Twist Focus: On Her Smile

Twice each month, Twist Worldwide, a global visual intelligence firm, presents quick views and insights into the moments that are working in today's retail environments.  Enough with self-impressed trend consultants who claim to see the future: Twist sees the present with clarity and provides practical intelligence on how to make your business better today.  Over time, patterns emerge and possibilities get realized.  But first we have to see what is right in front of us.  This week: the power of a smile while shopping.

Visual

Most grocery stores sell balloons in the floral department as a way of driving additional revenue.  Not Central Market in Dallas. This smart store has a broader perspective: give the balloons away, and you end up with a happy child and a happy mom who will shop longer and come back more often. What could be a “throw away” idea ends up making the mom a hero to the child...and the store a hero to the mom. Everybody is smiling, and shopping.

More importantly, the balloons represent a commitment to helping families in their daily lives. Is mom weary of trying to get the young ones to eat fruits? Central Market helps out, rewarding the child with proactive validation and giving the shopper a moment to ask her little companion to buy in as mom buys up. Older children are respected with their own space for craft time, ensuring each member of the shopping team has something to do as mom shops. 

Could Central Market take this idea further? Indeed it could, with egg-shell potted plants from the legendary Chelsea Flower Show, springing green hair and big grins. This simplest of innovations turns a commodity item into a must-have...and lets the store smile back at and along with the happy shopper.

Intelligence

• Customer satisfaction comes from little experiences as well as great product.
• Smiling customers are customers you can reach and with whom you can connect.
• Helping mom do her job happily helps you sell more; everybody smiles, everybody wins.
• Consumers repeat good experiences, and spend more time when involved in a good experience.
• Each and every customer matters, no matter her age.  She is your next generation shopper.

Twist Worldwide is a global visual intelligence firm serving leading retailers by uncovering the patterns, possibilities, products and programs that earn the trust and business of today’s busy shoppers. Davis Brand Capital and Twist have worked together closely for more than a decade and are formalized business partners. Together, the companies have produced billions of dollars in realized value across various platforms, concepts and businesses.