marketing matters

P.O.P. Pointers

by Heath Grace

Point-of-purchase materials can either overpower your dispensary or empower your products. Here are eight tips to help you position and sort through the P.O.P. options.

1 PLACEMENT. Don't position P.O.P. displays too close to your entrance. A study conducted by Envirosell, a New York market research group, reveals that shoppers need to get from 10 to 25 paces inside a store before they start to absorb the new surroundings.

“Three feet can make all the difference between P.O.P. that is a store sculpture and something that actually stimulates sales,” says retail guru Paco Underhill.

2 OVERSUPPLY. According to “Advertising Promotion and Other Aspects of Integrated Marketing Communications” author Terence Shimp, “Although P.O.P. materials can be very effective for manufacturers and perform several desirable functions, the fact remains that as much as 40 to 50 percent of P.O.P. materials supplied by manufacturers are never used by retailers or used incorrectly.”

Shimp says that there are several reasons why a particular P.O.P. material doesn't get used:

● No incentive.
● Takes up too much space for the amount of sales generated.
● Too unwieldy, difficult to set up, or has other defects.
● Lacks visual appeal.

3 SALES GROWTH. Research on the effectiveness of displays conducted jointly by POPAI (Point of Purchase Advertising International), Kmart, and Procter & Gamble, indicates that a brand can experience triple-digit sales increases during the display period.

A just-released study of 200 shoppers by POPAI found, “Both solo and accompanied shoppers who recalled or interacted with in-store marketing materials realized a greater mean in spending than those who did not.”

4 ASK THE EXPERTS. According to “Tips for Effective Point-of-Purchase Marketing” by Epson, “Vendors [will] have an idea of what is working elsewhere and can give you tips and advice.”

5 TURN PROMOTIONS. Epson also recommends not keeping a P.O.P. promotion in-store for “more than a few weeks.”

6 DIGITAL PRINT. Maverick Marketplace, a retail signage testing lab recently opened by Windsor Marketing Group, suggests that practices utilize IPS (Impact Picture Signs), a new digital print that allows for an “HD-like” effect when printing signs.

7 WOMEN SELL. New York-based mall media specialist EYE released results of an in-mall eye-tracking study last month. According to the company, “The more time someone spends engaged with an ad, the more interested they often become. Additionally, people were more likely to focus on ads with people in them, and both genders stared longest at ads containing women.”

8 PROFIT POTENTIAL. Colin Campbell, Windsor's marketing coordinator, says, “The typical signage program will increase customer response by two to four percent.” EB