Despite the phenomenal success of Internet-based businesses, retail is still very much alive and kicking. Every day, people visit retail stores for various reasons, from buying a coffee to purchasing a games console.
You’re likely reading this article today because you own or manage a retail store, and while you get some people visiting it each day, you feel there is room for improvement when it comes to increasing foot traffic in your establishment.
The following ideas and suggestions will help you make your retail store more inviting to potential customers:
Have Eye-Grabbing Signage
The first thing you should consider doing is creating eye-grabbing signage. Let’s face it: no one is going to visit your retail store if a) there are no exterior signs to indicate what it is and b) they don’t know it exists.
That’s why it makes sense to get some signage made that can get seen from afar, conveys your brand message to people, and is clearly visible at night.
Create Seasonal Promotions
Another idea you can consider for your retail store is creating some seasonal promotions. These might be ones that promote products that can get used at certain times of the year, such as inflatable swimming pools in the summer or warm coats for the winter.
You can create seasonal cross-promotions on your website and encourage customers to visit your store for bonuses like free or discounted products or a coupon code that can get used for future purchases.
Offer Free Product Samples
Does your retail store sell products like food and drinks? If so, product sampling can be a great way to drive more foot traffic into your establishment.
Everyone likes free stuff, and if you’re trying to promote a new product range, for example, offering free samples gets people talking about it and eventually buying your new products. Check out how your competitors offer free product samples if you’re stuck for ideas.
Encourage Location Tagging
Location tagging is an exciting way to encourage more people to visit your retail premises and buy stuff.
For example, if you have a clothing store, you could have a hashtag with your brand name on it and a social media profile name on mirrors in your dressing rooms. Customers could take selfies with new outfits they like and tag your brand name into them on social media.
Improve Your Window Displays
Last but not least, you should consider improving your window displays. You’ll likely find that much of your foot traffic happens to be from people simply walking past your store and noticing something interesting in your window displays.
Consider creating themed window displays, make them eye-catching, and illuminate them when it becomes dark. You’ll soon see more foot traffic in your retail store.
Final Thoughts
The preceding ideas and suggestions will have undoubtedly given you some food for thought when considering how best to increase footfall in your retail business. It’s by no means an exhaustive list, but it comprises ones that offer the best results.
