Natural Products retailers from all over Britain and Ireland were in London last month for the 4th National Health Store Conference.

Around 130 retailers, together with another 50 special guests, speakers, press and conference partners, enjoyed a packed programme of talks and presentations at the Earls Court conference centre.

One of the best received talks of the day was the Keynote from Geoff Burch, the presenter of the BBC 2 series All Over The Shop. A genuine tour de force, Burch’s talk was brilliantly funny, but also remarkably grounded in its business advice.

Burch said he recognised that many health food retailers get into the trade because of a personal conviction. But he added “you can keep your moral compass and still make money at the same time”. He advised stores to worry less about ‘suiting’ existing customers — “you already do that” — and focus more on the need to “suit Tesco, Clinique and Boots customers”.

This year’s retailer panel discussion was another highlight. Based around the theme ‘Let’s get ‘em hooked on health stores’, the session looked at ways that natural products retailers can convert mainstream consumers into regular health store shoppers.

Alan Martin of Food For Thought talked about how his store aimed to identify ‘cool brands’ that are known to appeal to particular consumer groups. When they are stocked and creatively promoted, he said, these brands are very effective at attracting ‘health store virgins’. Richard Thomas of Tarporley Health Store explained the big benefits his store was getting from local radio advertising — especially when he’d negotiated the rates down to just £50 a week (we even got to hear the Tarporley Health Store jingle!). Liz Chandler of Natures Corner meanwhile concentrated on the benefits of “taking the health store out of the health store environment” and working with other local retailers to maximise the impact of special events in the local community.

The screening of the world’s biggest-selling motivational video Fish! prompted a lively audience discussion covering everything from why “all experience is relevant” to how to beat negativity in the workplace (“invite your staff to act out their opposite personality type — it’s a real eye-opener!”). And there were some great tips shared by the panel on the ‘Creative Marketing on a Shoestring session”.

TV psychologist Emma Kenny provided a fascinating end to the day with her talk Understanding Customers to Build Business. Full of revealing data about what motivates consumers to “buy health”, the talk also conveyed the importance of connecting with customers emotionally. “The key factors in customer loyalty,” she said “are all emotional ones — listen to me, like me, remember me, make me remember.”

• A full write-up of the conference will appear in next month’s Natural Products. Audio recordings of the sessions will soon be available at  HYPERLINK "http://www.naturalproductsonline.co.uk" www.naturalproductsonline.co.uk along with other resources.

 

Geoff Burch, presenter All Over the Shop, BBC2
“You don’t need to ‘suit’ your loyal customers — you already do that. You need to suit Tesco, Clinique and Boots customers”

Alan Martin, Food for Thought
“Identify cool brands that will bring in new customers. Cool brands are now putting our store on their websites. That makes us cool!”

Richard Thomas, Tarporley Health
“Richard Thomas – Catch the day trippers – give them a wallet reminder, or something to remember you by and get them buying all year round from your store’s website”

Liz Chandler, Natures Corner
“Link up with other local retailers – you might not share the same ethics, but you’ll get the chance to speak to new customers”

Graeme Gunn, The Health Store
“You are community retailers, your customers are partners”

Julie Goodwin, Natural Health
“Podcast to your customers – it’s like having your own local radio station. Forget the hype about Twitter, think about how your store can benefit as a business”

Emma Kenny, TV psychologist
“The key factors in customer loyalty are all emotional ones — listen to me, like me, remember me, make me remember.”