Promote Staycations

In this current economic condition, many people are choosing to stay at home,
vacation at home = Staycation. “A vacation that is spent at one’s home enjoying
all that home and one’s home environs have to offer,” as defined in the Urban
Dictionary. Experts say it’s not uncommon for overscheduled families to choose a
“staycation,” a term whose derivation is often credited to a popular Canadian
television series. “I think there are new innovative ways to think of vacation,” said
Lois Backon, vice president of the Families and Work Institute.

Warm Inviting Tuscan Style Outdoor Room
OW Lee® Furniture & Outdoor Couture® Accessories
Home improvement stores are stocking up and discount stores are featuring
products that will make the yard more fun while encouraging weekend getaways
and socialization in your own backyard. The rising pressures that consumers are
feeling with the soaring price of gas and food are creating the perfect venue for  specialty casual furniture retailers to embrace this new concept, the innovative idea of staying and playing at home.  People want to feel good, so promote these feelings.

Here are 4 solutions that will help you promote staycations

Solution #1: Promote the idea of making your home a destination.
Utilizing visualization is a fabulous way to promote the feelings that
will encourage your customers to want to create a very unique
home ambiance. Show photos of Bali, Hawaii, a luxury resort
pool setting or perhaps a picture of your favorite destination.

Let the indoor flow to the outside effortlessly

Some of the hottest destinations that are being recreated in outdoor
living rooms today are Africa, Indonesia, and the Caribbean. It is
easy to design an African setting with the wonderful introductions of
animal print outdoor fabric by Sunbrella® and Outdura®.

Candles are a wonderful addition to any setting, the scents can
instantly produce a memory of a special place and time. Musky
earthen scents reminiscent of the plains and forests of Africa.
Tropical breezes can seemingly float in the air with the addition of
fragrant Hawaiian tropics candles. Daybeds or cabanas dressed in
black and white tucked in a special corner of the yard create
spiritual reminders of Indonesia.

Solution # 2: Promote the idea of staying at home during vacation time.

Change is a constant in the world that we live in so embracing
change can help your customer create a home environment that is
comfortable and uniquely designed for their home.

Acknowledging the changing times in a positive manner will win
more hearts than negative advertising that weighs on people’s fear.
Instead buck the trend and encourage Feel Good, Happy Times,
Family Values and enjoying life in your own backyard.

Enjoying a Staycation with good food & friends

It is relatively easy to recreate travel destinations of your dreams
in your home. There are numerous choices of outdoor quality
furnishings that have been inspired by specific places in mind such
as Tuscany, Tropics, Exotic islands, Africa, Seaside, Beaches,
Cottages, Spain, France and many more places.

Promote the idea of a staycation this year, stay at home on
vacation. Why spend lots of money to temporarily visit these
locations, when you can spend the money as an investment in your
own home. Rather than return from these exotic locations feel the
pleasure of returning time and again each and every time you
spend time in your specially created outdoor retreat.

Solution # 3: Partner with local designers or offer in-store designer
services to your customers to promote the ability to transform a home
environment.

Consumers are discovering that outdoor living is more than simply
dressing up patios with a few select pieces of furniture, alternatively
people are transforming their common backyards into specialty
rooms complete with televisions, bars, kitchens, heaters, and water
features. Drapes, carpet, lamps, plants and trees are being used as
accents as well as room partitions.

To assist your target market with the designing of these outdoor
rooms you can either partner with local designers who are
members of ASID or hire an in-house designer to offer your
customers the design services that will utilize your top sales talent
to build relationships with your customers and give their expert
advise on how to design a new outdoor living space that reflects
their life style.

The marketplace is offering a vast array of stylish outdoor
furnishings, fabrics, accessories and appliances. Off your expertise
on the products you sell to the designers and they will reciprocate
by offering inspiration and motivation to your customers.

Solution # 4: Partner with local companies that build outdoor living
scapes to promote the concept of community.

A feeling of community is so very strong and is a very powerful tool
in the marketplace today. To create loyalty while building relationships is the key to increasing market awareness of your brand.

Do research to find the best landscape designers, contractors, pool
builders in your local area and invite them to meet with you to
discuss business opportunities. You can promote them to your
customer base and vise versa. When a customer comes into your
store and wants a new patio structure, plants, new outdoor flooring
or a water feature, you will be ready to confidently refer the expert
for the job, just as these vendors will in turn recognize your
expertise in casual furnishings and be a loyal partner for your
business.

Using some form of these 4 solutions to promote staycations  to your customers should lead to increase sales even during this dreary economic climate. Appealing to your customer’s emotions to help brighten their life will help them to Feel Happy!