*Also see AVB conference social scene

LAS VEGAS — Retailers today are competing for consumer “heart share,” authors and consultants Rich Kizer and Georganne Bender told attendees of AVB/Brand Source national convention and buying fair here.

And it’s a lot more difficult to capture hearts these days.

In the 1980s and ’90s customers were more like sheep, led to a purchases with just a gentle nudge. Kiser and Bender describe the modern consumer as more like a panther or “the customer from hell” — better educated, more demanding, expecting quality, value and service all on the spot.

To make an impact, retailers need to constantly evaluate and improve on what they’re doing, Bender said.
Kizer, Bender and other speakers here offered a multitude of tips on how to do just that for the record crowd. Some 3,000 dealers, manufacturers and other guests of the buying group gathered for four days of educational programs, supplier shopping, networking and entertainment. They also heard updates on what the member-owned organization is doing to remain relevant and a source of profit improvement for its 2,500 member furniture, electronics and appliance retailers.

This year’s theme was “A Force to Be Reckoned with,” playing on Brand Source’s tie to drag racer John Force and his three racing daughters. About a year ago, Brand Source became a lead sponsor of the Force women — Ashley, Brittany and Courtney Force — who along with their father, appear on an A&E reality TV series called “Driving Force.”

John and Ashley Force were at the conference for a day, signing autographs for dealers and providing some comic relief as John Force mixed it up on stage with a magician. Attendees also enjoyed a concert by 1980s rock star Rick Springfield and a giveaway of four Ford Mustangs, tying in to a delivery truck program Brand Source has with Ford.

The record crowd also saw a larger-than-ever exhibit area of vendor partner products and services — up 35% to 140,000 square feet. Some 91 companies exhibited, including 20 furniture and bedding suppliers.
On opening day, Brand Source took about 200 members to the nearby World Market Center for a tour, including a walk through the showrooms of some conference exhibitors.

In their presentation called “The Crackle Factor,” Kizer and Bender focused on how retailers could keep their stores in the hearts and minds of consumers.

For starters they can collect e-mail addresses of customers, take digitals photos of them in the store with their purchases, then send them as a courtesy.

They should survey customers to learn what they do and don’t like about the shopping experience, from first impressions to the personnel. They should “indulge in careful spying of your competition,” too, Bender said.

She said she and Kiser have an exercise called “How does it feel?” where they challenge each other to enter unfamiliar retail territory and buy something they know nothing about to get a full picture of how a customer might be treated through a buying process.

And when retailers find a competitor or someone else doing something smart and useful, they should invest in R&D, which stands for “rip off and duplicate,” Kizer said.

Other suggestions:
* Regularly e-mail customer with “meaningful” information. They said every 20 days or so is acceptable.
* Create a blog.
* Telephone four customers a day and just thank them for choosing your store.
* Write four handwritten thank-you notes each day, and send them with real stamps.

“You will touch thousands of people and build word-of-mouth,” Kiser said.