Most marketing articles focus on how to advertise online operations, but despite the rise of eCommerce, brick-and-mortar businesses remain the king of shopping. The majority of online shoppers — some 55% — say they still prefer shopping in the real world to online thanks to the sheer advantages it offers over digital shopping.
You’ll likely get a lot of business through word of mouth and, if you have a good location, foot traffic. This means that marketing tactics like big billboards are absolutely worth the spend, because people will be able to see what you have to offer and can come and visit your store. The marketing tactics that you use will be a defining decision for your business, so why not mix and match?
Still, sometimes it’s good to remind the world of who you are and what you have to offer. While marketing is essential for digital businesses, it’s pretty important for brick-and-mortar businesses too. In this post, we’ll run through a few tried and tested marketing strategies that will help to drum up interest in your business.
Pic Credit: Pexels by Andrea Piacquadio:
Invest in Local SEO
In the digital age, most shoppers search online before making a purchase, even if they intend to buy it in the real world. In some cases, they’ll simply want to know where they can find whatever product it is they’re searching for.
By investing in your local SEO, you’ll be increasing the chances that customers come across your business, rather than your competitors. There are multiple ways to enhance your Google search ranking. One option is to have a website with hyperlocal content that clearly outlines where you are located. You should also claim your Google business page and fill it out with as much information as possible — consumers will have a better feeling for who you are if you have photos and videos on your website. It’s also recommended to encourage your happy customers to leave reviews since social proof can be highly influential in the customers buying decisions.
Host An In-Store Event
Want a fun and exciting way to introduce potential customers to your business? Then look at hosting an in-store event. You can host an event for any reason, including the anniversary of your opening, a new product line, or a workshop. For example, if you’re a bookstore, then you could host a writer’s workshop. You’ll need to advertise the event in-store and ideally around town, so look at printing some quality posters that feature all the key details, and hang them up. You can also grab some champagne and some glasses and entice passersby to come in on the day of your event.
Advertise Your Offers
There’s arguably no marketing strategy on the planet more effective than offering deals and promotions. Everyone loves to feel like they’re getting a good deal! If you’re holding a seasonal sale, then be sure to let the world know by hanging sale posters in your window. These posters are usually more effective when they’re specific – for example, by showcasing a few of your products with details of their usual cost and how much customers will pay if they buy today. Window displays can work well for passing foot traffic, but reaching beyond your immediate area can require taking your offer directly to the customer. Direct mail can be a reliable way to do this, whether that’s a postcard dropped through local letterboxes, a targeted neighbourhood flyer, or professional direct mail services for integrators and other specialist businesses that need to reach a precise, high-value audience rather than a broad one.
Change With The Seasons
It’s always good to mix up the look and feel of your business from time to time. It prevents us from becoming stale — if it never changes, then eventually will simply begin to walk past, since there’s nothing new to catch their eyes. One easy way to keep things fresh is to change your window displays and inner decor to match the seasons. For example, putting up Christmas decorations in December, Halloween decorations in October, and making your decor light and bright when Spring rolls around.
Plus, this will have the added benefit of motivating your employees — it’s much more enjoyable to work when you’re in a fun environment.
Give Away Freebies
Who doesn’t love free products? You can make a positive impression on your customers and keep your business at the forefront of their minds by giving away freebies. For example, could you give away a branded tote bag to customers who spend a certain amount?
Get Involved With Local Events
If you’re a local business, then why not prove how much you care about the community by getting involved with local events? In some cases, you’ll be able to be involved directly — for example, selling your products at a Christmas tree lighting event. In others, it might just mean donating money. Another effective marketing strategy is to sponsor local sports teams.
List Coupons Online
Remember way back when, when newspapers would offer coupons for savings in newspapers and magazines? They’re still very much around, just they’ve gone online. There are websites, such as Groupon, where you can post offers which customers can then claim. For example, if you run a spa, then you may offer discounted treatments for couples online. Just be mindful not to make the savings too good, since it’s unlikely that customers who buy those deals will ever become full-paying customers. As such, make it a price that you’re happy to accept.
Offer In-Store Pick Up
One of the reasons why customers still love buying from real-world businesses is that it removes one of the pain barriers of online shopping: waiting. Your ability to offer instant products to your customers is one of your key advantages, so it’s recommended to tap into as much as you can. One handy method for getting more business is to offer in-store pick-up for online customers. If they have a choice between waiting 3-5 days for a product to arrive from an online store, versus paying and then swinging by to pick it up from your business, they’ll nearly always choose the latter.
Start a Customer Loyalty Program
Businesses often think that, in order to increase their revenue, they need to continually add new customers. But actually, the best way to boost revenue is to get more business from your existing customers. There are multiple ways to do this, including sending them well-timed emails as part of your email campaigns. But the most effective way is arguably to start a customer loyalty program. If a customer knows that each purchase gives them something in return, then they won’t have much need to look elsewhere. The type of program you run will depend on the type of business you have, but it could involve offering free products after a number of purchases or providing discounts to regular customers.
Rethink Your Checkout Processes
It’s a long journey getting a customer to make a purchase in your store. It’s important not to lose them at the last moment. You can make your business more appealing to customers by streamlining your checkout process. If possible, it’s best to offer customers two options — one in which they’re served by an employee, and the other when they self-checkout. Many customers are more likely to make a purchase if they know they can just dip into the store and be out in a matter of minutes; offering self-checkout is an effective way to reach those consumers.
Hit the Streets
Despite all the progress that has been made during the digital era, there’s still much to love about the tried and tested flyer. They’re extremely cheap to make, and all you need to do is hit the streets and hand them out to people passing by. It’s important to have worthwhile information printed on the flyers, such as details of your promotions. In terms of a cost-effective way to get people into your store, there’s arguably no strategy that’s more straightforward.
Conclusion
Whether you’re a new business looking to attract an audience, or an existing store looking to breathe some new life into your operation, the above tips should have a noticeable impact on the number of people who walk through your doors.
Please note this is a contributed post.
