It does not matter whether you have an online store or a physical store, you always want to attract as many customers as possible. Some businesses go to extraordinary lengths to do this when really there are some very simple things you can do to encourage more potential customers to visit your shop.
Visual Appeal
The first thing that will attract people to look closer at your business is visual appeal. If you have a high street store, the correct commercial lighting can make a huge difference to how good the shop and your products look. The quality of the lighting, how it is angled and how it makes your products stand out is all very important. Good signage is also crucial to the overall look of your shop front.
With an online store, it is your website that needs to be visually appealing. It should be colourful but not cluttered.
What you need to remember is that when a potential customer sees your shop front or website for the first time the impression they get will stay with them. Good first impressions are vital if you want your business to succeed.
Do Not Be Overbearing
Customers can find it overpowering to be approached by an assistant as soon as they walk into a shop. They might just want to browse for a while until they decide if they are going to buy, and overzealous shop assistants can send them running. Always be there to assist, to guide and to give advice if it is needed, but do not be pushy. Having a smile and being friendly is the best way to entice them to return.
Discount Codes
Discount codes work in all types of stores and are well worth the effort. If you use social media as part of your marketing strategy, it is a brilliant reason to put up a post. Customers that are considering buying a particular product may just purchase it earlier because of the discount. Get them into your store once with that code, and hopefully, they will become regular loyal customers.
The same applies to a free gift, which you can give if certain products are bought.
Children’s Corner
You may be surprised at how many parents will become your customers because there is something for the children to do while they browse through your items for sale.
All it takes if a few little tables and chairs, some books and a few toys. If a member of staff can keep on eye on them while the parents are in your shop, you are likely to gain many new customers.
Deal With Any Complaints Positively
You can almost guarantee that if someone has a bad experience with your business, they will tell everyone they know. You need to turn that to your advantage by dealing with it in a positive way. That can create more goodwill than a dozen customers who never have a problem, as people do not tend to talk so much about their good experiences unless they are asked.
These are just a few basics of the things to help bring more customers to your store. There are plenty of others, such as flash sales, refreshments and reward schemes. None of them cost a fortune and could mean the difference between success and failure.
