Sharon Yourell Lawlor is a renowned business strategist based in Dublin, Ireland. As a leading voice in the world of retail and shopper strategy, and with over 25 years’ experience working within the Consumer Product Goods (CPG) industry, Sharon assists clients to better understand trends shaping the global retail landscape and supports businesses to develop strategies that effectively enhance customer experience and guide today’s consumers and shoppers on their purchase journeys. Described as insightful, tenacious, and deeply perceptive to the needs of shoppers, Sharon has a genuine passion for retail and an insatiable desire to assist businesses to turn shopper needs and insights into retail solutions. She knows how to inspire and lead businesses in their quest to engage successfully with consumers as they navigate omnichannel purchase journeys in an increasingly digital retail world. Utilising her extensive knowledge of shopper marketing, Sharon has recently written a course on Retail Marketing Strategy for the global training platform LinkedIn Learning.

Sharon was listed as one of Checkout Ireland’s ‘Top Power 100 Marketers’ and in 2020 was named as one of the 10 ‘Women of Influence’ within the Irish grocery industry. As a sought after thought provoker about the future of retail, Sharon has co-written a guide on sustainability for the Irish retail sector called ‘Sustainable Irish Retail Action’ (SIRA), in partnership with Retail Excellence Ireland and Champion Green to assist businesses in preparation for a more sustainable retail future. She sits on the Executive Committee of Ireland’s leading grocery charity, the Irish Grocers Benevolent Fund and was founding chair of the initiative – Today’s Women in Grocery (TWIG).

Sharon was named one of Rethink Retail ’s Top Influencers in 2023.

Key Emerging Trends Within Retail
In this talk, Sharon will provide the audience with a comprehensive overview of the world of retail, including the key actions that can allow businesses to survive and thrive in the changing retail landscape.

Why You Must Understand Your Shopper’s Mindset to Turn Browsers to Buyers
In this talk, Sharon challenges how we perceive the role of the shopper in the consumer lifecycle journey and assists audiences to understand why brands need to appeal to both the consumer and shopper mindsets if they are to turn browsers to buyers and win within retail.

How to Successfully Click with Customers in Today’s Digital World
In this talk, Sharon examines what brands need to do to thrive in a more digitalised omni-channel retail landscape, where people increasingly feel comfortable shopping across different channels. The session aims to help audiences see how an excellent shopper marketing strategy helps with the challenges of an increasingly complex consumer journey in a post pandemic economy.

Why Providing Solutions and Storytelling Is Key to your Brand’s Success
Every brand’s objective is to understand your target customers, their problems and needs, and deliver relevant solutions. This talk will give audiences a deeper insight into why being ‘solutions-focused’ is key to brand success and the role that storytelling can play to sets brands apart from the crowd.

How To Develop a More Sustainable Retail Business
Building on her research and the dozens of interviews with top executives from the retail industry in Ireland that Sharon carried out to write her guide on retail sustainability – Sustainable Irish Retail Action (SIRA), this talk takes the audience through the challenges currently faced by retailers and steps needed to develop a more sustainable retail business.

You may want to go deeper with your audience. Masterclasses can be tailored and developed to suit your audience needs, be it a 90-minute Masterclass , a half-day or full-day workshop or a full online or face-to-face programme. Please contact one of our expert team to discuss.

Trends Shaping the Global Retail Landscape
Sharon’s masterclass on ‘Future Proofing Retail’ will give audiences a better understanding of and unique perspective on what’s happening both globally and locally within retail. Using best in class examples to give industry insights and demonstrate retail trends, Sharon’s storytelling approach outlines the evolving nature of retail, provides inspiration, and shows audiences how to apply emerging retail trends in real and practical ways.

Redefining Meaningful Shopper Experiences
Sustainability & Considered Conscientious Purchasing
Driving Digital Transformation in Retail
The Importance of Creativity, Inspiration & Storytelling
Retail Responses to Supply Chain Disruption & Staff Shortages
Blurring of Retail Boundaries

Turning Browsers to Buyers Through a Shopper-Centric Approach
Today more than ever, crafting your retail strategy for the complexities of the evolving shopping landscape is a must. It’s key to build marketing plans that fully address shopper needs, showcase your unique selling proposition, and prioritise purchase conversion, moving potential customers from browsers to buyers.
In her masterclass, retail and shopper expert Sharon Yourell Lawlor shares how to strategically guide and market to the shopper along the path to purchase, whether they’re buying in a physical store, online, or in an omnichannel journey. Sharon describes how effective retail marketing guides shoppers seamlessly along the path to purchase and in this masterclass, she outlines how your tactics and communications can and should adapt along the shopper journey. Sharon also provides a checklist of criteria to incorporate into your retail strategy to successfully execute campaign plans and drive purchase conversion, turning browsers to buyers.

“Sharon is a unique domain expert, a catalyser for practical next steps on any business’s sustainability journey. No jargon, no fearmongering, just solutions.” Sonya Lennon, Entrepreneur
“Sharon is a strong retail strategist and shopper behaviour expert in the Irish market and is an excellent speaker. She is leading the way in supporting retailers to create sustainability strategies and plans that are practical and meaningful for consumers and businesses. She is an expert in her field and is a passionate and engaging communicator. Sharon uses practical examples to demonstrate best practice from retail and shares standout imagery to demonstrate her key insights and learnings. Sharon is a very active listener, and I have witnessed her engage really well with fellow panellists, and challenge and build on others’ point of view. She is a true professional, is always so well prepared on the relevant topic and I always learn something new from her contributions.” Evelyn Moynihan, CEO Kilkenny Design & Champion Green

“I have had the pleasure of working closely with Sharon over a number of months. She is an excellent and engaging speaker who inspires her audience and can speak across a broad range of topics relevant to the consumer, I would have no hesitation in recommending her.”   Duncan Graham, CEO Retail Excellence
“Sharon has been a pivotal force in driving the Today’s Women in Grocery (TWIG) initiative from its inception in 2016. As founding chair of the TWIG event, one of the key objectives she set out to achieve was to engage audiences in understanding the work of the IGBF charity itself and the importance of having an event that brings women together in support of each other and of the charity’s fundraising efforts. Sharon is a formidable speaker whose passion for supporting others and her industry coupled with her undeniable authenticity & credibility gives her stand out appeal as she engages and connects with audiences.” Frances Higgins, Chairperson Irish Grocers Benevolent Fund

As a sought after thought provoker about the future of retail, Sharon has co-written a guide on sustainability for the Irish retail sector called ‘Sustainable Irish Retail Action’ (SIRA), in partnership with Retail Excellence Ireland and Champion Green to assist businesses in preparation for a more sustainable retail future. She sits on the Executive Committee of Ireland’s leading grocery charity, the Irish Grocers Benevolent Fund and was founding chair of the initiative – Today’s Women in Grocery (TWIG).
Sharon was named one of  RETHINK Retail’s Top Global Experts in 2023 and 2024

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