How To Increase Sales In Your Brick And Mortar Business By Emotional Enchantment

 

Who do people say you are? Does it help you increase sales in your brick and mortar business?

 

The first question isn’t new to anyone who professes to be a Christian. To bring those who are not Christians up to speed, it is Jesus Christ who asked his disciples, ‘Who do you say I am?’ while they were visiting Caesarea Philippi. He understood that by their confession about him, people would either be drawn to him or repelled.

 

Chocolate-Speaking Walls

Celebrating the public holidays with my family is so valuable to me. I find myself rejecting every deal thrown at me just to spend that time with my girls and their dad. Today being Good Friday, I thought it wise to treat my girls to a dessert date at 5pm. Off we went to their newly found chocolate fountain where I was bound to be introduced to what they termed us, ‘The largest chocolate serving in the world’.

 

Being a chocolate fun, I planned to order something they were familiar with. I didn’t want to look like a cheat after hearing their claims that I couldn’t eat that much chocolate in one sitting. Needless to say, they were wrong.

The restaurant wasn’t too new to me. I have been in the surrounding but never took a peek inside. Walking in through the glassy doors of Mnkafe restaurant got my business mind aroused to the peek!

 

I felt like I had walked into a chocolate machine as the ambience lifted my spirit to a climax. Temperatures were set to welcome me from the wrath of the hot evening. Waiters stood in strategic places, ushering me in to the beautifully set dining.

 

Then the chocolate brown coaches at a warm lit corner set between wordy walls caught my eye. The upper part of the wall couldn’t stop singing the praises of their products. Welcome to Mnkafe!

 

Who Do Your Clients Say You Are?

It is easy to get caught up in the game of color matching while setting up the physical space of your brick and mortar business. Many people are.

 

You may have seen brightly colored walls of famous restaurants, brick-designed walls of a library or the gothic look of a museum. All these have their place in the setup of the rooms. But, do they help you increase sales in your brick and mortar business?

 

What is the hidden message that they communicate with your clients?

 

5 Ways To Increase Sales In Your Brick and Mortar’s Business By Emotional Enchantment

From my experience this evening, I found myself taking photos and sharing them on my Instagram account. Something about MnKafe restaurant caught my attention. The business sense in the setup of the space is top notch. Here is your take away:

 

1. Get your location right

From the Rich Dad Company’s billionaire, Robert Kiyosaki to yours faithfully, everyone who has ever run a business with a physical space will tell you- Location dictates your sales.

Brick and mortar businesses are location dependent. If you have ever dealt with an estate agent, you must have heard them sing the praises of the location of a house they want you to look at. Notice how particular they are about aspects such as the surrounding and accessibility. That’s because such are key to making a sale.

Mnkafe restaurant is located in the high end estate of Kizingo estate in Mombasa and at a road junction. I believe this is in line with the kind of clients they want to attract. Looking at the meals they offer and the prices, such a restaurant wouldn’t fit elsewhere in the Island of Mombasa city.

 

2. Make the space emotion-grabbing

When would-be customers walk into your business space, would you say their emotions are drawn to make a purchase?

 

Your physical setup must make them want to buy whatever it is you are selling. Imagine walking into a cyber café and finding the old ivory colored VDU screens on the desks. Would that encourage you to sit and surf the Internet there?

 

Unless you want to serve clients who use your products or services as the last option, you ought to take this seriously.

Mnkafe’s dining area grabbed my attention without apologizing. From the romantically scripted words on the wall, the table setup, to the garden beyond the glass doors; everything sang, ‘CHOCOLATE!’

When you appeal to your clients’ emotion, you will increase sales in your brick and mortar business.

What does your business space sing?

 

3. Customer care not customer scare

Of course, the two points above are empty if your customer care sucks. Think about the times you have walked into a beautifully adorned banking hall but you are stuck in there for hours waiting to be served. The longer you wait for the services, the less interested you’ll  get.

Not only were we escorted to the sitting area by a well-spoken waiter, but she made sure to observe the custom of the city. In Mombasa, greeting people officially isn’t the same as asking what they will have. The waiter first greeted us, and then asked if we were comfortable with the place we had chosen to sit. She then went on to give us each one of us the menu folders to enable us to make orders.

If you have employees,  invest in teaching them your business culture from the way to treat each other to handling your clients. It all begins with the way you treat them.

 

4. Perform regular checkups on your guests’ comfort

A few of the restaurants in Kenya have the manager of the day making rounds to speak to the guests. In Mnkafe restaurant, we had the same waiter who served us come to check on us from time to time. At one time, she came to find out if the dessert was cool enough and if we were okay with the air conditioners!

 

Whether you are offering products or services, it is important to check on your clients’ comfort. This doesn’t mean following them wherever they go or staring at them. It means being mindful of their wellbeing.

Give your clients the space to do what they need to do but don’t let them have to look for you when they need you.

 

5. Seek referrals with a smile

Not only was the waiter keen to explain the holiday offers, she also made one unique request. ‘How about you bring your friends before the end of the holiday….?’

The inclusion of the word, ‘friends’ was a call for referrals but hidden in a sweet way. What an appeal?

You may not have the guts to say this to your clients if you are in the coffin-making business. But you can coin something consoling.

 

You will need clients in future, and the best way to get them is through the word-of-mouth praises. Note, word-of-mouth can make or break your business in a matter of hours especially in during the busy seasons. So aim to leave a sweet taste in your clients’ mouths by serving them in a way that will make them smile. They are your ambassadors.

 

From my visit today, I’m keen to know if the owner of the restaurant has ever conducted a review from the clients. It would be good to have them know who their clients say they are. But now, looking at your brick and mortar business, what do you think your clients say behind your back? Does it help increase your sales?

 

Before you setup your business’ physical space, I recommend that you visit Mnkafe for their famous pancake breakfast. Trust me, you need that inspiration.

 

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