With the rise of online sales and the omnipresence of major brands, it is increasingly difficult to attract customers to your store. In addition, customers are more reluctant to buy in store and prefer the wide choice of products online. To remedy this, we present to you our 10 best tips to increase your visibility and attract customers to your store!
Attract customers to stores: 10 tips
In today’s competitive market, drawing customers into your store is more challenging than ever. With the rise of online shopping, it’s essential to create an inviting atmosphere that encourages foot traffic and boosts sales. Here are 10 tips to help you attract more customers to your brick-and-mortar establishment.
1. Make your store visible from the outside
It is the oldest advertising in the world, but it remains true and effective. If you want to sell, your product needs to be seen first. To do this, it must be attractive and benefit from very good visibility. The best way to attract customers to your store, just by looking at it, is to focus on its window. To energize your window and generate traffic, use illuminated signs, promotional posters, LED screens, lighting and all types of eye-catching media.
Also remember to personalize your exterior blind: even when your store is closed, it will attract customers’ attention! Although illuminated signs are preferable, they are not obligatory: stickers on your window and large format printed stretched canvases can be just as effective in attracting customers to the store.
To successfully make your store visible from the outside, you need to implement a visibility and display strategy that will not leave passers-by indifferent. Marketing and communication then come into play and help promote your store!
2. Advertise in town
Another way to attract customers to your store is to go directly to meet them! By advertising in town, you spontaneously meet your customers and can tell them about the existence of your store. A very effective way to do this is through the distribution of flyers and leaflets.
With an average profitability of 1 in 300, this ratio is considerably increased during busy periods and in commercial areas. Indeed, a flyer received on a Tuesday evening at the exit of a metro entrance for a store 2km away will be of no use. Conversely, a flyer distributed on Saturday afternoon in the middle of a shopping mall is much more likely to be successful and attract customers to your store. It is also relevant to define your target clientele when distributing leaflets. If your products are intended for young consumers, you might as well only distribute your leaflets to the young populations you meet. This type of promotion allows you to boost your traffic and sales during the weekends!
3. Advertise on the internet
The first promotional tool of a store is its website. Indeed, your store’s website lists all your products, your offers, your promotions and photos of your services. However, for your site to appear first in Google search pages, it must be well referenced.
SEO for your store’s website is a big business. By purchasing keywords, your website will appear in Google searches, which allows your advertising to be more visible on the web and therefore to be more effective. It is also estimated that internet advertising is one of the most profitable promotions. Concretely, if you invest 1,000 in the SEO of your website, you will generate 10,000 in turnover.
It is therefore one of the most profitable ways to attract customers to your store. By seeing your advertising on the internet, consumers are marked by your products and services and remember you. They are thus encouraged to visit your store. So, to ensure that you carry out your advertising correctly on the internet, you can call on an SEA consultant, a professional in promoting your store on the web.
4. Set up Click and Collect on your site
Click and Collect is a new development in e-commerce and is proving particularly effective. In fact, consumers buy and pay directly on your website, which saves them the hassle of waiting at the checkout, and come to collect their products in your store! Once they enter your store, you can offer them promotions that are only available in store. By being directly on site, consumers are much more open to promotional offers and to trying new products and services.
With this technique, your website becomes a real channel for attracting customers to the store. You must therefore develop your website as much as possible to make it informative and exhaustive. A developer specializing in e-commerce can, for example, create a Google My Business profile for your business, which gives it an official and serious appearance. Your store gains legitimacy and therefore attracts more and more customers.
Also read: Starting Strong: Top 10 Tips for Building a Successful Online Business
5. Be active on social media
Social networks are today an essential part of a good communication and marketing strategy. In fact, they are the first channel of communication and information used by populations under 40 years old. By being active on social networks, your store’s account will quickly stand out and be very present in the news feed of your subscribers and their connections. It is very common for people under 25 to discover stores by sending the Instagram or Facebook page to friends. You therefore need to highlight your store, current promotions or different events that will attract your customers.
Managing your social networks is a job in its own right, especially if you hope to make real money from it and transform it into a channel that allows you to attract customers to stores. To do this, it is recommended to call on a Community Manager, who will be able to set up a graphic charter and an attractiveness strategy for your social networks.
6. Offer discounts on low traffic days
A store’s turnover is based 50% on its weekend/weekend sales. The other days of the week are therefore much less profitable, even though they cost you just as much in terms of fixed costs. So, a good way to better distribute your turnover is to attract customers to the store during weekdays. How to do? By offering discounts on low traffic days!
Good promotions, in the spirit of flash sales, create a feeling of urgency among your customers, who will not hesitate to come after their working hours, or during their lunchtime to come to your store and benefit from your current offer. By arriving in your store during periods of low traffic, the customer will also be much more willing to listen to your advice and pay attention to the products and services you offer.
7. Create an association of merchants to energize your street
This tip may seem somewhat marginal compared to our other essential tips, but it is nonetheless effective. By associating your store with other businesses on your street, you can benefit from a group effect that will attract customers to your store!
Indeed, with your colleagues from other stores, you can invest in signs, panels and decorations that will make your street attractive. During the holiday season, for example, investing together in garlands and decorations will make your street very attractive, at a lower cost. Likewise, the owners of other stores will be able to send some of their customers to you and thus allow you to attract more customers!
