Friday, 1 June 2012

Small Retailer's Survival Guide: Five Ideas For Bringing Customers To Your Store

By Hugh Hawthorne


Do you consider your store to be a mere broker, shifting products from producers to shoppers, or a genuine enterprise? Your response in all likelihood describes the actions you're taking to bring people through your entrance doors.

A lot of shop keepers see themselves as broker agents; they're just a part of the chain by which customers obtain the objects they want. It's really no shock they give attention to price.

Various other store owners - particularly those who run prosperous retail businesses - see themselves as a service. Rather than concentrating on price, they create an experience for their clients that brings them back over and over.

This article will present five advertising strategies you may employ to coax your clients to come back to your shop. You may find that the following suggestions create a change in the way you perceive your business.

#1 - Have A Party At Night

Do something out of the ordinary - something your customers and individuals living in your neighborhood won't expect. Arrange a special occasion that takes place during the night time.

Remember that you'll have to do a little something that grabs the interest of individuals who're driving by. Only then can you encourage them to stop by.

One tactic is to rent a spotlight. Not only could it be seen by customers in the parking area, but the spotlight may also be seen by individuals on the highways. A powerful light may be observed from two or three miles away.

Cater the event so you'll have food and drinks available for guests; you can additionally have popular music playing outdoors. The spot light will deliver people to your shop. The food and music will motivate them to stay.

#2 - Ramp Up Your Advertising

If your community does not know your shop exists, they will not be able to visit. Thankfully, there are myriad ideas you may employ to let individuals know your retail shop is open for business. Most are cost-effective.

To illustrate, buy adverts in the regional paper. Pass out flyers to individuals walking past on the sidewalk. Give out t-shirts with your shop's name noticeably exhibited; ask various other small retailers in the area whether or not they might be willing to display each other's business cards near the checkout register.

The ideas themselves are of no concern. The fundamental thing is that you are constantly marketing your retail shop to prospective buyers.

#3 - Spruce Up Your Atmosphere

Have a close look at the inside of your retail store, and make a note of the features you could improve. As an example, are the floors clean? Are the shelves organized? Is there plenty of light available?

It's simple to overlook your shop's atmosphere; but it's a major impact on whether customers feel relaxed and engaged while browsing. Make certain your restrooms are tidy; put the music (if any) at a sensible volume; and clean the flooring and racks to make them look good; this on its own can bring more people through your entry doors.

#4 - Hold A Sidewalk Or Rummage Sale

This is a concept that piques the fascination of passersby. Bring a few of your goods outside your shop, and put them on sale. Set them up near the entry. The idea is not necessarily to generate sales for the reduced items. Instead, you want to produce curiosity, and encourage people to stop by.

Put up balloons and colored flags to attract attention. Set up a brightly-shaded presentation space at which you invite individuals to join your mailing list. You may also ask one or two employees to wear sandwich boards near the road to promote your sale.

#5 - Create A Customer Loyalty Program

Set up a program that rewards clients for their devotion. To illustrate, extend a price reduction when the sum they buy during a given month gets to a particular dollar threshold. Or, provide a free product once customers purchase a particular quantity of that same item. This latter idea drives the "Buy 10 and get 1 free" loyalty plans used frequently at coffee shops and sandwich delis. It doesn't have to be complicated. In reality, the easier your plan, the more effective.

If product sales are slow, take actions to provide them a strong boost. You may find that advertising symbolizes the life's blood of your retail business.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment