7 Ways to market your retail store

Getting customers to visit your store requires a bit of marketing. Here are some of the best ways to market your retail store in order to keep your shop busy.

Create an exciting window display

An attractive shop window is the most basic and effective way of getting passers-by to enter your shop. You should choose your most exciting products – these could be unique and wild products that get people’s attention or popular products that most people are likely to want. You can also use your shop window to advertise your best promotions – everyone is drawn to the idea that they could save money, even if it’s not a product they ever intended on buying. Try not to clutter up your window and keep it all clean.

Use signage to stand out

Exterior signage could also help to draw the attention of passers-by. On top of the sign above your shop, consider other creative signage that could be placed on the sidewalk. This could include teardrop banners and flags or perhaps a chalk board for advertising temporary deals. You may even want to use flashing electric signage.

Get in the local news

You can spread word of your retail business by getting yourself into your local newspaper. This could be important if you’re just launching your store and want to create buzz. Finding an angle that makes a journalist want to write about you isn’t always easy – it could be worth hiring a PR company to help create this angle. On the topic of local media, make sure to also consider local radio – you could secure a radio interview or create an advert to promote your shop.

Market yourself online

It’s not just online stores that can benefit from online marketing. There could be people out there searching for a shop in their local area using Google – building a website for your company and encouraging reviews on Google Plus could help to make your company known to these people. Social media can also be a fun tool for attracting customers – you can share news on products and deals, host online competitions and do market research by directly asking questions to your followers.

Cross-promote with other businesses

You may be able to form a cross-promotion strategy with another local business. This involves agreeing to advertise their business in exchange for them advertising your business. There are many ways in which you can do this – you could get them to sell gift cards for your store in their shop, you could get them to put up posters in their shop window, you could get them to share your content on social media or you could get them to blog about you on their website. This could result in them sharing their customers with you and you could do the same with your customers in return. When choosing a company to cross-promote with, make sure that they’re not a direct competitor who may steal your business, but do try to look for a company that you think your customers would use (for example, a vinyl store may find it advantageous to partner up with a local music venue).

Set up a loyalty scheme

Offering a loyalty scheme in place could help you to encourage return customers. This usually involves offering customers a discount or a freebie after a certain amount of purchases. You could supply a stamped loyalty card, you could create a card that stores points online or you could create a loyalty card app that customers can scan using their phones. Make sure to advertise these schemes to every customer to make them aware of it.

Host events in your store

With online stores stealing more business from physical stores, many physical outlets are now selling experiences as well as products as a way to set them apart. One way to do this is to offer events. Events can help to provide a memorable experience that creates brand awareness. You could host a launch party if you’re initially opening your doors for the first time – by providing food and music, you could attract people into your store who wouldn’t usually shop there. You could also consider other events such as seminars and workshops. For example, if you own a wine store, you could host a wine tasting evening introducing people to different wines. Meanwhile, if you own a clothes store, you could do a modelling event in which you allow people to model your clothes with a chance of being featured on your company site.




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