As restrictions start lifting and you no longer have to follow certain rules, it seems like now could be the start of your retail business getting back on track. You’ve had a really hard time in the last two years, particularly when it comes to drawing people to your store. Now, it’s time to kick into gear and ensure more and more consumers are stopping, looking at your store, and taking a look at what’s inside.
How can you make this happen? Plenty of tactics exist, but here are three of the most intriguing ones you can try:
Restrict how many people can enter at once
Okay, this sounds counterproductive given that restrictions have been lifted and this is no longer necessary. However, you’re doing it for marketing purposes. Have you ever walked past a row of shops and seen one with a long line outside? They have one of those retractable barriers keeping everyone in line, and you’re instantly intrigued. What’s going on inside that shop that demands so much attention? By restricting who comes in, you can have a line outside your doors, giving off the air of importance. People are highly likely to be inclined to line up because your store seems mysterious and popular.
Utilise curb signage
Clearly, your store should have a proper sign on the front for everyone to see. This should be a good sign that draws attention, but you can go one better with some curb signage as well. In essence, you have a sign on the curb near your store that points people towards it. However, this sign should be creative – it could include a drawing or a joke that draws people in. Every day, you can update this sign with something new, so it becomes a thing that people seek out. When the sign grabs their attention, they are more likely to wander inside your store.
Hand out coupons
If you have an online store, one way of getting traffic is by releasing coupons or voucher codes for people to use. They’ll know they can get money off their purchase, so they’ll come flying to your site to use it. In a traditional retail store, you can replicate this by getting your staff to go outside and hand out coupons or vouchers. This is a brilliant idea as it drives people to your store so they can use the coupons and get a bargain. Furthermore, it’s twice as brilliant as it can encourage people to make purchases, rather than just looking around. If someone is going to get a discount, they are more likely to actually buy something right there and then.
See, three very interesting and intriguing ways of getting more people to visit your retail store. Once inside, it’s your duty to ensure they get excellent customer service that convinces them to buy something. Of course, don’t forget about some of the more obvious ways of driving foot traffic to your store, such as using local SEO.
