Where are Lions and Giraffes Placed in a ZOO, and Why?

Here’s a marketing insight that you probably haven’t thought about too much.

You visit the zoo – what do you see right at the start (nearest to the entrance) and what do you see furthest from the entrance?

When I ask at my lectures and conferences, “What animals do you see closest to the entrance at the zoo?” a lot of people reply instinctively, “The lions,” or “the elephants,” or “the giraffes.”

But the truth is that giraffes, elephants and lions are placed farthest from the entrance to the zoo.

Why?

Because they are the real reason you came to the zoo!

A sophisticated rule of marketing says that for any shopping experience people engage in, you must “build” them a circular route (that starts and ends in the same spot) and put what they most expect and what is most important to them at the furthest point from the entrance, and place whatever is less important to them by the entrance.

At first glance, that would seem illogical.

But it contains a lot of (marketing logic).

Let’s take, for example, a local supermarket.

What do people need and buy most from the supermarket?

Bread and milk.

What do they need and buy least?

Sweets and all the specials that the supermarket offers.

So if supermarkets were to place bread and milk right by the entrance, near the cash registers, most customers would enter, pick up bread and milk, pay and leave.

They wouldn’t walk around the supermarket and they wouldn’t see the plethora that the supermarket has to offer.

But the bread and milk are placed at the back of the supermarket, at the furthest point from the entrance, and by doing so the store profits three times:

1. Exposure to more products:

Customers are “forced” to pass through the entire supermarket on their way to the basic products. They pass by all or most aisles and see what the supermarket has to offer (and of course, buy things they hadn’t planned on buying).

2. Excitement builds anticipation:

This route (unconsciously) creates in the minds of the customers a sense of expectation, curiosity, and a certain excitement. Because it takes time to reach the product they wanted, they don’t reach their item immediately. The unconscious buildup leads to buying more than they planned.

3. Impulse buys at checkout:
When customers finally get to the cash register (remember, it’s a circular route), what do they see? All the little “whatnots” – sweets, kids’ toys, batteries, and so on. And because they are exposed to these items while standing and waiting in line, they look at them repeatedly – and again, buy things they never planned to buy…

Have you gotten the idea?

Let’s go back to the zoo.

When you begin your visit (and it’s the same everywhere in the world), what do you see?

The little animals – parrots, turtles, snakes, and so on.

Then you’ll see larger and more attractive animals like monkeys and eagles.

After that, there will be “cool” animals like flamingos and alligators.

And then, at the furthest point from the entrance, you’ll experience the peak moment of your visit – the lions, the elephants, and the giraffes.

Why are they so far away?

Because they are what you came to see!

To show your kids snakes, parrots, and even monkeys, you don’t need to go to the zoo.

You can go to the closest pet shop.

But at the beginning of your visit to the zoo, you (and your kids) are “turned on” by the small animals.

Your expectations get built up.

Your excitation threshold increases.

So when you and the kids finally reach the lion exhibit, your excitement is at a peak – and your customer experience is maximized.

Ah… I forgot to note – you will also buy more…

MARKETING TAKEAWAY:
Do you want your customers to buy more from you and be exposed to a greater “shopping experience” in their relationship with you?

Create an “expectation effect.”
Increase their excitation threshold.
Make them admire you and be pleasantly surprised.

This is essential today – especially in an era of abundance.