Why Being Deliberate in Semi-Chaos Could be Beneficial in this Attention Economy
Thanks to Marie Kondo and her book “The Life-Changing Magic of Cleaning Up’ there is a huge trend to declutter.
With Marie’s KonMari Method, we are taught to simplify and organize, resulting in a minimalistic approach to our world. We can find items easier and “cultivate empathy for the things around us.”
Now I’m not here to dissuade you to declutter or nor am I debunking Marie Kondo’s methods. I’m here to encourage you to deliberately introduce a little chaos in your business. Now I wouldn’t blame you if you were thinking I was a little off-balance! Let me explain.
Let’s look at Boxing Day, Army & Navy Shoe Sales, Black Friday or Apple product launches. TV stations love to have an announcer on site, positioned in front of the doors of the store, with cameras panning the crowds lined up outside the doors.
People are interviewed showing them in front of tents and sleeping bags, all camped out to be first in line to buy. The doors open, crowds will surge forward, all vying for the newest gadget or best bargain.
It’s also not uncommon to enter these stores and find everything in chaos.
There are bins overflowing with clothes of all types, color and sizes, hand-painted signs, racks full, and the general feel of too much merchandise. It feels like a treasure hunt, a highly anticipated chaotic search for the perfect bargain, with no consideration for price.
In their book, ‘Chocolates on the Pillow Aren’t Enough’, author Jonathan M. Tisch & Karl Weber, share the “deliberate semi-chaos” story of retail giant Urban Outfitters. They call ‘semi-chaos’ the retailer’s secret weapon and provide examples of why this approach to business can succeed.
It’s a convincing read but here’s some additional benefits to deliberately adding semi-chaos into your sales plan:
- It encourages innovation and diversity vs standardization. It helps you stand out from competitors.
- It appeals to different generations, or those with “restless, short attention spans.”
- It provides greater inventory turnover, resulting in improved cash flow.
- People enjoy the ‘hunt’, often purchasing multiples or items they didn’t plan for. This results in higher sales per person and per square foot.
- Customers return often. They don’t want to miss anything new or interesting.
Now I’m not saying that the semi-chaotic approach will work for everyone, but it’s worth a try.
If your business is a little boring or predictable, create a little chaos, make a mess, mix stock up, change the layout of your store and remerchandise frequently.
Entice your customers to feel that they need to return weekly. They never know what they will find.
So come on, get messy! The worst that can happen is that you can clean up some dust bunnies and make more money!
About the Author, Pamela Chatry
Do you work too hard? Is your business in chaos? If you are struggling with business issues, contact Pamela Chatry for a complimentary assessment. Pamela has been a trusted and highly respected Business Consultant, Mentor for Women in Business, Self-Employment Advocate, Trainer and Keynote Speaker for over 25 years.
Visit www.pamelachatry.com or call her at 778-856-8970 for help in getting your business to its fullest potential.
