It's More Than a Mat … It's An Opportunity

First impressions are lasting impressions. Many retailers are missing a tremendous opportunity by not taking advantage of Image floor mats. Valuable real estate in the entrance of a facility remains untapped. According to Joseph S. King, Ph.D., a professor of psychology at Radford University in Radford, Virginia, floors can be an effective location for advertising information¹.

This is because, “when walking into a retail store, we are programmed to not only look at the store's displays and merchandise but also to pay attention to the floor,” King says. While the attention is on the floor, placing a relevant message is a positive utilization of customer focus.

"Attention directed downward narrows our attention focus," says King. "In other words, looking at the floor focuses our attention, and the content [on the floor] becomes relevant, impacting the consumer at the point of decision." Leveraging an image mat in this location will have an impact on the buying decision and increase brand or message awareness.

If you do not have an image mat in the entrance of your location, don’t worry you are not alone. According to King, “although some types of retailers, such as grocery stores, have found success placing marketing messages on floors, most retailers have not taken advantage of this opportunity.”

In many instances a plastic adhesive runner is place on the floor—while this product will get the message across, it will not hold up to excessive foot traffic. Plastic floor signs become soiled quickly, lose their impact, and must be removed often.

Image mats can not only direct traffic to sale items, for instance, but also make sure shoe bottoms are clean and remove any moisture that may be present. This helps keep the store clean and minimizes the possibility of a slip-and-fall accident. Plus, most image mats must be purchased. Purchased mats are generally far more durable—and last longer—than rented mats.

Here are just some of the ways our customers use image mats:

• Social distancing for patrons as well as employees.  
• Signage, directing attendees to unique attractions or a specific exhibitor.
• Image mats to help promote their products and services as customers walk through a bank.
• Schools showcase their mascot as well as provide direction.

The production of image matting is exceedingly fast and cost effective. The first thing a Crown Matting Specialist will do is help the customer determine precisely what kind of mat will work best. Some image mats have anti-fatigue properties, for example Crown's Embossed Anti-Fatigue Mat, while others, such as Super Berber Inlay, are designed specifically to keep soils and moisture outside. With the mat selected, all that is necessary is determining what is to be imprinted on the mat and Crown Matting technologies can take it from there.

1 King, Joseph S. (2007) Digital Signage Quarterly, December, 2007, Beyond Signage: The Floor as Screen, p 26-34. Also published in: Marketing at Retail, December, 2007, The New Sales Floor, p. 36-40. Originally published as a White Paper entitled, “Psychology of The Floor” a commissioned report (by Intellimat, Inc) on the effectiveness of digital signage on the floor as way to attract the attention of shoppers and provide information to them about advertised items.

 To meet with a Crown Matting Specialist, contact us here.