Regardless of the type of store you run, attracting passers-by into your retail outlet is crucial. According to LinkRetail, 80% of store visitors leave without buying anything. So, you need a lot of foot traffic to come in and take a look around to be able to sell enough to make a profit and stay open.
Fortunately, there are plenty of strategies you can use to improve footfall in your store. Many are inexpensive and extremely easy to implement. Here are a few. Ranked in order of effectiveness.
Set up a digital sandwich board
If local regulations allow, set up a digital sandwich board outside your store. The fact that people notice them from a long way off primes them to want to know more. Use colourful ads with moving images to pique their interest. But make them short enough to get your message across.
You can put anything on them, which makes it extremely easy to tailor your message to fit in with the demographics of the people who are passing your store at specific times of the day. Using modern digital signage software for retail enables you to create your own ads. On rainy days you could perhaps run a promotion that gives every customer who spends a certain amount of money an umbrella. Or offer steep discounts on hats and macs. It´s up to you. You are in full control.
Host events
People enjoy doing something a little different, so you could set up interesting events in your store. They do not have to be specifically related to what you sell either. There is no reason you can´t host a tasting event for a new restaurant that is opening up. Plenty of people will be attracted by the prospect of free food and virtually all will be polite enough to browse while they are in your store. If something catches their eye, there is a good chance they will buy it. Or, failing that, come back on another day to make a purchase. Advertise these events on your digital sandwich board, in the local press and by handing out flyers.
Create interesting window displays
People still notice window displays. They are a terrific way to catch people´s eye and tempt them in, so make yours as attractive as possible. This article explains how to make the most of this great advertising space. It contains tips you can use even if you only have a little shop front window.
Make the most of seasonal events
Despite changing habits, the holiday seasons are still when people spend a significant percentage of their disposable income. In fact, many overspend during those times. According to an American Express survey, 86% of millennials spent more than they were planning to during the holiday season of 2021. So, redoubling your efforts to increase footfall at this time of year pays dividends. Use the methods above, link up with other businesses and your local chamber of commerce to help to create a reason for people to come into town and seasonally decorate your store to help attract more people in.
Trade online as well
As well as doing the above, find a way to trade online too. It is no longer difficult or expensive. You can find out about several free ways to do it, that do not require you to have a website, by clicking here.
At the very least, you should set up a Google My Business listing. Doing so ensures that when someone searches for what you have to offer, they will find you as well as your competitors. It is free to set up, but you will need to do a bit of work to get your listing to rank high enough for people to find. Even if that proves impossible, do not worry, having a properly maintained GMB listing will still do you a lot of good. It builds trust, makes it possible for searchers to see your company name on the map and answers simple questions like when you are open. That saves you from spending time dealing with the distraction of having to answer that question several times a week, over the phone.
The above are just a few ideas. Take a look at what your competitors are doing too and continue to experiment with different approaches until you find something that works in your locale. Provided you are persistent, over time, you will see your efforts rewarded and be able to make higher profits.
