In a sea of smartphones, tablets, and laptops it can be difficult for a brick-and-mortar retailer to lure people away from their screens and into a physical store. Many independent stores feel that they can no longer compete with online giants such as Amazon. However, a recent study by Google found that 93% of commerce is still taking place in-store. The customers are there, it’s simply a matter of finding ways to draw them into your store.
Below are 7 ways in which your store can increase and improve in-store traffic:
Keep In Touch With Customers
Keeping in touch is key when trying to attract return customers. Update your social media accounts regularly with information about what’s going on in the store, new stock arrivals and helpful recommendations. This will keep your store fresh in the customer’s mind and prompt them to visit your store when they need to make their next purchase.
Create a mailing list and use it to reach out to your customers on a personal level. Make sure that your subject line is engaging and will prompt them to continue reading.
- Appear Online, Sell Offline
With people spending so much of their time online it’s crucial for your store to have a robust web presence. Having a live catalog of your in-stock products online not only helps drive new customers to your store but also lets your existing customers check what you have in stock, prompting them to return to your store. Greenpoint Toy Center uses Pointy to bring their products online. You can check out their store’s Pointy Page here.
- Lure Passing Shoppers With Eye-Catching Displays
An eye-catching exterior can have a huge impact on a customer’s impression of your store. An attractive window display will invite people in, instill curiosity and encourage impulse sales. Give the walls a fresh coat of paint, polish up your storefront sign, and you’ll start to see footfall increase.
- Happy Employees = Happy Customers
You’ve probably visited a store at some point where the member of staff was rude or uninterested in helping you with your purchase. Experiences like this can leave a bad impression and completely change a customer’s opinion of your store.
Building a relationship with your employees and making them feel valued will have a very positive impact on their interactions with customers. Make your staff feel good, and they’ll transfer this feeling over to your customers.
- Get Found On Google
The more places your store is visible online, the better you’ll do in Google search results. Setting up a Google My Business Account, being active on social media and generating online reviews will all have a hugely positive impact on your online presence.
Pointy helps brick & mortar stores to rank highly in local Google searches. This ensures that people who are searching for your products nearby can find them, and drives them directly to your store from these searches.
- Service With A Smile
One major advantage that brick-and-mortar stores have over online retailers is their ability to build personal relationships with their customers. Little touches like remembering people’s names and giving helpful recommendations on purchases will make your customers feel valued and encourage repeat visits.
- Give Back To The Community
Engaging with your local community is a key activity that will differentiate you from large, faceless corporations. Sponsoring local events, stocking locally produced products and collaborating with other businesses within the community are just a few simple but highly effective ways to engage with your local audience.
Word of mouth is an extremely powerful tool when it comes to increasing footfall in your store. Focusing your efforts on getting to know your customers and building relationships with them will result in a loyal community of buyers over time.
About The Author:
Caroline Brady works for Pointy, a retail tech company that works with thousands of retailers all across the USA. Pointy helps local brick and mortar retailers be found online so that they can sell more in-store. For more info on their service visit www.pointy.com.