In a world where e-commerce is increasingly on the rise and brick and mortar stores are struggling, you may be wondering how to compete with online competitors. While it’s true that Americans prefer to do the bulk of our shopping online-especially at big giants like Amazon-there is still a need for brick and mortar stores, and they have some advantages over their online counterparts.
One advantage, and probably the most significant one, of a physical store, is that you can connect with your customers in person. Unlike online stores, you can get to know your regular customers by face and name, and the value of face-to-face human interaction is simply irreplaceable. Use it to create repeat customers, which ultimately translates to repeat sales. To help you win over more of the public and grow your sales numbers, here are some ways to effectively promote your brick and mortar retail store.
You should be doing these six things right now to advertise your business and drive sales.
1. Have Seasonal Storewide Sales
What do people love more than a party? A good sale – the bigger the better. Everyone loves taking advantage of markdowns, and many people will wait until an item goes on sale before they purchase it. So discounting select items, or better yet, having a storewide sale can have a big payoff, especially if the markdowns are at least 15%. Do your math to determine your profit margin, but don’t shy away from significantly marking down items that are moving slowly, or that have been sitting on shelves for months. It’s better to sell them at a lower price than wait for the market to change – it often won’t.
Seasonal sales fare the best, so make sure you take advantage of the end of summer, the day after Thanksgiving, and holidays that are known for a boon in shopping – both online and off. Begin promoting your sale via local ads, online ads, and well-placed signs at least a week, or even two, before the first day your sale kicks off. And don’t forget about the power of email, which brings us to our next tip.
2. Craft Compelling E-Newsletters
Every day, millions of newsletters land in people’s inboxes, only to be immediately discarded before ever being opened. Don’t let yours be one of them. Your customers don’t want to open emails that aren’t going to benefit them in some way, and why should they? Make sure you’re sending newsletters that truly benefit your customer, like a special offer or sale, and take the time to create a thoughtful, click-worthy headline. If writing is not your forte, hire a copywriter for this purpose. Do not send out poorly drafted emails, and don’t send out boring ones, either. If your customers have signed up for your newsletter, they want to hear from you, so show them your personality, and make sure what they hear from you is worth their time.
It’s also a mistake to skip sending out a newsletter at all because you could be missing out on reaching thousands of your target audience. If you’re not sure how to start, there are several good and affordable platforms like MailChimp and Constant Contact that will streamline the process for you. These programs allow you to collect customer emails, format your newsletters with images and your company info, and schedule the delivery.
3. Plug Into Social Media
It’s worth investing some of your time and money on social media. Depending on the type of store you own, different social media platforms can be your best friend when it comes to attracting the demographic you want. Facebook is particularly helpful for getting your business discovered locally, as are Yelp and Google Plus, which also let people read and write customer reviews. Set aside some advertising budget for social media, even if it’s only a monthly Facebook ad. Your store is offline, but you want to make sure people can find you online.
4. Up Your Signage Game to Attract Foot Traffic
The signs and banners you display both outside to attract customers and inside to promote your products have a huge impact on your brand reputation and sales. Well-Placed, large, clear signs attract foot traffic, but they also play a more important visual role. Quality, tastefully made signs show that your business is thriving, while cheaply made signs or unattractive banners give off a negative, subtle cue that your store is not doing well or that you’re not selling quality products. Think about it. A sign is the first visual potential customers see before they ever walk through your doors. If it’s a turn-off, you’ve lost a customer and a potential sale. So take the time and invest what’s necessary when creating signs and banners for your business. BannerBuzz allows you to customize any size and style banner or sign you need, with high-quality graphics printed on durable vinyl that will last for years. Check them all out HERE
5. Create Appealing Window Displays
Master the art of the window display and you’re immediately going to attract passersby. Think of the big players like the Macy’s and Saks Fifth Avenue. Now those are some amazing window displays! No, you probably aren’t going to get on their level, but use them for some inspiration. Humans are by nature visual, and if you can create something, however simple, that is eye-catching, you’ll attract people to come inside. And that’s what you want! Take advantage of special holidays like Christmas and Halloween to go all out and create a visual display that will leave an impression. This is also your chance to pay attention to what your competition is doing and think about how you can outperform them. If you can wow people with your window display, it can give you an edge in a smaller city or town. Now make sure your store looks just as appealing inside and you’ll be golden.
6. Attend a Trade Show or Community Event
If you own a brick and mortar store, then you already know the power of connecting with people face to face. A trade show – or if your business is small and local, a community event like a local fair – can amplify the power of face time. You’ll get to meet and interact with people on a much larger scale, which is particularly important for small businesses. Having a presence at local fair lets you connect with people in your community who may not have heard about or passed by your store. This is your chance to let them know you’re there and make a good impression, so bring business cards, samples of your product if applicable, and ask them if they’d like to sign up for your newsletter to receive a special discount. Make sure your table or tent is attractive and that your signs and logo are displayed. See our tents and canopies page and our custom table banners for ideas. If you hire staff to represent you, make sure they will positively represent you – or better yet, be there yourself.