4 Methods to Drive More Foot Traffic to Your Store

Listen in! Pick up some expert advice to a reader's question that we selected from CyberSchmooz.

When you’re running a retail store and struggling to get it bustling again, it may be that some fresh approaches are required. Sticking to what has worked in the past might not be sensible if it is no longer delivering the same results. Be proactive by reassessing what’s needed now. Here are four methods to drive more foot traffic to your retail store.

1. Upgrade or Replace the Store Signage

Many stores open and do little to change the signage on the street. If the store was originally taken over and never renamed, maybe the signage is decades old and barely visible from a distance? Alternatively, the sign may lack sufficient lighting to be seen, even if it’s large enough and features a modern design. In which case, getting some commercial sign lighting to resolve that could help highlight that the store is on the street and encourage more people to not pass it by.

2. Improve Your Google My Business Listing

Don’t dismiss the power of the Google My Business listing. When it’s well done, it can drive more people in the door because now they know you’re there. Mobile searchers are increasingly using voice searches like, “where can I buy…” and, “… near me” to confirm what’s available locally. These searches begin online through a smartphone, but the intention is often to purchase locally today. Having a prominent and detailed listing with Google literally puts you on the map with a better chance of standing out too.

3. Embrace Influencer Marketing

Love social media or hate it, the influencers with social channels can create attention and drive considerable traffic. Some influencers work in specific cities and towns to raise the profile of local businesses. They don’t all work nationally or internationally and solely online; it depends very much on their niche or industry focus and where they choose to place their attention.

Typically, they arrive, sample what’s on offer, take a few photos and videos, and then post about their experience. This can be either promotional with an agreement and a disclaimer about it, or you can simply highlight what the store offers and invite them to visit.

4. Create a Promotional Offer

Coming up with a promotional offer for new customers is something that will capture the interest of people passing by. While it may be a loss leader for the store or discounted to cost, that isn’t the point. The idea is to entice people into the store who might otherwise never visit. Once they’ve sampled the wares, if they’re impressed with them, they may repeat their visit in the future. Therefore, the promotional offer is part of the customer acquisition cost when needing to increase the foot traffic and find effective ways to do that.

The main thing to not do with a low-traffic store is nothing at all. Then little will change. Take action to increase the number of visits and to create a higher and sustainable daily visitor count in the future too.

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