Do you know the best ways to market your local retail stores? Today, consumers have an endless amount of choices when it comes to buying. Lots of stores have quality products, but what sets a good store apart from the rest is its marketing plan.
Effective marketing can help you not just bring in customers but also maintain a long-lasting and fruitful relationship with them. Having a loyal clientele means guaranteed business. And in a highly competitive environment, you need that more than anything.
It’s also important that you brand your store as a community staple in your locale. Once again, that happens through marketing.
So, what are some tried-and-tested marketing strategies that you can employ to market your local retail stores successfully? In this article, we offer you some effective, budget-friendly strategies that will promote your brand without breaking the bank.
Cost-Friendly Ways to Market Your Local Retail Stores
Read on to find out more!
1. Use in-store signage effectively
Good signage in your store can increase your sales by up to 10%. Use neat, clear, and bold-lettered signage to let your customers know where all your products are. Your signs should be placed up high and right near the entrance so customers can find all the information they need as they come into your store.
Of course, you can’t actually place all your products near the entrance. So use the signs to guide customers around the store.
2. Place your items strategically
Place your slightly popular items in the back of the store so that customers have to walk through all your other products on sale to get what they want. This way, they might be enticed to pick something that they don’t really need as they get to the product they do.
This has proven to be such a successful strategy for Target that there’s a phrase for it now. It’s called the “Target Effect” i.e. going into the store to buy one item and somehow leaving with ten.
3. Put up flyers in your neighborhood
To raise brand awareness in your community, you’ll need to actively reach out to its members and let them know you exist. And what better way to do this than with flyers?
On your flyer, mention your exact location, working hours, and all the products and promotions you have for people. Make it as exciting as you can.
The most significant part of this strategy is distribution. Here are some places you should distribute your flyers:
- Outside grocery stores during rush hours
- Outside movie theatres especially when people are spilling out after a movie is over
- At trade shows and festivals
- Go door to door – studies have shown this strategy is 78% more effective than all others
- Place on car windshields
- Inside newspapers
- At bus stops
As a small business, you might not have the budget to hire a graphic designer to create your flyer. Luckily, PosterMyWall has a really great online flyer maker that you can use to customize various templates and create something unique in very little time.
4. Start a loyalty program
A rewards system or loyalty program can help you get long-term customers. It’s also a brilliant incentive to get people to keep coming back, especially if you offer products that a lot of other stores in the area do too.
Here’s how you go about it. Simply give new customers a loyalty card that they can punch in every time they visit. Once they complete a fixed number of purchases, they will be entitled to a special discount or a free product.
H&M’s loyalty program is a great demonstration of how this strategy can be used effectively. At H&M, you can become a member who is then entitled to special discounts and offers.
They also have a points system. For every dollar you spend at the store, you get a point. When you reach 200 points, you get a 5-dollar reward.
5. Take advantage of Instagram
Social media has roughly 4 billion active users worldwide, which means you will definitely find your audience here. It’s a lot easier to find it too, because sites like Instagram allow you to market in specific locations and to specific audiences.
Use Instagram to reach people you would not be able to otherwise. Here are some cost-friendly Instagram strategies to consider:
- Regularly post sneak peeks of new products and special discounts
- Upload photos of your store and share customer stories
- Host Instagram giveaways and ask people to share your posts to participate
- Put up regular polls on your stories asking people what new products they would like in the store
Remember that the crux of Instagram is two-way engagement. If you can get your customers to interact with you online, this strategy will be a success.
6. Actively engage with your community
81% of consumers say that they need to trust a brand to buy from them. So build this trust by actively engaging with your community members.
Go to local festivals, cultural shows, or any other community event. Get to know community leaders and show people that you’re a trustworthy brand. Set up booths, stalls, or kiosks at these events and invite people to try free samples, or sign up for a loyalty program.
Similarly, host events at your store. Do a community launch when you first open or a small event to announce the release of a new product. Moreover, host open mic nights, speakeasies, book club meetings, and other such events to make your store feel like home.
Final thoughts
People appreciate local stores that make an effort with their marketing. If you implement these strategies correctly, you will see a rise in sales in no time. Remember that how you set up your store is just as important as external marketing such as flyer distribution. And remember that community integration is key for successful local marketing.
Hope you like the article on the best ways to market your local retail stores.
