I like that Home Depot has free classes to show you how to do things. Install a toilet, build an interior wall, roof a shed. The slogan is “You Can Do It, We Can Help” and they live up to it.
They’ve got all the gear, they want to show you how to do stuff so you can buy the gear there.
With the weather turning, and our mud pit of a backyard starting to dry up, Jen and I are rolling up our sleeves and getting it fixed up this spring. New lawn, new plants, new gardens, new deck.
Guess what Home Depot has in their big flyer this weekend? Decking materials on sale, and classes on how to use said decking material.
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We’re going to the Build a Deck class on Saturday morning at 9. Check out the site for a calendar of other classes being offered.
This type of marketing is brilliant. You have a product, you educate people, for free, on how to use it. You gain some good will and they come back to buy their supplies from you with their new confidence and knowledge.
Imagine if grocery stores did the same thing. They have all the supplies, why not have free cooking classes?
Computer stores could do it too. How many people know how to get the most from their computer or software? Why not offer free, simple, basic classes?
Arm your customers with education and they’ll know more to be able to buy more.
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Whole Foods offers cooking classes, but (unfortunately) they’re not free.
Home Depot has been in trouble lately because they focused aggressively on the professional market and let their consumer-facing business slide. I still dread trying to find a helpful salesperson in their product canyons .
I agree with your premise, but the difference is that everybody doesn’t need a new deck whereas everybody eats. A cooking class at Safeway would be filled to capacity every night of the week. I’d imagine it would take a lot to make such a program happen. Same goes for computers. Pretty much everybody has one and needs help with it. Since everyone doesn’t need a deck, or won’t build it themselves, running a deck building class once or twice a season is no big deal.
Anyway, I get your point, but not sure if it’s too practical. Was that too critical? Delete me if it was…
Have fun at your class this weekend and just so you know, I’d be happy to happy to enjoy a barbeque on your deck once it’s built. I’ll even bring good beer.
Oh, and people will buy food whether they know what to do with it or not, so Safeway doesn’t need to work hard to get people in the door.