Retailers have had a rough couple of decades with the exponential rise and popularisation of e-commerce, but that doesn’t mean that they are out of the race just yet. In fact, even though the online marketplace is gaining traction more than ever, retail stores are also on the rise across the globe, as the modern demographic has cultivated a culture of shopping as a laid-back, enjoyable pastime experience.
Such an experience is tough to replicate in the online arena, which is why retailers should exploit this opportunity as much as possible in order to ensure continuous growth in the future. With that in mind, here are the steps you, as a retailer, need to take in order to transform your store into a customer magnet.
Perfect the art of customer satisfaction
In the modern world of personalised shopping, diversity, and the never-ending race to appeal to a wider audience, customer satisfaction plays a vital role. In fact, customer satisfaction might just be the thing that will define your future in the competitive market, and help you become the leader in the industry.
It should go without saying that your customer service, both offline and online, should be par excellence if you want to stay relevant in a sea of competitors. Remember, you have an advantage over your online counterparts, and that is the intrinsic ability to create a deeper bond with your audience through personal interaction. So don’t waste the opportunity to dazzle everyone who walks into your store with a warm smile and professional assistance.
Online marketing is not only for online businesses. In fact, retailers should take advantage of this powerful mass media tool to reach new audiences, spread the word of their brand and attract prospective customers to their physical stores. How do you achieve this, you ask?
Start by taking your brand identity to the online realm and disseminate your stories, visuals and promotions across all relevant social media platforms for maximum engagement. Share your photos, content, communicate with your audience, and be sure to throw frequent promotional events that will get customers into your store. Stay consistent and don’t forget that social media management is a journey, so don’t allow your SM accounts to fall silent or your brand will lose its credibility quickly.
Design the perfect layout
Arguably, one of the most important aspects of a successful retail store is its interior design. Creating a perfect floorplan with a striking and functional layout, all beautifully portrayed and accentuated with colours, lighting, and focal points has become an art form as much as a psychological strategy that guides the customer on a memorable shopping journey.
This is why current office refurbishment trends for retail spaces emphasise layouts that evoke the right emotions, inspiring positivity and comfort every step of the way. With a meticulously organised layout, ample, warm lighting, plenty of free space, and a clear path to guide the customer through every corner of your store, upselling your products and creating an amazing shopping experience will be a breeze.
Stay in touch, spread the word
Your business is only as good as your follow-up strategy, at least in the overly-competitive modern marketplace. Think about it, if you do not maintain communication with your customers, what’s to stop them from giving your competitors a chance? After all, consumer trends are shifting constantly, and you want to keep your competition from stealing your customers behind your back by maintaining communication through follow-up emails, discounts, and promotional material.
Build a loyal brand following
In the overly-saturated market place where every brand is fighting for their piece of the proverbial pie, branding is the thin red line that separates the winners from the losers. Keep in mind that shopping is an emotional rather than a rational experience, and if you want to build a loyal customer base, you need to build a strong brand, boasting beautiful visuals and relevant, relatable stories and messages.
Lure customers with promotional events
Finally, retailers should never stop offering promotions and discounts to their customers. When your customers know that something is always on sale at your store, they will naturally gravitate towards you, eager and curious to find out what you have to offer this time. It’s a simple, yet highly effective luring strategy you should always have in your arsenal.
With retail stores of every kind popping up at every corner, business owners might find it difficult to stay relevant, let alone drive new traffic into their store. That said, you can easily solidify your position in the market and reach new heights by introducing these several key offline and online solutions.