Creating Meaningful Interaction

Jessica DeGraaf

“In a world filled with virtual reality, consumers have been starved for genuine experiences.”—Wired Magazine

I was dropping my kids off at daycare a few mornings ago and I watched as an obviously new mother was struggling to carry in her newborn baby, the diaper bag and talk on the phone— while trying to punch in her code to get into the daycare center. She was the poster child for mom multi-tasking. I’m sure that many of us can relate to this poor woman trying to do 15 things at once. Whether it’s our kids, or work, or other daily obligations, we live in a world that constantly asks us to move faster, take on additional projects and achieve more.

While jumping in the car to head back to the office, it struck me that this woman is our customer. She’s the person who we’re working to entice to come into the garden center. How, you ask, do you get someone like this to stop and even consider visiting your store?

I think the answer is as simple as helping these customers to connect. Technology allows us to virtually connect, but I believe that as a society, if we’re honest with ourselves, most of us would say that we don’t really feel connected on a personal level. We don’t have the time, or more importantly, don’t make the time to slow down, relax and to invest in relationships with friends and family.

While we sell plants and all of the other accoutrements necessary to garden, we need to remember that it’s not just about the plants! Some of the most successful businesses over the past few years in other industries have started to realize that it’s not about the products they sell, it’s about the experiences and the moments they can help their customers to create.

Pictured: Lifestyle signage, like this from Proven Winners, helps to turn a display into inspiration for turning any home space into an experience.

I was recently introduced to a company called Pirch. Some of you may be familiar, and for those who aren’t, Pirch is a high-end retailer that focuses on selling kitchen, bath and outdoor appliances. This isn’t your run-of-the-mill appliance store; they’ve turned the shopping experience for these products on its head. Welcome to a retail experience that’s been created with the consumer in mind. Imagine a space in which people can actively participate—the appliances work and the faucets turn on, while gourmet chefs and baristas are constantly making snacks and drinks for folks to try because, as we know, the best way to reach a customer is to allow them to touch, taste and feel our products.

I was digging into the Pirch website the other day and I found their manifesto, which they say is one part Passion, one part Conviction and one part Macaroni and Cheese. Intrigued? You should be! While I can’t share the entire manifesto here, I encourage you to take a look (www.pirch.com/the-why/). It all boils down to this—make moments count for your customers because moments are everything.

So where does that leave us? How do we incorporate these concepts and ideas into a garden center where we sell (gasp) live goods?! I propose that instead of showing her endless options and choices that are overwhelming, we show her easy ways to create a space for her to connect in. Whether it’s with friends or family, or just a quiet spot to take some time and relax, the opportunities are endless. Simple vignettes with targeted signage give us the perfect chance to show her how a very small space can easily become a place to welcome friends and family, entertain and so much more.

Our homes are memory-making factories. We have a unique opportunity each time a customer walks through our door to tell them a story and to show them how to insert themselves into that story or space. Let’s teach our customers how to use our products to not only create special moments, but how to make them truly count. GP

Jessica DeGraaf is the Retail Accounts Manager at Proven Winners. She can be reached at jessica@provenwinners.com.