Much of the American economy is made up of small to medium-sized businesses. High streets are struggling, however, with increasing rents and reduced foot traffic. As many turn to online shopping, staying afloat in a physical store is harder than ever. Cash flow is the number one reason why small businesses fail; therefore, having strong sales numbers is the only way to ensure you can make ends meet. Here are five of the most effective ways to increase the number of people that come into the store so you can increase sales.
1 Window display
A great window display is a key way to stand out from the crowd. Right from the off, passers-by can see your best products. It’s important to pick top sellers to advertise at the window because it’s often the case that just a few of your products account for a disproportionately high amount of sales (the Pareto principle). Don’t shy away from that by pushing other products; this is a chance to sell even more. A great window display is an invitation into the shop. This is your chance to make your customers curious and intrigued enough to come in and see the rest. You can even use this as a chance to tell your story. For example, a jewellery store may display a scenario in which giving a diamond ring is meaningful.
2 Invest in an LED screen
Large LED screens are not as expensive as you’d assume them to be. It comes as no surprise that the LED screen has been used by mainstream companies to advertise their products around the world. Outdoor programmable LED signs are useful because they can change display automatically. They’re also captivating and bright, which is why they’re effective in getting your attention. If you think of any major London or New York high street, you can barely picture anything in your mind other than LED screens. The effectiveness is, therefore, even more staggering when used on a more humble high street without any LED competition!
VisualLED screens can be enhanced by rotating bespoke adverts throughout the day. You can time the advert to change depending on when rush hour is, children have just finished school and even train arrival times to get the custom of those on their travels or commute.
3 Nature
Unsurprisingly, plants are attractive to us. Whether it’s the oxygen they provide or the tasty fruit that we love to eat, decorating the outside of your store with plants is a trusted way to appear up-market and make people gravitate towards you. First impressions are important, and so many restaurants actually choose to spend their marketing budget on plant decoration instead, as it has proven to be an effective way to entice people. If you have a clean outside, the public will assume the inside to be clean too. It will give a fresh and even eco-sustainable vibe to the business too.
4 Create a great sign
A monument sign usually hangs high in front of your store with big letters, shouting the name of the store. If you think about it, most signs you see are pretty similar. Going the extra mile by hiring a top-notch graphic designer to create something that really stands out is a great way to stay in the forefront of people’s minds. After all, high street sales are usually local people, and so recurring business is what you’re looking for. The sign, therefore, doesn’t need to offend or grab attention in a cheap way for one-off custom, but rather establish itself in the environment and have a positive impact. Getting local school children to handwrite something, perhaps your slogan, and print it large for the sign could be a great way to integrate into the community and pull on some heartstrings.
5 Invest in some digital marketing
Digital marketing is a great way to get people onto your e-commerce store, but these are not the only companies that benefit. Investing in Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) techniques can mean your physical store ranks on the first page of Google. This can be achievable because you can use targeted words that include your specific location, so you’re not competing against the e-commerce powerhouses.
This is important even if you don’t sell anything on the website – just having it come up on Google, provide a contact number, and a Google review & location is going to gather much more people to your store. This may not be necessary when in a small village because people have fewer options. In larger towns, though, this could be a game-changer and set you above your competition. SEO takes a few months, but you can also just buy adverts, so you appear at the top of Google instantly. Try and gauge how much custom you are getting from the website, though, as this will help determine if it has been a successful investment.
