Did you know… Your customers are bombarded by over 3,000 advertising messages a day! How can you make your store stand-out through the clutter? How can you successfully increase retail sales while keeping your marketing budget under control?

The key to successful independent retailing is differentiation and creativity! As a retailer, make it your goal to provide a value-added experience for your customers. Put simply, a happy, educated customer is likely to tell other prospective customers about their positive experience!

At BLAST-OFF Fireworks, we have compiled five tips for Launching Your Profits, each of which will be discussed below. Remember, if you need a hand with any aspect of your fireworks program, Mission Control is a quick phone call or click away!

PROFIT TIP #1

DO IT RIGHT

The amount of attention you devote to a particular category at your retail outlet will ultimately determine the success of the product line. This sounds like a simple concept, yet our merchandising team frequently returns to the office with numerous noted maladies from client visits.

At the very basic level, you should view your fireworks category from the customer’s perspective. Ask yourself if your fireworks display is truly customer friendly… would you purchase fireworks from your store, given the way you are promoting or displaying your merchandise?

Key attributes to consider include:

    • LOCATION: Are products positioned in an eye-catching location?
    • VIEW: Can customers access your fireworks display to easily view product?
    • ORGANIZATION: Is the product neatly organized in one central space?
    • PROMOTION: Is your fireworks category properly identified with promotional materials?

At a more advanced level, consider your product mix. Do you have the “right amount” of inventory? A $200 selection of fireworks in your store is not likely to yield the results that you desire, as avid fireworks customers could cause a stock-out with a single purchase!

Furthermore, do you have the “right type” of inventory? If you merchandise only pre-packaged kits at your outlet, are you neglecting an un-tapped market? What happens when your customers start to look for a specific item type that is contained within the family packs?

PROFIT TIP #2

KNOW YOUR STUFF

Ensure that you and your employees are familiar with the fireworks products you are selling!

In Canada, there are 8 major fireworks categories, each producing a unique effect. Learn about each category on the effect and altitude chart below:

PROFIT TIP #3

LEND A HAND

Frequently, your customers may not be able to make a firm decision on a specific product, or group of products. The primary alternative is to recommend a pre-packaged assortment that meets their budget and needs. These assortments contain a variety of items, usually focusing on the most popular, top-selling products.

If a customer is not interested in a pre-packaged assortment, or if your store does not stock these items, direct the customer to your loose fireworks selection. While working to establish their expectations and requirements, attempt to understand what your customer is looking for. Specifically:

    • Ask the customer if they are looking for any specific item type. For example, a customer may be looking specifically for Roman Candles or Finale Cakes.
    • Ask the customer if they are looking for a specific colour or effect.

After discussing the customer’s desires, develop a mutual game plan. Begin by pointing out items that might be of interest, explaining as you go. If in doubt, look to the “BLAST-OFF Product Scorecard”. Every product is labelled with the colour, effect, and number of shots produced upon ignition!

There is also a self-serve QR code on every “BLAST-OFF” branded product, that when scanned by a smartphone, will direct your customer to videos and value-added content.

When a customer cannot decide what item to purchase, and you have run of out of items to recommend, just remember CATS: CAKES ARE TOP SELLERS!

Quite simply, cakes provide the best bang for the consumer dollar!

PROFIT TIP #4

FUEL THE EXCITEMENT!

Get people talking about your fireworks selection! We’ve developed a few items that can form a starting point for adding excitement to your fireworks offering:

Purchase Freebies

Everybody loves freebies! Why not create an incentive program that rewards people based on the volume of fireworks purchased? The rewards do not have to be large, and could follow a schedule similar to below:

    • $0-$25: Free Sparklers
    • $25-$50: Free Roman Candle
    • $50-$100: Free Floral Shell
    • $100+: Free Small Finale Cake

Remember that free rewards are perceived at “retail value”, as your customers do not know your actual product cost (which is far less than retail!). Free items are also much more powerful than discounts, as customers perceive the items to be personal “gifts”, creating a memorable purchasing experience.

Community Sponsorships

Looking to make a promotional “SPLASH” in your community? It’s easy to be a Hometown Hero… simply sponsor a community fireworks extravaganza!

BLAST-OFF Fireworks specializes in providing choreographed community displays for any budget. These packages emphasize ease of ignition, while providing maximum visual appeal for any audience.

All consumer fireworks packages offered by BLAST-OFF Fireworks are subject to regular wholesale discounts, and come complete with ignition flares, a custom firing sequence and instructions, and an educational handbook designed to ensure that your display is a complete success!

Sponsoring a community fireworks display costs your organization absolutely nothing (you can provide the show “at cost” to a local community group, with no expense to you), and it:

    • Provides invaluable word-of-mouth marketing and publicity.
    • Levers your marketing efforts. How many other ways can you receive FREE marketing in your community?
    • Positions your store at the "fireworks specialist" in your community, generating exponential fireworks sales!

Buy 2 Get 1 Free Specials

Customers love specials… You should too! Although the margins earned on loss leaders can be slim, they create an invaluable marketing advantage. Loss leaders drive traffic to your store, create new (and lasting) relationships, and increase basket size. The goal of a loss leader is to offset the cost of an incentivized product through new customer generation and volume sales. Why not price one high-volume product at Buy 2 Get 1 Free this weekend?!

PROFIT TIP #5

KNOW THE LAW

Be sure that your staff are familiar with the following sales regulations and protocols:

    • Customers should not handle fireworks until after their sale is transacted.
    • Purchasers of fireworks must be 18 years of age or older.
    • Purchasers of fireworks must be of a "sane and sober" mind.
    • Customers that appear to be under 18 years-of-age must provide a valid photo I.D. Click HERE for examples of valid photo I.D.
    • If in doubt... do not sell! Staff and corporations selling fireworks to minors can be charged under the Explosives Act of Canada.
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