It is lanyard season in the newsagency and here is why in my neck of the woods at least: through January there is a surge in new hires at local shops, juniors working for the school holidays. These new employees look for ways to keep ID cards, keys and other items on their person. So, lanyard sales are up.
But if you are in the market for a lanyard where would you go? Frankly, if I did hot know we sold them I would not know where to go for a lanyard. I suspect other people think like this too.
Lanyards are another niche item we can promote outside our businesses, on our Facebook page, as well as at the counter – to drive awareness and impulse purchases.
Too often we hide products like lanyards far away, down low, almost so no one can find them. Yet they are a product through which we can define our businesses. Seriously and here is why I think this…
The general stationery game is over, we cannot compete with Officeworks, supermarkets and others for everyday stationery. We don’t have the dollars to match their advertising spend that they are cheaper. We also do not have their buying power.
However, we have a customer service that is better than theirs and an ability to serve niche needs. Most of us do this today in our stationery departments. yet we do not promote it.
Here is my challenge: take a look at the fringes of your stationery department at the products you almost hide because they are so niche. Build a story around them, promote them online – give people a reason to think about shopping with you for these niche items. Leverage this niche traffic into purchases of everyday stationery items.
If you are not promoting your stationery offer outside your four walls you not chasing new traffic – meaning average is all you can expect i9n terms of stationery sales.
Check where your lanyards are. take a photo. Write about them on Facebook. Place a selection at the counter. Do something more than just leaving them on the shelf expecting them to somehow magically work all by their own hidden away from those who need them.