As temperatures soar, the long-awaited season of summer is in full swing. Retailers across the country are getting into the season with vibrant summer-themed displays and exciting promotions. Whether it’s promoting grilling essentials, outdoor activities, or beach gear, leveraging summer seasonal displays effectively can significantly enhance customer engagement and boost sales.
In the realm of summer promotions and captivating in-store displays, it becomes clear that not all are created equal. In the pursuit of maximizing impact and engaging shoppers effectively, understanding what elements garner the greatest share of attention is paramount.
Below are some examples of what our Explorers are seeing out in stores and some best practices for seasonal POSM success:
Address the Local Market:
To create impactful summer displays, it is crucial to understand the preferences and needs of your target audience. Consider the demographics, interests, and shopping behavior of your customers. While a national campaign may be efficient, catering to the nuances of the local market can create a stronger connection.
Did you know that food gatherings featuring a grill are typically called “barbecues” in the West and Northeast, whereas those in the South are more likely to refer to the same occasion as a “cookout”? When conceptualizing summer promos, imagery can be consistent, but there’s a need to adjust the copy to incorporate these regional considerations.
Keep it Simple:
Summer is the perfect season to blend in-store promotions with exciting contests; offering shoppers the chance to win a boat or a bike can be compelling, but all of the rules and regulations on the signage may dilute the call the action for the shopper.
QR codes are an effective means of providing more information in a compact visual element. Shoppers are familiar with how to use them, but they’re so common they don’t divert attention away from the main messaging in the first few fixations.
The example below shows how to effectively use signage to attract attention and lead the attention to the products it’s featuring. The presence of the QR code is there for legal reasons, but doesn’t pull attention away from the main communication.
Theme and Seasonal Relevance:
Align your display with a summer theme that reflects the essence of the season, such as beach vibes, tropical escapes, or outdoor adventures. Ensure that the display communicates a clear connection to the summer season, but don’t force something that isn’t a natural association with the season.
Use eye-catching signage and clear product placement to draw attention to these products. Consider bundling complementary items together to encourage upselling and cross-selling, such as offering a discount on grilling utensils with the purchase of a grill, or towels, sunscreen, and coverups with bathing suits.
Partner on the Occasion:
S’mores, with their gooey marshmallows, melty chocolate, and crispy graham crackers, undeniably reign as the quintessential treat of summer bonfires.
Reminding shoppers of those fond memories is one piece of the puzzle in an effective summer promotion; take it a step further with a display or endcap that consolidates all of the products needed into a single location is the key to conversion. The one-stop nature of this occasion-driven display ensures shoppers are picking up the branded items and helps convenience to supersede price comparisons as there are no alternatives in the immediate vicinity.
Perfect Pairings:
Highlight summer limited-time offerings (LTOs) alongside regular items in summer point-of-sale materials; it seamlessly entices customers with a diverse range of seasonal products while simultaneously showcasing the familiar favorites they already adore.
Strategically designing eye-catching displays, leveraging summer-themed occasions, and effectively integrating limited-time offerings (LTOs) with regular items, retailers can create an immersive and enticing shopping experience.
Planning your next seasonal campaign? Explorer specializes in validating POSM messaging, placement, and assortment. Contact us to find out more.
