SECOND LIFE: MAKING MORE SALES AT EVENTS. 

Whether you are new to selling or just need some advice from a consumer, here are some tips on how to gain more sales at an event.  I have 11 years’ experience in Second life, as a former designer, a current blogger and a shopping addict.  I offer just my personal opinion in this article but it is ultimately up to you to decide what is best for your business.

Demos:

If your product requires a demo, be sure to have one available. There are a couple of things to think about when putting together your demo for an event.  The first one is that most events are extremely laggy. This will make the shopping experience different than it would be normally in your main store.  Here are some suggestions that help your shoppers and will help you in the end:

1.    Open Automatically:  When a shopper clicks the demo button, have everything unpack automatically in a folder in their inventory. Many times, when you click the demo button, the box is dropped into your inventory.  You have to attach the box like a HUD, then click on the designer’s logo/ picture and finally, it will unpack in your inventory.   This is actually a lot of steps and you are adding unnecessary scripts to an already laggy event.  I have even seen demo boxes where you have to leave the event and go to a location that will allow you to unpack this.  I personally will just pass on that product if I cannot open the demo box.

 

2.    Demo HUD:  Another thing to keep in mind is Demo HUDS.  Demo HUDS can take a minute or two to load due to the scripts so keep the script count down if you can.  Keep the HUD to the left or right side of the screen.  If it is directly in the middle, it will cover the avatar’s face.  The reason, shoppers are trying on the product to see how it looks on them and if it goes with their face.  Many people have no idea how to cam to view themselves properly and they usually have no clue on how to move HUD’s to get a better view.  (Make it easy on them!) HUD size is important: not too small where it is difficult to read and not too big where it takes up the whole screen. If it is possible for you to do:  have all the demos on one HUD.  I know that would be difficult for many designers especially for hair demos but I have seen eye shadow where each shade had its own separate demo HUD.  There was 12 shades and 12 demo huds, which is a little much at a busy event. The important thing is to keep in mind is the lag and making it easier for the customer to see your product.

 

3.    Demo Button:   Make the demo button visible and large enough for somebody to see.  If a customer has to search for or cannot figure out where it is; they will walk on by. Most hair and skin designers have made it a standard practice to make their main vendor picture as the demo button and the majority of people know to click that.   I would keep with that tradition.  The main vendor picture is often the first thing to load too.

 

4.    Demo Products:  It is common practice to put some sort of hovering logo on your demo product. When the customer tries it on; it will be very clear that this is a demo item.  Customers want to see how the demo item looks on them and especially their face.  In the case of hair or other items for the head, it would good idea not to have this logo fall in front of the face and those large rotating circles are overkill.  Make the logo over the head or off to one side.

 

Booth Décor:

This one is simple.  The more scripts you have in booth decorations; the longer it takes to load. Your booth might be over looked or by passed if it takes too long to rez.

 

Vendors:

Another suggestion is to make one vendor a focal point.  Something that will attract the customer immediately.  Many designers will shove every vendor/product in their booth that they can.  If the booth looks so busy in terms of vendors, it can be very off putting.

In addition, keep vendors simple in design with easy to read fonts.  I have another article detailing why you should do this.

 

Gacha:

Gacha is very popular.  It allows the customer to pay the machine and win a random prize.  Customers love the mystery and the thrill of playing the machine.  It is comparable to gambling. The thing to factor in if you plan to put a gacha machine in your booth is the prize ratio.  I will explain prize ratio.  If there are 30 common prizes and 1 rare, the chances of winning the rare are very slim and many people will not play the machine because you are putting more money to obtain that rare than what the rare is worth. Therefore, even if the rare is awesome, I will skip that machine because it is not worth trying (to potentially) spend that much money. Now, if the machine has 10 common prizes and 1 rare, I will play that machine if I am interested in those prizes.  

Common prizes can be fun too.  Often, I will play a machine for the common prize than for the rare. What I see frequently in many machines are that the common prizes are boring or poorly designed.  Even if I want the rare, I will not spend money on the machine if the common prizes are not decent.

 

Landmark:

Always include a landmark to your main store with your products. This gives the customer a chance to check out your other stuff. 

 

Prices:

Mark your items fairly.  Overpricing can kill your sales.  Do a market comparison and see what other similar items are priced at.  If your product comes in different colors or styles, think about the pricing because a decent sticker tag can give customers an incentive to buy it in the other colors too. For example, if I see a mesh shirt for L400.  I won’t buy it because I think it’s overpriced.  Clothes are a flooded market in Second Life.  I walk to the next booth and see another cool shirt for L250. Chances are I will buy that shirt and I will buy it in another color too. Therefore, you just made an extra 100L and a potential repeat customer in the future.  That is what you need to aim for “Repeat Customers.”

 

Hopefully, this advice will help you further your business along.