Gen Alpha and Gen Z are journaling more than Gen X and Gen Y according to some commentators in this space of journaling. And, among Gen Alpha and Gen Z, journaling is for guys and girls. Reading this a while back got me thinking since it challenges my assumptions about journaling, based on decades in retail.
I think it is time for a reset in our approach to journals in our shops. They and more than pretty notebooks.
Journals are creative outlets, productivity boosters, data recorders, lyric books, poetry books, brain dump spaces, therapy and treasured keepsakes. Journals mean something different to each person engaged. This is what we have to understand.
Fear not! Here are 6 tips to turn those passing glances into happy journal purchases:
1. Showcase the Spectrum
People journal for all sorts of reasons. Some crave a space for daily reflections, while others seek a bullet journal for ultimate organisation. Cater to this diversity by offering a range of journals. From classic hardcovers with lined pages to funky softcovers bursting with dotted grids and blank spaces, create a selection that caters to different styles and purposes.
Don’t forget niche interests: travel journals, gratitude journals, food journals, fitness journals, drawing journals, star sign journals.
2. Be Seen, Be Desired
Place journals front cover facing at the counter. Yes, people will purchase on impulse.
3. Cross sell
Pair journals with pens, covers, book marks, posi-it notes and other items that make sense to purchase with them.
4. Storytelling Sells
Have a journal open on a table, preferably with a chair where someone can sit. Have a chair nearby. Encourage people to journal anonymously in the shop. Leet them experience it, and maybe get hooked as a result. Let your customers be their own storyteller.
5. Pitch on social media
Showcase journals on social media. Use this platform to speak to the range of journaling situations you cover: male, female, young, old, work, hobby. Be sure to show off your range.
6. Train Your Team
Make sure everyone working in the shop understand your products. Nurture in them a love of your pens and your journals and the feeling that comes from writing on the page. If they journal themselves, give them a deal. This may help them talk about they own experiences journaling with shoppers.
By implementing these tips, you can transform your retail space into a haven for journal enthusiasts.
You are not selling stationery. Rather, you are selling keepers of memories and much more, things they will value for many years.