The primary goal of any retail business is to attract and retain customers. A steady flow of new customers will allow you to grow your business. Here are five tips to help you improve in-store traffic.
Having an effective store layout is essential to keep customers in your retail shop for longer. According to Shopify, the threshold area is the first space the customers will step into upon arriving at your store so you need to make sure that this area stands out the most- in terms of lighting, display, and color, to draw customers in.
It is a known fact in the retail environment that 90% of customers will subconsciously turn to the right when entering a store, therefore this section will give the most impact on their first impression and needs extra attention in terms of what you choose to display and how you display it.
Another thing to keep in mind: create a walking path that leads customers through the whole store. This will allow them to view more of your products, increasing the chances that they will make a purchase. Bob Phibbs, an owner of the Retail Doctor, also suggests minimizing store counters as they are often seen as psychologically separating the store owner or sales clerk from customers. This tends to create an “us vs. them” mentality and sends the wrong signals. The employees should be walking the floor to make your store less intimidating, more welcoming, livelier and packed.
According to Retail News, many consumers won’t even consider shopping with a brand that doesn’t have a strong online presence.
A website is just the start. In this day and age when social media has taken over the internet, businesses have the opportunity to reach thousands of customers instantaneously. By using social media, you are allowing yourself to reach a wider range of target customers.
It is essential to maintain your online presence by regularly posting on your social media accounts and updating your website. Interesting content, imagery and exclusive deals will help you build a loyal following.
Auckland fashion store, Glamour Boutique created a way to bring online and in-store together- they provide a FaceTime service for customers. With computers set up in their store, the staff is able to chat with customers, face-to-face, show them the latest arrivals and give them a more personalized shopping experience. Their customers love this feature as they are able to make their online shopping experience more enjoyable. As a result, Glamour Boutique also noticed a significant increase in sales and repeat business because of this.
Customers tend to remember their experience while shopping more than anything. Since the employees are the ones representing your shop’s image, it is important that they deliver outstanding customer service and professionalism, according to Insider Monkey. This can be done by first building a relationship with your employees, developing a bond, listening to any of their suggestions and possibly implementing an incentive reward for motivation. Satisfied employees are more likely to put in more effort while working and achieve noticeable results.
Customers tend to remember their experience while shopping more than anything. Since the employees are the ones representing your shop’s image, it is important that they deliver outstanding customer service and professionalism, according to Insider Monkey. This can be done by first building a relationship with your employees, developing a bond, listening to any of their suggestions and possibly implementing an incentive reward for motivation. Satisfied employees are more likely to put in more effort while working and achieve noticeable results.
Sales always tend to be a big appeal to any customer. They can be easily swayed by that sense of urgency that comes with limited time offers. Start by contacting your customer database through an email newsletter informing them of upcoming sales and other events they might be interested in. As for your retail store, make it obvious that there is a sale going on by posting up huge sale signs in red.
Ever wonder why the color red is always used for sale signs? According to a Shopify, a study was done to show that people tend to react faster when they see the color red due to the fact that it is programmed in our minds as the cue for danger. This is why retailers use this color to grab customers’ attention.
Remember to also use a strong call to action for effective results such as “Be quick” or “Buy now”. This should get customers rushing through your door in no time. According to Shopify, a case study was done by the team at ConversionXL which showed that by adding a bit of urgency to their offers, they were able to increase sales by 332%. All sales promotion series have a positive consumption effect, which clearly confirms the assumption that sales promotions increase the average sales due to the consumption effect of stockpiling.
You need to make customers feel valued and appreciated so that they will become loyal customers of your company. According to Forbes, Christopher Barnard, President, and Co-Founder of Points a company dedicated to making loyalty programs more valuable and engaging believe that offering points or rewards are a key to attracting repeat business.
Not only do customers feel like they are part of an exclusive group but it gives them an opportunity to save money and keep them continuously purchasing at your retail store. Building relationships with customers and delivering excellent customer service should be the priority and eventually, more people will learn of your company through positive word-of-mouth.
If you run a brick and mortar store or are an online retailer, a reliable and efficient inventory management software is critical to the success of your business helping you easily track all inventory activity, avoid costly errors, and stay well-organized. Ensuring that your warehouse operations run in the most productive way possible, and everything remains ordered and controlled within your warehouse is another important aspect of warehouse management and maintaining an effective online presence. To optimally control this part of their supply chain, most online merchants go for powerful warehouse management software.
If you would like to know how Cin7 can help you with retail inventory management, then sign up for our Free Trial now.
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