Why should people visit your store? Read our Top Ten Ideas!

It is no longer enough just to have items on sale that they might need or desire. With so much competition within the high street, online and for alternative demands on income, people need a reason to choose your store over any other.

Take a look at our ten ideas below

Bring nature into your store

Give your store a new look by adding some plants, softer natural lighting, wood furniture or panelling. You could even turn some corners into picturesque areas featuring special or unusual products that encourage customers to photo and place on social media.

Giveaways are always popular

Try collaborating with a supplier to promote a product, or hold a competition. This can be a great way to generate leads for future mailings.

Link with other stores nearby to create a special event

Host a community festival, or a food & drink event. Think about products that would pair together – wine from one store, chocolates from another. Both stores benefit from the greater visibility.

Host workshops or classes

People are increasingly looking for ways to increase their knowledge, and try new things. Host a workshop or class after hours. It can be as simple as a tea tasting, or chocolate tasting event, learning to blend their own version of tea or coffee. Offer discounts to all participants taking part – people do take up those discounts.

VR selfie booths

Especially popular in stores serving younger customers, these booths enable customers to take selfies in front of a green screen background. This background is then automatically replaced with a variety of colourful special effects. Encourage customers using these booths to post the images on social media, using a special hashtag.

Introduce Brand Ambassadors

Use some brand ambassadors to promote your products and services. Their task is purely to create a positive impression of your store using social media and through face to face encounters with customers, demonstrating and talking about the product.

Invitations

Invite suppliers, authors, crafters to come into the store and do an event. This could involve a short talk, workshop, meet & greet activity.

Initiate a charity event

Identify a local charity and organise some kind of event. It could be as simple as representing them in a sponsored run or swim, taking a parachute jump or doing a bungee jump. Customers appreciate that you are part of the community and helping others.

Promote a local business

Is there a local business you really like? Why not promote it at your store. Offer them some selling space. This encourages their customers to visit.

Free returns and exchanges

Buying online brings disadvantages – if you don’t like or have problems with a product, you have to pay to send it back. Returning a product directly to a store saves money and it also helps you create good relationships with customers. By finding out why they are returning a product, you can identify any possible problems with the supplier.