Running a storefront is no easy task. There is a lot to think about, from creating your products to keeping a clean space, hiring staff, and much more. However, one area you can’t overlook is the promotion of your storefront. If you don’t get the word out about your store, you won’t get enough customers to keep it alive. Below are five strategies, based on current marketing trends, you should explore to your storefront promotion to your local area and bring in a steady stream of new business.
Create a Noticeable Exterior
You’ll first want to focus on creating a noticeable exterior for your storefront. You want to draw attention to anyone passing by, whether they are walking down the sidewalk or driving down the street. Creating a more noticeable exterior will not only bring in more foot traffic but spread brand awareness for anyone who passes by. Those people may not stop in today, but they’ll remember your business and may visit another day.
There are several ways to make your storefront’s exterior more noticeable. For one, you should use bright colors that stand out from other elements in the area, such as other buildings. If your store looks like every other building in the area, it will be hard for it to stand out. Another thing you can do is develop some professional business signage and hang it outside. Look for some sign installation services in your area, then create large, eye-catching signs that draw people in.
Make Use of Social Media
Another key way to promote your storefront is through social media. These days, many people learn about the stores in their area through social media posts. If your business doesn’t already have accounts on the major platforms, now is the time to sign up and start posting.
Regularly using social media can bring in customers in a few ways. First, your store might appear in search results when someone searches for keywords related to your business. Second, previous customers may leave feedback or reviews on your social media account, which could then end up in the feeds of their social connections. Finally, you can use social media strategies like running contests to encourage people to share your social posts in exchange for a chance to win a prize. When done correctly, social media is one of the most powerful tools available to storefront owners.
List Your Business Online
Along the same lines as social media, listing your business online is important. There are websites dedicated to listing information about businesses to help people find goods and services in their area. If you don’t list your business on these sites, users are more likely to go to your competition. Providing some information about your business only takes a few minutes but can significantly impact how many customers you get. Start by listing your business on sites like Google Business Profile, Yelp, or Bing Places for Business, then move on to any other directories that might suit your business’s niche.
Partner with Other Local Businesses
An often overlooked way to promote your storefront is by partnering with other local businesses. In many cases, you can create a mutually beneficial situation for both you and another business, where you each promote one another to your respective audiences. For example, let’s say you run a local bookstore. You could partner with that coffee shop down the street, offering their customers a discount on their next purchase. Many people might be looking for a book to read while they enjoy their coffee, making this an ideal partnership for your storefront.
Advertise Around Town
Finally, make sure you’re advertising in your area. It’s essential that you bring in local traffic for your storefront, as you’re likely not relying too heavily on sales from the internet. You need to let the people in your area know about your business and where they can find you. There are plenty of ways to advertise around town, like billboards, bus stop ads, or even just hanging up some fliers in popular spots.
Think about areas that get a lot of foot traffic where you could advertise, then look into the costs to advertise there. You may be surprised at how affordable it is to advertise in your town, allowing you to bring in more customers on a smaller budget.
Start Promoting Your Storefront Today
Your storefront needs a steady stream of customers if you want it to thrive. A key ingredient for regular customers is marketing and advertising your business in a variety of ways. Start exploring some of the strategies above and think about which would be best for your particular situation. The sooner you can implement new strategies for your storefront promotion, the sooner you can bring in new customers.