Owners of companies like toy stores and game shops are probably already pros at marketing to kids, but other merchants who typically target adults may be missing out on these pint-sized shoppers if they aren't employing the right techniques to get their attention. Here are some ideas on how to get younger customers (or their parents) through your door.
Babies and toddlers
Obviously, children under age five or so aren't going to be very interested in shopping for themselves, so you'll need to target Mom and Dad to get baby-related items off the shelf. Try to show parents why the items you sell will help improve both their lives and the lives of their tots. For instance, if you have a display table full of plush items, you can put up a sign that tells parents not only are these toys adorable, but they are also silent (meaning no annoying noises for Mom and Dad).
Remember that sometimes, parents don't have to do all that much shopping for their baby, because they receive gifts at the shower. You can capitalize on this by showing how great your wares are for baby shower presents. Use pink and blue wholesale ribbon to tie bows around items that would work well as a gift, and make sure employees know how to point people in the right direction when looking for an item to give a new parent.
Grade schoolers
Once a child enters elementary school, he or she is more likely to notice things like window displays and other marketing devices. Therefore, if you have items for this age group, you'll want to make sure you have plenty of child mannequins so that kids can envision themselves in your wares when browsing with mom or dad. Remember that all shoppers are more likely to notice items that are eye-level, so you may want to put some of your hottest sellers on lower shelves where kids can easily see them.
Teenagers
Teens are one of the most coveted markets for retailers, but also one of the most difficult to tap into. Adolescents often have their own disposable cash for the first time in their lives. With this age group, variety is the name of the game. Teens' wants and needs are constantly changing, so offering an array of items rather than just a few hot sellers is a smart move.