This means of advertising is particularly effective if you manage to combine your promotions and marketing and communication strategies. For example, for a purchase of more than 50 from a particular merchant, benefit from 10% in the following store. You are guaranteed to attract customers to your store, customers that you would certainly not have had without your promotional offers obtained thanks to your association of merchants.
8. Set up a parcel relay in your store
A very good “backdoor” way to attract customers to your store is by setting up a parcel relay point. Indeed, this type of promotion has many advantages. Firstly, your store becomes known to customers who might never have visited it. By doing so, you drive traffic to your business and attract a new type of consumer.
However, attracting customers to your store is not everything: you then have to make them want to come back. The interior of your store must therefore be pleasant, attractive and highlight your products and services using various promotional materials. This is also the time to install promotions at counter level, since this is the place that interests your parcel relay customers. All their attention is drawn to this place, especially when you go to pick up their package: this gives them a few moments to look around them and detail your products. So, you might as well make your store as attractive as possible!
9. Use your customer database to invite you to come to the store
Your customer database is rich in information and potential. It allows you to create multi-channel advertising campaigns. For example, promotional SMS campaigns are among the most effective attraction channels. SMS messages are read by 95% and attract between 15 and 30% of your customers to your store. During sales periods, consumers are all looking for good deals and competitive offers. They are inundated with information and promotions from all their favorite stores. So, to be sure to be part of their shopping list, you need to let them know about your promotions and unbeatable offers.
This is also an opportunity to categorize your customer database and define your target offers for this or that type of customer! Depending on the traffic in your store, you will be able to see which customers are receptive to your invitations and therefore refine your sales offers.
10. Set up events to attract customers
Finally, our last tip is about promoting services, in addition to your products. By offering events, competitions and personalized in-store experiences, you attract customers who often see the event as an opportunity to go out with friends. This may involve tasting (drinks, food), commercial demonstrations, etc. The key is knowing how to adapt your events according to the time of year, your services and your clientele. The latter often comes to your store with an open and business-friendly mind, which is a real opportunity for your business! It is scientifically proven that the group effect drives customers to consume and take advantage of attractive shopping offers. Thanks to this type of event, you allow your customers to discover your business from a new angle and boost your sales. So, not only do you attract customers to your store, but you also build customer loyalty!
Attract passing customers
We do not start from your trusted customers, but from “passing customers”, namely passing customers who, being in your region, were attracted by your point of sale.
This type of clientele is above all attracted by aesthetics: an attractive window, well-maintained interiors and an original store will be a way to convince them to buy.
You can’t count on them to significantly increase your turnover, that’s true, but they are part of the big game of marketing and therefore they should not be forgotten.
How to Attract Customers to a Local Store
Specialty stores are the masters of the market, especially at the local level. For this reason, it is no longer necessary for your store to be a generic resale of products.
The most effective way to attract customers to the store is, even today, word of mouth: when people communicate with each other, telling in a positive way about the experience they have in your store, they give you the best advertising possible.
Word of mouth is possible, especially online, through reviews, comments, videos, photos and any other testimonials that can be shared.
Loyalty to win
The backbone of your business is trusted customers, those who would choose you over thousands of similar stores.
The ideal is to make your customers unique through personalized promotions, loyalty cards and newsletters. Making them feel like they’re part of a special group is the key to keeping them around over time.
Ideas for attracting customers: exclusive events
Your business isn’t just a place to sell products, or at least that’s not how it should be seen. Organize events, such as theme days, to encourage people to come into your club and discover what you have to offer them.
FAQ
Focus on showcasing your best products or promotions using vibrant colors, unique props, and effective lighting. Change displays regularly to keep them fresh and engaging.
Consider organizing product launches, workshops, or themed nights. Collaborate with local influencers or brands for added visibility.
Train your staff to be knowledgeable, friendly, and attentive. Regularly gather feedback and address any areas of improvement promptly.
Utilize platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter to share updates, engage with your audience, and encourage customer check-ins or shares.
A loyalty program rewards repeat customers, encourages future purchases, and fosters a sense of community around your brand.
Ensure a logical flow, place high-demand items strategically, and use clear signage to guide customers and highlight promotions.
Personalized recommendations based on customer preferences can enhance the shopping experience, increase customer satisfaction, and boost sales.
Regularly solicit feedback through surveys, comment boxes, or direct interactions. Use this feedback to make continuous improvements to your store and offerings.
Absolutely! Combining several tips, such as hosting events, offering exclusive deals, and providing exceptional customer service, can create a comprehensive strategy to attract and retain customers.
Stay informed by reading industry publications, attending trade shows or seminars, and networking with other retail professionals. Continuously adapt and innovate based on changing customer preferences and market trends.
Conclusion
Attracting customers to your store requires a combination of creativity, strategic planning, and a deep understanding of your target audience. By implementing these 10 tips, you can create an inviting environment that not only attracts customers but also fosters loyalty and drives sales. Remember, the key is to continuously adapt and innovate to meet the ever-changing needs of your customers and stay ahead of the competition.
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