Nobody starts a business to fail, everyone wants to be a success. To increase the chances of succeeding, you need to attract and retain customers who might not have heard about your business. Having the help and support of professionals like Cheltenham accountants Randall and Payne is also a good idea too. If you’re looking to increase your customer footfall, here are some handy tips:
Direct people
People need to be shown where to go to reach you. Make it easy or they won’t make the effort to find you unless you’re a uniquely unusual or niche supplier. If your premises are not central, invest in signposts or digital signage and make the benefits of visiting clear to see.
Take action
Take a proactive approach to improving your footfall. Hand out flyers in a crowded shopping centre, create a special offer or exciting incentive for people to come and visit. If you’ve got too much on your hands to deal with, consider hiring a PR company to take care of these things for you.
Leaflets
If you’re looking to target a specific local area, why not have some leaflets printed and carry out a leaflet drop? These are great for making nearby homes more aware of what you’re offering right on their doorstep. Be concise, clear and eye-catching with benefits or special offers. Remember to include details of where to find you and contact you!
Get a partner
Local businesses can often partner up for mutual benefit. Why not get involved in something like this in your area? You could draw up agreements to make referrals to each other, recommendations and include links on websites and even combined special offers. This can work really well, as long as the businesses aren’t in direct competition with one another.
Aesthetics
Ensuring your premises look appealing will help to encourage people through the door. Maybe it’s been a while since the exterior had a fresh coat of paint or you could do with a new window display? If you have the budget, new signage can make a real difference, or what about a complete makeover and re-launch? Ensure your store is tidy, well-planned, smells great and is playing the right kind of background music.
Window display
The window is an often-overlooked opportunity and it’s the perfect place to market your goods and services to passing traffic. Choose your display carefully, don’t overcrowd the space but use it to promote your most appealing offers that will attract the widest possible audience.
Loyalty rewards
Rewarding customer loyalty has long been a popular method for encouraging brand loyalty and return custom. They are simple to introduce, and any card would just need stamping each time a customer visits and buys something. After a certain number of stamps have been received, the customer is given a discount or free item.
Samples
A great way to attract interest in your store is to offer free samples or testers just outside. This provides customers with an opportunity to touch, see, smell or taste the goods that you are selling.