How to Grow Your Local Brick and Mortar Business?
Companies are making concentrated efforts to transfer their businesses online. Salaries, rent, utility expenses quickly ramp up when you have a traditional store. Retail competition can be very fierce in certain fields, which is why even reputable companies are finding it hard to break even.
But despite all the challenges that brick-and-mortar shops face, there is still merit to having them. For example, they are great for building brand awareness. Having a traditional shop is the optimal solution for certain types of businesses. Although online shopping has many advantages, people still want to try the product before buying it.
In this article, we will analyze some of the best ways as to how to grow your local brick-and-mortar business.
1. Prioritize Friendly Customer-First Service
“Customer is always right” is a saying that survives up to this day. Although we often emphasize product quality, we cannot neglect the fact that customers like to be pampered. Small gestures go a long way and are often the main reason people continuously purchase from your store.
But great customer service is not only important for retaining customers. It is also a great way to make extra profits. According to a small study done by Business Insider, 66% of customers are willing to overpay for a product or service if that means they’re getting amazing customer service.
Furthermore, this is probably the main difference between online shopping and brick-and-mortar stores. Simply put, nothing can replace that personal touch.
2. Give Free Branded & Promotional Products
Over the years, companies experimented with various advertising methods. As it turns out, only a handful of things can compare to the free promotional items. Things such as coffee mugs, t-shirts, promotional pens are simply amazing for increasing brand awareness.
Giving a customer a free product makes the purchase more memorable. According to a study from 2016, 58% of Americans have a promotional t-shirt. Drinkware comes second, with 53% of people owning a mug or a drinking glass. Outerwear, bags, and writing instruments come third at 50%.
The preferences vary based on the country and where you live. What’s even more intriguing is that many of these objects are passed along to others. In the US, 63% are given as gifts or passed down to the next generation. So, promotional items can affect the lives of several people, not just one person.
3. Create a Rewards Program
There are several rules when creating a rewards program. First off, you need to focus on convenience. Although people love rewards programs and getting free stuff, they don’t wish to hassle while doing it. Relying on simple apps and similar solutions will increase the likelihood that people will remain engaged over a longer period.
A very interesting thing about reward programs is that people don’t care much about the reward itself. Instead, they are more focused on the experience and the feelings they get from it.
Lastly, when creating a program, you should research what your ideal demographic likes. Offering potential customers an object they don’t care about will only backfire, dragging down the whole campaign.
4. Be Active During Local Events
Most brands focus on their neighbors when selling products and services. Even if a store gets a lot of visits from surrounding cities, they will rely on the local populace to generate profits. Having that in mind, it is very important to build awareness with that segment of the population.
Attending local fairs, trade conventions, cook-offs, bake-offs, charity events is a great way to build a name for yourself. Business owners often make a mistake by thinking globally instead of focusing on more realistic goals.
What’s even better, you can connect with other local entrepreneurs during these events. You might even think of a lucrative collaboration in the future.
5. Get Their Phones and Emails
While brick-and-mortar stores are completely different from online selling, you shouldn’t shy away from digital solutions.
People often purchase from a store and completely forget about it in a few months. A great way to freshen their memory is by sending periodic newsletters. Not only will this remind them of you, but it is also a great way to tell them about the latest promotions.
Just be careful, though. Companies overdo it with newsletters sending them to customers even when there’s nothing newsworthy going on. By doing so, you can quickly end up in the spam folder.
A similar impact can be achieved with phone numbers. Instead of an email, you can send them a happy birthday message or inform them about a promotional activity.