You have a great-looking store front with eye-catching signage, ample parking, a welcoming staff, and maybe even an attractive window display. But how do you encourage more in-store traffic that will make (rather than break) your small business? If you are looking for more in-store traffic for your restaurant or retail business, you are not alone.
5 Ways to Boost In-Store Traffic:
- Optimize your local search – With 61% of smartphone users making local searches from their device, it is imperative that your local search and map listings on the major search engines are optimized, so potential customers can find you while on-the-go.
- Make your website mobile – When your potential customers get to your website on their smartphone, are they able to find the information they are seeking easily? Put yourself in your customer’s shoes and provide them with a mobile website that improves their shopping convenience and increases the chances of them walking through your door.
- Offer check-in deals – If your customers could get a discount for simply stepping in your store, would they visit you more often? Possibly! When your customers use Facebook Check-ins, it also announces their brand loyalty to to their friends. Offering incentives for social media check-ins is win-win.
- Bring online marketing in-store – Your Facebook fans or email subscribers have an interest in your company or products, which is why, they have “Liked” you or “Signed Up” for your emails in the first place.
- Host in-store special events – People can come out of the woodwork when a special event is happening, especially when they have a chance to get something for free. The free event in your store could include a seminar, consulting, entertainment, a tour, or (everyone’s favorite) a free gift or free food. Even if they are not a customer now, they will remember your hospitality when they are ready to buy. Don’t forget to promote the event through social media, such as creating a Facebook event.
If you also have an e-commerce website along with your store front, how are they working together? Are you offering anything special to your customers who purchase in both ways? If they are two different markets, how are you encouraging referrals and sharing of stories between your e-commerce store and your retail store front? Bring your online and offline marketing together to maximize both your in-store traffic and your website traffic together.
What other online or offline marketing strategies have worked for getting a boost in in-store traffic? Please leave us a comment below to share what has worked or hasn’t worked for you.
