Convert Window Shoppers With Sale Psychology: 3 Business Insights

At a time when brick and mortar shops are on the decline, getting people off the sidewalk and into the stores is more important than ever, but how do businesses turn window shoppers into active customers? The key to success all comes down to sales psychology. By developing a deep understanding of what drives people to buy and what makes a business stand out to shoppers, companies can boost profits and gain a strategic advantage over competitors – whether they’re online or on the same street.

Color Code It

Color is one of the most powerful tools at a retailer’s disposal because color can be used to draw the eye and create different emotional resonances. Red and yellow, for example, are stimulating colors that create excitement, while brands that want to create a more soothing environment should use shades of blue and green in their promotional materials. Color also influences the gender of the shoppers that brands appeal to, and to individual shopping styles; impulse shoppers are drawn to orange and black, while money-conscious individuals are attracted to conservative tones like navy blue, which is why banks like Chase, Citi, and Deutsche Bank all use dark blues in their logos.

Emphasize Visibility

When stores are set in a row with matching signs, such as on a town square or in a plaza, no single shop necessarily stands out, and this can be a real problem for businesses since they may not be especially visible to passerby. So how can stores increase their visibility in a homogenized sales environment? It all starts with signage. Signs should be large, but simple, utilizing minimal text, and easy to read from a distance. When signs do include more text, they should be informative and funny, like the coffee shop and, surprisingly, church signs that regularly go viral.

Another way to enhance a store’s visibility is by adding some dimension to the shopfront by adding a custom vestibule. Vestibules attach to the front entrance of stores and are typically used to keep out cold winds in the winter and air conditioning in during the summer. Beyond this practical element, though, branded, brightly colored vestibules welcome shoppers in by making the storefront more visible and creating a psychologically appealing environment since shoppers know that the interior of the store will be comfortable. Many stores even place space heaters in their vestibules during the winter months.

Boast About Bargains

This may be a no-brainer for any experienced merchant, but the easiest way to catch a shopper’s attention is by promoting the sales to be found inside. But how good do those deals have to be? Ultimately, promoting a sale is more important than actually providing one, since shoppers will typically believe something is a good deal if it’s advertised as such. Or, for stores that want to foster shopper investments in other ways, another option is to advertise in-store trials or the ability to customize products. Both of these create what’s known as psychological ownership over items that the buyer does not yet typically own. Psychological ownership also explains why Black Friday shoppers feel that an item is rightfully theirs even though they haven’t even placed it in their cart.

Every savvy salesperson knows that psychology is at the heart of consumer behavior, but to fully take advantage of those motivations, stores need to draw shoppers through the front door first. By increasing their visibility through colors, signage, and product-based promotions, though, businesses can position themselves as the place to shop and keep pace with the growing online marketplace.

This article does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors or management of EconoTimes