Being a brick and mortar business can be tough in the digital age – which Gary Ng can attest to – and unless you have the benefit of an amazing location in a busy city or downtown area, then you may find it hard to get people through the door. Even if you also have an online presence, it’s important to build your foot traffic too, as this will help you to get a loyal local customer base. Here are some ideas to attract people to your business.
- Use online methods to get offline customers
Even if you aren’t planning to sell online, it’s worth considering using channels such as social media to get people to your business. There are lots of ways that small businesses can use social media, and the good thing is, as a local business you’re more likely to get customers engaging with your posts. Social media is inexpensive, and you can use it for things like:
- Making people aware of promotions
- Advertising in-store events
- Keeping people up to date with changes to your products and services
- Advertising to people within a certain distance, so even those who don’t pass your business can be aware of it
- Join in with the local community
Small businesses can often become part of the local community, joining in with local events and sponsoring worthy causes. If you need your business to be more visible to locals, then consider joining in with an event, whether it’s getting a stall at a market, sponsoring a local run, or joining a small business association. You may even enjoy going out and meeting new people.
- Improve your curb appeal
Every town has small businesses that don’t stand out very much, and sometimes you can drive past a place daily and not notice it. Make sure your business doesn’t suffer this fate by working on your curb appeal. Tidy the front of your store, have interesting displays, or even paint your building to attract attention. A good sign is also essential to any business. If yours isn’t very eye-catching, click here to find out more about improving your business signage.
- Find a niche in your community
Finding a niche can help you get plenty of customers in your community, and if you already live and work locally, then you’ll know the kind of products and services people want and need. You can also get census information online that’ll tell you more about your local population, so you know how to target your marketing. For example, if you sell sporting goods and have a lot of people who hike in your area, you can sell more hiking gear, and if there are lots of families, you can offer kids sizes. This also means you don’t need to stock things you know won’t sell.
Attracting people to your business can take a wide range of methods, both online and offline, from using social media to networking within the community. Whether you’re a new business or one that has been around for a few years, you can improve your customer base and get new people through your door.
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