With the introduction of online shopping and ordering, are retail stores still relevant? Absolutely. Storefronts continue to be as successful as ever.
Check out these four retail store marketing tips to propel sales into 2020.
1. Engage with the community
Hometown pride is something that will never go out of style. As a staple in your community, align your business with other businesses to show your support for the neighborhood. Partner with a local yoga studio to host a Saturday morning sweat session at your store or host local artisans on a weeknight to help them promote their products. A lot of community members also look to local retail stores to sell local products that can only be found at the occasional farmers market or pop-up shop. Events like these will bring in new and old customers and create even more of a sense of community. Don’t forget to participate in block parties, parades, etc. too! These events bring out the whole city to gather in one central location. If your retail store is in the middle of the fun, don’t miss out on the guaranteed exposure and business.
2. Run promotional sales
Whether it’s the end of a season or monthly markdowns, sales will get customers in your doors. You don’t want out of season goods collecting dust on the shelves, marking down items is a win-win for everyone involved! Some customers will wait until an item is on sale to buy it. A fun way to put a spin on a promotion is to give it a fun name. Post about your promotions on social media so consumers in the area are aware. This can bring in an influx of customers that may have never heard of your business before. Some retail stores will run Facebook and Instagram ads to target specific local areas and demographics to reach new people and grow their local clientele.
3. Reach new customers
While you may have a good number of loyal customers that shop religiously at your retail store, there is always a need for new customers. One way to reach new customers on a consistent basis is marketing to people that may not know about your business. The segment of people that have the highest propensity for loyalty are new families moving into your area. These new movers have just recently moved into the neighborhood and are looking to replace all of the businesses they used to know and shop at. If you reach these movers at the right time, you can secure their business for the next 5-6 years they live in their home.
4. Reward loyal customers
Loyalty programs are a great way to show appreciation for your loyal customers! It’s also a fun way for customers to achieve a certain status, discount or fun gift after shopping or visiting enough times. They make customers feel special and give them something to look forward to. Loyalty programs can be as simple as a punch card or as complex as a detailed weekly email. There are a few avenues to approach loyalty programs. You can start collecting cell phone numbers or emails at your store to hit customers in their inboxes with fun deals and promotions. Some businesses are able to tie their loyalty programs into their POS systems to automatically kick out deals to their most loyal customers. The one recommendation for loyalty programs is to offer deals that are exclusive to the program members, not the same blanket promotions you may be running elsewhere.
Americans spend $2.6 trillion each year on retail purchases nationwide. There’s no question that retail stores continue to thrive in the United States.
If you’re looking for help with your retail store marketing this year, reach out to Welcomemat Services today!
