Do you run a retail store? If so, you will need to do what it takes to bring in paying customers each day. Otherwise, if you don’t, your business might not survive much longer! As dramatic as that sounds, it’s an unfortunate sign of the times.
The Internet can often be hard to compete with, and this is why many retailers have gone bust. Plenty of familiar brand news are no longer around because they can’t afford to remain competitive.
But, you should not despair. If you consider taking on board the following ideas, you will increase your chances of survival in the retail world. So, on that note, here’s how to make your retail store more attractive to your customers
Feature regular promotional events
One sure-fire way to bring in passing trade is to feature some promotional events on a regular basis. In a nutshell, these are occasions where you offer significant discounts on individual lines you sell in your store.
To make it work, you should be prepared to advertise the event in local media such as newspapers and magazines.
And, of course, you need to do some Internet marketing at the same time! Sometimes, making those events “exclusive” to existing customers can also pay off too.
Keep your store’s exterior looking smart
The last thing anyone wants to do is approach a retail store that looks unappealing from the outside.
It’s a sad fact of life that many factors can impede the aesthetics of your storefront. So, what things should you tackle and why? Let me give you a few examples:
- Graffiti. The bane of every store owner’s life is when people spray graffiti on your shutters, windows and brickwork. You should hire some graffiti removalists and contact paint specialists to get those eyesores removed;
- Human and animal waste. Another problem is urine and faeces left at the front of your store. Late night revellers and even a neighbour’s pet might use your store entrance as a toilet. Get anything like that cleaned up before you open up for the day;
- Dirt and grime. It’s a good idea to hire a window cleaner to visit your store once a week so that your window displays are visible from passing trade.
Offer free local delivery
If you sell bulky items, your customers might be more inclined to order those products from an online seller instead. You obviously don’t want them to do that, so one thing you could do is offer them a free local delivery service.
Some businesses take care of deliveries personally using their vehicles. Others might hire couriers that provide same-day delivery services. It’s important to make your customer’s shopping experience a pleasant, memorable, and convenient one.
Team up with a local charity
Promotions are essential to getting customers buying from you. One way to make a promotion newsworthy is to team up with a local charity. For instance, you could ask for sponsorship for a particular event and donate the proceeds to the charity.
If you get your local media outlets to cover the story, this will bring extra exposure to your business and the charitable promotion you are running.
Hopefully, you can get started with some of the ideas on this page. Let us know which ones you tried out and how they worked out for your retail store!
