Many popular retailers are going out of business these days which can make it seem even riskier to have and try to market brick and mortar business. With so many stores moving online, I still believe that small local businesses can survive and even thrive.
It all comes down to how you market it and manage profit. Running a small business can be beneficial because you won’t have to worry about paying for multiple locations and supporting dozens or even hundreds of employees.
Expenses can be much more manageable and all you need to do is market well and provide a positive experience for customers. Here’s how you can better market your brick and mortar business and accept payments efficiently.
How to Better Market Your Brick and Mortar Business
Invest in Effective Signage
Don’t skip out on having the right signage for your store. It’s one of the first things people will see when they’re driving past and it can help get more people through the door.
If you don’t have a big bold sign, people won’t even know that your store exists, let alone walk through the door. Prioritize getting an eye-catching sign up before you open and include some extra decor and effects to highlight your grand opening.
You’ll notice that even popular fast-food chains still make a big deal out of their grand opening as they hope to pull people in off the street. They know that people love to check out new places and it’s important to be ready to make a good first impression once your first customers stop by.
Use the Right Type of Flyer
Promotional flyers are still effective when made and distributed correctly. Don’t print out basic black and white flyers on regular paper. Make your flyers stand out and design them so that they’re easy to hand out and stick on the windshield of a car.
If your store is in a shopping mall or near other storefronts, assign someone the task of going out to the parking lot every hour or so and placing flyers on each car. That way, people who are visiting a neighboring business will know that you’ve opened your store as well.
It’s the easiest way to get some free marketing and you can even attach a coupon to the flyer.
Offer Discounts or Loyalty Rewards
Speaking of coupons and discounts, it’s always helpful to offer deals to new and recurring shoppers especially when you’re trying to get people into the door after opening.
One time I was visiting Lake Geneva noticed a jewelry store when walking through the downtown area. I normally would have just walked by but they had a sign outside that said their jewelry only looks expensive but it was very affordable and they had a sale going on.
This immediately allowed me to let my guard down and check out the store. Their prices were great and I ended up utilizing the sale to buy a few things. It’s no secret that sales and discounts work. You can also try offering a loyalty rewards program to keep people coming in as well.
Set Up a Facebook Page ASAP
Another mistake I see some new brick and mortar businesses make is that they fail to have an online presence. You need a website as well as social media presence to help reach your target audience.
Most of your customers are likely on social media so that’s where you need to go to meet them. Use social media to make announcements, show products up close, and leverage Facebook ads to reach more people.
Add a Low-Cost Credit Card Processing System
Accepting multiple forms of payment will allow you to appeal more to customers and it doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg. Due offers a low-cost payments processing solution that is secure and has no hidden fees.
Give customers the convenience of accepting credit card payments and you can even require a minimum balance per transaction in order to offset the fee.
Summary
Running a small brick and mortar shop is still a great option today. Use these tips to better market your brick and mortar business so you can keep your doors open for a long time.
