If you own a bricks and mortar retail business, one of your key objectives is to attract new customers and drive repeat business. There are a few ways you can do this that have been proven to consistently generate results.
Get your business online if possible
Given the current climate, it’s more important now than ever to ensure your business has options to generate revenue even in the event of a closure. If it’s possible for you to sell online, this is the time to make the move and invest in digitising your business. If this isn’t currently possible, it’s still a good idea to have an online presence so that you can easily communicate with customers in the event of restrictions and closures — this is what social media and an email list are for.
Leverage social media to drive people in store
Consumers are now turning to social media to do everything, including shop with a whopping 2.89 billion monthly active users on Facebook. Customers are also spending more time on their phones, especially during times of extended lockdowns. Use social media to your advantage and target social media users based on interests, behaviour and geographical area. It’s also important to make sure you are showing up on the platforms that your ideal audience is active on so you don’t spread your marketing efforts too thin.
Promote new arrivals to the store on a regular basis
Ensure you are regularly keeping in touch with your customer base to let them know of new arrivals in store. This includes uploading new images to your website, posting on your Instagram Stories and feed, and creating Facebook posts with information and pricing so your customer base knows you have new stock available. With only a very small percentage of your followers seeing your content, show up regularly and post as often as you need to, so long as you have something new and exciting to share. Don’t be afraid to get a bit personal and build relationships with your customers online because in most instances, customers enjoy getting to know the person behind the account.
Build customer loyalty with rewards programs
Create a store rewards programs to incentivise repeat purchases, promote customer loyalty, and increase referrals. Look to offer a small percentage back on every order by way of a rewards points program. Allow your customers to earn 1 point for every $1 dollar spent in store and allow them to redeem points as discounts off their order. In this scenario, using 20 points to redeem $1 would equate to 5% cash back on your order. Your customers will be grateful for the ability to save.
Run geographic Facebook ads to your store
Raise brand awareness for your retail store using Facebook ads with the store traffic objective. The store traffic objective allows you to create and deliver localised Facebook ads to people nearby and encourage foot traffic to your store. Facebook ads can help you drive omni-channel sales, attract new shoppers, build brand awareness, and re-engage loyal customers. Begin with a small budget at first and look to increase the spend on your winning ads as you develop confidence and start seeing results. If you’re not super tech savvy, be sure to consult an expert to assist you in getting the setup, strategy, and implementation right, or get in touch with Facebook business support.
Offer click and collect
It’s no surprise that click & collect is the fastest growing fulfilment method globally, with over 42% of Australian retailers now offering the service. Shoppers are increasingly choosing this as their preferred way to save money on delivery costs, as well as for immediacy and reliability. Click and collect is not only convenient, but it allows retailers to drive more foot traffic to their bricks and mortar store.
Sign customers up to the database at checkout
One of the best ways to ensure you are driving your customer database to your bricks and mortar store is to capture customer details such as first name, phone number, and email address during checkout. This allows you to continue to nurture the relationship after the customer has left the store. If you’re struggling to get sign ups, offer an incentive for them to give those details to you, like a 10% off their next purchase or an instant redemption on their purchase.
Olivia Jenkins is a business and marketing consultant who specialises in serving purpose-driven and motivated women-led businesses within retail.