Running a small independent retailer can be very different from even running a franchise of a larger brand. You need to make sure that you are doing everything in your power to reach out to as many customers as possible. Here are some of the marketing must-haves that your business should be using to drive customers.
Email Marketing
Every big brand uses newsletters to communicate with their customers. Even if you do not have an online shop yet, you should still think about introducing email marketing to set up some form of communication with them when they are not in the shop. When they are at the check-out, ask them if they want to sign up to the newsletter through email. You can also make sure that you have a sign-up on your website too.
You can use the email marketing in a variety of ways. Most brands use it to chat to their customers about what they have been up to since the last newsletter. However, there are also some that give out exclusive offers and news about upcoming product launches through this means. It is a brilliant way to let your customers know exactly what is happening in your business.
Social Media
Social media is the ultimate must for any business in the 21st century. Everyone has social media of some sort nowadays. What’s more, many customers choose to look at a brand’s social media before they decide to visit it for the first time, just to get a feeling for the products and the voice of the company.
Running social media pages is a quick and easy task that can be added to your other daily admin tasks. Whether you are actively posting for engagement, or you just want to update your followers with what you are doing, there are plenty of options available to you.
In-Store Events
Think about running some in-store events to promote the store and get people through the door. The classic option will always be a big sale to celebrate a new season or maybe even something like a business anniversary, but there are some other things that you can try.
Why not run a community event of some sort? By turning your shop into a community hub too, you have a brilliant opportunity to connect with other business owners and some of the people who will no doubt prove to be loyal customers to you over the years. Think about some of the best events that you could run from your shop, and start planning one soon.
You might also like MoreBusiness.com’s free Sample Retail Business Plan
As a small business owner, it is imperative that you ensure that your voice is always loud and ready to support your company. Use the marketing tools above to ensure that you are as present as possible within your local community, and come up with some tips and tricks you can use to attract attention today. It is time that you worked towards improving the marketing of your independent retail business now!
