations of shoes and 3D animations of shoes. The customers can rotate the shoes Flash animations on the website using the computer mouse. This helps create a unique online experience and also aids in the promotion of viral marketing.

Information Search: Stores personnel must be prepared to provide all information of shoes products to potential customers. How to grab attention? By advertising on websites, newspapers, fashion magazines, sports catalog etc. Another important aspect to consider is the physical evidence of the store. The sales staffs should be friendly, wear neat uniforms, always ready to help when needed, a light music in the background, excellent lights that reflects on the shoes and make them shine, chairs and stools for shoe testing, mirrors everywhere, smiling faces etc. With regards to the process, the management should make shoe buying a nice experience. No long queues when settling bills, home delivery in some cases, provide a customer suggestion box, giving loyalty cards and having sales promotion from time to time. Customized sales promotion is most welcomed; for example provide 50% gift voucher on shoes when it is the birthday of a loyal customer etc.

Alternative Evaluation: Marketers should provide the alternatives in their own store. That is to provide promotions on a wide variety of items such as slippers, beach shoes, clothing etc. The salesperson should offer the customers a brochure or catalog in case they are unable to decide which shoes they want to take. They can use the brochure in a future endeavor. The aim of the marketer is always to remain in the mind of the customers (evoke set) whether be it for the present or the future.

Purchase decision: Offer credit facilities to customers. Also, those who are buying shoes gifts may have the option to change the shoes size within a certain time delay. The best time delay would be 1 week.

Post-purchase evaluation: The idea may seem crazy but companies can give warranties on shoes for a limited period of 1 month. Nothing is more disappointing to see a new shoe getting damaged days after it has been bought.

These were some precious recommendations which you could use in your shoe store. By simply understanding how consumer behavior functions is a major benefit for any organization. This helps them bring amendments to their Marketing Mix involving the product, price, place, promotion, people, process and physical evidence. There are lots of other factors which can help companies sell their products and services and this will be covered later in other articles.

Now companies are better equipped in selling their shoes!