Marketing works to entice people and increase engagement with your business. Good marketing should then have a positive impact on people to keep them coming back. But when you are managing a physical retail store, say in a mall or the streets, one of your main goals is to get them to step inside and look around.
This is why getting their attention is essential to let passersby enter your shop instead of just hoping for the best. So here are some concrete ways to encourage more people to go inside your business store and avail of your products and services in the process.
Be transparent with pandemic protocols
The pandemic is a major reason people tend to avoid physical shops, especially retail stores. Because of how the virus is spread in the community, shoppers may find it scary to enter shops and look around even with safe pandemic practices. They may even be more scared to enter clothing shops where people try on the garments.
To help with this, you should put pandemic protocols in place and show the people that you care about their safety. Doing a regular sanitization process in your location and letting the customers know about it can lessen their fears and, in turn, encourage them to engage with your store.
Try digital advertisements
Digital advertisements are probably the most popular way of advertising in the present. They make your advertisements more dynamic and fun to watch. Many retail stores use audiovisual technology solutions that can include anything from single TV screens to entire wall systems to showcase engaging virtual ads. Seeing these advanced and dynamic visual cues can invite people to check your store and make purchases.
Maintain a clean entrance
A clean storefront can be inviting in a variety of ways. Customers will not worry about sanitary safety in your business. They can freely enter without any obstruction and are more likely to avail of your products and services. They will also see how much you care for your work, as cleanliness reflects the ethics and goals of a successful business. They will also be compelled to relax while shopping, leaving a positive impression that will get them to continue doing business with you soon.
Create a pleasing window display
Window displays bring out the creative side of the business that customers love seeing. Your window displays and other signage have to be pleasing to the eyes. They can take on different themes like something sparkly and classy or loud and funny, depending on your branding. You can add different colors, lighting, even plants, and other props, basically anything under the sun, to make it interesting and engaging. But know when to stop as displays can quickly become overwhelming to viewers.
Keep up with trends
Of course, a critical aspect of marketing is keeping up with the current trends. This is done so that your business stays relevant to the present climate. But finding one that fits your business may be a difficult task.
First, you have to find a trend that is appropriate to your operations. These trends must also be in line with the stated goals of your company to avoid any disparities that may confuse your customers when thinking of your brand.
Next, you need to find a trend that is unique and not overused. For this, you’d have to look at your competitors and find what you shouldn’t follow to maintain freshness in your brand. Even with seasonal trends, you’d have to find an edge over your competition to avoid fading into the blur of similar-looking stores.
Online presence
Lastly, having an online presence is still the key. Having a clean storefront, a well-decorated window, and digital signage that follows the current trends can only encourage passersby. But there are more people out there that are only surfing the internet and are looking for places to visit and stores to shop in. Marketing your business in social media is a big strategy that will open more doors and opportunities for your venture.
These tips should help to get people at the door of your establishment. But that is only the first step. Even if you can get them to enter but not stay to purchase anything or come back at another time, your efforts will be futile. The next step should be getting them interested to avail of your offered products and services and encourage them to return for more. This task will then involve taking care of your customers with hospitality and respect and impressing them with only the best quality of your operations.
After all, looks can be deceiving, so always follow a warm welcome with genuine and caring accommodation. With that, you will see more customers entering your store and engaging with your business even during this pandemic.
