HOW TO HIT SHOPPER'S EMOTIONAL HOT BUTTONS

Furniture World Magazine

"Mac" McDonald, president of Metier Marketing, and Chris Ohlinger, president and CEO of Service Industry Research System, teamed up for a dynamic and insightful presentation on emotional retailing. McDonald opened the session with a direct challenge to the retail-dominated audience: "Ladies and gentlemen, it's time to end 'No, No, No!'" Targeting consumers' "emotional hot buttons," rather than screaming price and discount, can have a powerful impact on a store's bottom line, he said. Ohlinger's research indicates 34 percent of all shoppers are motivated to buy by emotional factors, 24 percent by rational factors, and 38 percent a combination of the two. To trigger an emotional hot button, Ohlinger recommends that stores focus on one or more of the following: Fun and excitement Relaxation or stress-relief Trust, safety, or concern for the welfare of the family "The single greatest advantage Wal-Mart has over other stores is trust," said Ohlinger. "If you can become a customer's trusted buying agent, you've won (that customer)."