Sika Everbuild’s EB25 was launched to market two years ago — just as the brand celebrated its 25th anniversary. The company is now shining a renewed spotlight on the dual-purpose sealant and adhesive by undertaking what it says is the biggest advertising campaign in its history. Marketing Manager Jennie Lumley explains how merchants can capitalise on this investment by utilising the point of sale materials which form a key part of the campaign.
Classed as ‘essential retail’ by the government, the UK’s builders’ merchants largely remained open throughout the pandemic and national lockdowns of 2020 and 2021. For many, this also meant quickly getting to grips with ‘click and collect’ services and online retailing.
Although restrictions have now eased, a greater proportion of customers are still opting for the convenience of online shopping after becoming accustomed to it during the pandemic. This means that traditional builders’ merchants have to compete with virtual retailers in a more significant way than ever before.
And while there remains a demand for in-store shopping, this can no longer be taken for granted meaning builders’ merchants have to work harder to attract customers through their doors. Keeping stores fresh, well-stocked and easy to navigate are all essential — and refreshing point of sale regularly can help on all three counts.
If used well, POS materials can alert your customers to products (and encourage purchases) in an organic way that algorithms and pop-up adverts can’t always achieve.
One of the most-cited reasons why customers opt to shop in person is down to the advice you’re able to give on the products you stock. While you don’t need to be experts on every single product, it’s worth keeping up to speed with suppliers for any notable product changes. And this also applies equally to their marketing plans.
If you align your in-store setup with manufacturers’ marketing you’ll be able to harness some of that market exposure too. For example, when you know that a manufacturer is running a particularly big campaign, like the current EB25 promotion from Sika Everbuild which includes the brand’s first foray into TV advertising alongside radio, social media and national print media adverts, you can piggyback on the back of this investment to generate sales in store.
Practical POS Placement
No one knows your shop floor better than you do. You’ll know that when it comes to POS positioning is everything as is selecting the right type to fit the available space. Consider whether you need to draw attention to the product where the range is located with shelf talkers or wobblers, or if you want to encourage impulse buys by positioning a reminder near the till in the form of a poster or vinyl counter mat, or simply want to grab customers’ attention immediately as they enter the store.
As part of the EB25 campaign, Sika Everbuild has created a range of POS materials including counter top display screens and free-standing display units (FSDUs) in either cardboard or metal. The FSDUs highlight the all-important time and money saving benefits of EB25 including a series of icons which demonstrate all its many benefits, and are compact enough to fit wherever is most appropriate in each store – whether by the door, counter or elsewhere.
The new EB25 POS materials mirror the no-nonsense approach of the adverts which customers are likely to have seen or heard, providing a timely reminder once in store. With the campaign, it’s going to be hard to miss the EB25 message over the next 12 months especially as it makes its TV debut — so it’s worth making sure your store is fully prepped and ready.
Click here for more information on the EB25 campaign including the new POS materials and to register your interest to host a Sika Everbuild roadshow.
