Builders’ merchants are up against stiff online competition, but with the right product, the right marketing support and expertise from suppliers, sales growth is more achievable than ever. Charlie Turner, Head of Sales and Marketing at V12 Footwear, discusses the ways of providing builders’ merchants with the best tools for the job.
In collaboration with the University of Bath, V12 carried out a survey of over 500 safety footwear wearers. When asked what most influenced their footwear purchase, only 16% said it was reading a review and this shows that despite the convenience of online shopping, many customers would still rather go in-store and talk to a knowledgeable salesperson.
And, while merchants don’t need to be experts on all products, being able to speak confidently about their benefits can be crucial in convincing a customer to make a purchase.
Learning about V12 has become much easier since the team began a video series for its best-selling products. In these short videos, you can learn key benefits and be the safety footwear expert for customers, boosting both the store’s revenue and reputation.
Point of sale
From display and counter boot stands through to dump stacks, striking assets are key for highlighting solutions to customers. But it’s also worth remembering that POS isn’t just about striking design — it is about simplicity. Tradespeople are busy people and don’t have time to read endless technical information, so to make V12’s POS really pay off in store, the boots and their benefits are showcased quickly and clearly.
Simplicity is also key when it comes to constructing POS. All V12’s POS comes with easy-to-follow assembly instructions, so it’s zero hassle for the store to get them up and in front of customers. I also advise branches to move their POS around — varying your stock and displays will lead customers to new areas of the branch and discover different products as they browse.
“One of the best examples of POS is your own feet! Customers will be far more likely to invest in the boot because you won’t be a salesperson — you’ll be a walking, talking advocate for the product.”
Finally, one of the best examples of POS? Your own feet! I always encourage a merchant’s employees to wear a pair of V12 boots. Customers will be far more likely to invest in the boot because you won’t be a salesperson — you’ll be a walking, talking advocate for the product.
Focus on BoB
Created by V12 in partnership with Band of Builders — a registered charity that helps tradespeople battling illness and adversity — the BoB boot is a great example of a safety boot with big benefits for merchants. For every pair sold, V12 donates £5 straight to the charity, and a product with this kind of charitable element gets customers interested and invested.
Sometimes the right product has just as much impact as the right POS. The BoB boot is great for builders’ merchants because it’s self-promoting. Emblazoned on the boxes is the specific ‘Band of Builders’ packaging, and the boots feature an extra pair of orange laces for free, which further promotes the charity.
Click here for details of how to bring V12 Footwear into your branch.
A version of this article appeared in the April edition of Professional Builders Merchant. Click here to read the full digital issue via the PBM website.
