In retail, making sales has always been the main goal. It’s what everything comes down to. Today, it’s tough to achieve good sales without marketing. Your marketing plans for retail stores will shape how people see your business and steer your success. Whether you’re launching a new product, raising awareness for your store, encouraging seasonal sales, or pushing for more sales, these strategies can help attract new customers.
Here are some popular marketing strategies for retail stores:
Simplify a Bold Brand Identity
Your retail brand identity should be simple and bold. This is the best way to be remembered in retail marketing, and it has as few exposures as possible for a new customer. A unique and simple retail brand identity will help your store stand out in a highly competitive local business environment.
Carefully Organize Retail Displays
Plan, design, and display products in a way that highlights their features and appeal. The best visual merchandising uses a minimalist, bold colour palette and unique shape. Product displays also often incorporate some form of interactive actions.
Signage Solutions
Signage can make in-store marketing and promotions more engaging. It lets you display images and messages to different parts of your store, creating a lively shopping experience. LED signage and digital screens can prove tremendously useful in catching the eye based on bright colours alone.
Referral Incentives
Tap into your existing customer base to recommend their family or friends to you in exchange for a referral benefit. In many cases, this is a cash offer, discount code, or even a points-based reward if it ties into a customer loyalty program you have.
Host Live Events
Get people excited to come to your store. Even if the event is unrelated to the products you sell, consider hosting it if you assume it would resonate with your target audience. The two most popular places to start are live music or a product demo.
Community-Driven Initiatives
Foster a community connection with your retail store. You can do this by sponsoring a local community event, such as a sports team or a charity organization, or by creating content that features many community references.
Traditional Offline Marketing
Many non-digital marketing methods for reaching a local audience are worth considering. The rewards can be very high depending on what you’re selling and who your target audience is.
Flyers and brochures will be given out in-store or on displays around your local area. Direct mail with a coupon code, discount, or another incentive to bring a customer in-store. Local newspaper ads or classified ads.
Leverage Social Media Marketing
Integrate lots of social media into your marketing: answer comments and messages, build brand awareness, and foster a sense of community. Platforms like Instagram and Facebook have tens of thousands of potential customers waiting for a store like yours to connect with them.
Remarket with Email Marketing
Use email sign-ups to remarket to customers who have interacted with your brand. Send strategic emails at the right time with exclusive discounts, promotions, and content to bring customers back in-store to buy.
Enhance Your Storefront
Your storefront is crucial to attracting passersby to your store. Use a custom design and a minimalist approach that does not overwhelm the eyes. Feature your best-sellers and seasonal sales. Try to create a scene with your storefront using your logo, colours, and graphics that grab attention.
Train Your Employees in Sales
Train your employees in sales. Ensure they understand your niche and target customer. When appropriate, your employees should be ready to upsell, cross-sell, or offer input into what’s best or recommended for a customer ready to make a purchase.
Offer Free Samples
Free samples interest people, especially with new products or products unfamiliar to your customer base. If you can’t offer the entire product free, consider offering a service and a try-on for the customer. This is to expose them to a product on the shelf.
Encourage Post-Sale Input
More retail stores are doing this by soliciting post-sale customer reviews and feedback. This engagement reveals what you can do differently if the customer is satisfied and gives you details on whether discounts or coupons are required to retain the customer or repeat the sale.
Work with Influencers
Find local social media influencers with decent followings in your area and pay them to post about your retail store. Evaluate influencers to find the right fit for your brand based on their values, total reach, who their followers are, and how they engage with their audience.
Focus on Word-Of-Mouth
There is no more valuable marketing strategy locally than word-of-mouth. Focus on how you can amplify the quality of your brand through word-of-mouth. This includes providing the customer with the best service possible and ensuring they leave satisfied with their visit to your retail store.
