I love IKEA. No, I’m not a huge fan of Swedish meatballs, and I’m not much into building furniture. But the store is great. I wish there was one closer to where I live, but getting there is a day trip. When I lived in Los Angeles, we would go to the Burbank location and spend a Sunday afternoon there. It’s like a giant furniture theme park. Besides buying furniture, IKEA can also teach us a thing or two about the brand online…
IKEA started in a small town in Sweden in 1943, when a 17-year-old entrepreneur started selling flower seeds, Christmas tree decorations and pencils to locals. It wasn’t until 1953 that the first showroom opened in Almhult, Sweden; but by 1956 IKEA was designing its own self-assembly furniture that it is now famous for. Today, IKEA has more than 300 stores in 37 countries.
But what does that have to do with branding online? Here are some lessons we can learn from the furniture retailer:
1. Create an experience
Going to IKEA is not like going to Sears or Walmart. A trip to IKEA is more like an event. It just feels different. it’s an experience. Starbucks does the same thing with coffee, Apple does the same thing with its retail stores and almost everything they produce. How can you make your products or services more of an experience for your customers? What can you do to be more memorable and unique?
2. Fix the environment
IKEA also does a great job of creating an environment that is conducive to shopping. Shops are set up so you follow a designated route. There is an intentional path that you are expected to take. Only casinos have a more “strategic” design than IKEA. Are you making it easy for your customers to buy from you? Is there a “path” for your customers to follow?
3. Imagine the possibilities
Share a vision of what can be. IKEA showrooms are arranged so you can imagine how great their furniture would look in your home. Of course, if you’re buying a sofa, you’ll want to add those cool lamps that they have on the same shade. How do you show your clients the possibilities? Are you selling features or benefits? (Focus on the benefits!)
4. Demonstrate the result
In the same vein, IKEA “rooms” are set up and displayed as a vision of the end result. Products are shown in the context of a vision of what could be: “Hey, wouldn’t it be great if our living room looked like this?” is what most customers are thinking as they wander through the elaborate displays. I guess that’s why it’s called a showroom!
Take a cue from IKEA and consider how you can improve your “brand experience” in your business. And the next time you visit the furniture retail giant, take note of how they integrate their unique brand into everything they do.