IRDC 2024: Three Steps to Winning Customers’ Hearts (And Their Feet!)

How do you get customers to beat a path to your door ­­– and immerse them in your brand when they walk in? Foot Locker’s style of experiential branding can help you hit the ground running.

Now celebrating its 50^th year of operation, the global footwear brand is stepping it up with its  “Heart of Sneakers” campaign. This year at the International Retail Design Conference, Oct. 9-10, Sarah Wexler, Sr. Director, Global Store Design, Foot Locker, and Jordan Taylor, Creative Director, Landor will explore the brand’s new strategy and offer these key takeaways to get you started:

1. First Things First: Welcome Everyone

Foot Locker is known for having numerous styles of footwear to excite and entice a variety of customers. To welcome shoppers to your brand, take the time to hire and reward friendly staff members – a smile can go a long way toward eliminating any fears or discomfort your customers may have. Also, lean into accessibility. Wide aisles, easy-to-read signage, clear and understandable imagery and even demonstrations of your product can help draw customers into the conversation.

2. Community Involvement: Build a Family

People love being part of a community. Foot Locker may have its dedicated sneakerheads, but any in-store special opportunities can draw customers to your brand family. Whether through events, collaborations with local artists on special projects in line with your brand ethos or leveraging social media, find ways to connect ­– meaningfully – with your community.

3. In-Store Experiences: Level Up the Passion!

When customers step into your store, they should feel like they’re escaping into a world of creativity that immerses them in a brand experience. Foot Locker does this with interactive displays, unique sneaker art and easily accessible try-on areas – but that’s only the beginning. Consider using interactive displays and try-before-you-buy zones to give customers a hands-on experience, or pop-up art to convey the vibe of your brand.

Want to learn more? Don’ t miss Foot Locker’s session at IRDC. We’ll catch you on the court!