16 Tips to Attract More Customers to Your Physical Store

I’ve got some awesome advice to share on how to bring more people to your brick-and-mortar store. So, if you’re ready, let’s jump right in!

1. Be the Talk of the Town: Spread the word about your store by connecting with your local community. Engage in local events and sponsorships to get people excited and talking about your shop.

2. Eye-Catching Displays: Create attractive displays that catch the eye and draw people in. Showcase your best products in a way that is visually appealing and hard to resist.

3. Tantalizing Deals: Offer irresistible deals and promotions to entice customers. People love a good bargain, so make sure you have some exciting discounts that they can’t say no to.

4. Personal Touch: Make your customers feel special by providing excellent customer service. Greet them warmly, offer assistance, and go the extra mile to show them that you care.

5. Positive Reviews: Encourage satisfied customers to leave positive reviews online. These reviews can make a big difference and convince others to give your store a chance.

6. Social Media Magic: Utilize the power of social media to connect with your audience. Share updates, pictures, and special offers to keep your followers engaged and curious about your store.

7. Unique Events: Host special events, like workshops or demonstrations, that showcase your products or services. This not only attracts new customers but also gives existing ones a reason to keep coming back.

8. Loyalty Rewards: Implement a loyalty program to reward your loyal customers. Offer discounts or exclusive perks to show them how much you appreciate their repeat business.

9. Collaborate and Cross-Promote: Partner up with complementary businesses in your area and create cross-promotions. This way, you can tap into each other’s customer base and attract new faces to your store.

10. Window Appeal: Pay attention to your storefront’s appearance. A clean and inviting window display can make a world of difference and grab the attention of passing potential customers.

11. Interactive Experiences: Provide interactive experiences in your store to engage visitors. Let them try out products, have samples available, or offer hands-on demonstrations to make their visit memorable.

12. Know Your Target Market: Understand who your ideal customers are and tailor your products, marketing, and overall store experience to cater to their needs and preferences.

13. Discounts on Special Days: Offer discounts or special deals on specific days of the week to attract customers during slower times. This can help drive foot traffic when the store is typically quieter.

14. Join Community Events: Participate in local festivals, fairs, or markets to reach a wider audience. These events provide great opportunities to showcase what makes your store unique.

15. Stay in Touch: Keep in touch with your customers through email newsletters or SMS campaigns. Send them updates about new products, upcoming sales, or exclusive offers to keep them interested and coming back.

16. Make it Memorable: Create a memorable experience for your customers that goes beyond just buying a product. Focus on providing excellent service, creating a welcoming atmosphere, and leaving a lasting impression.

There you have it, my friends! These tips are sure to help you attract more customers and make your brick-and-mortar store a success. Good luck, and may your store thrive!

In today’s world, buying things online has become a popular way to shop for many people. This can make it challenging for stores with physical locations to attract customers. That’s why I asked 16 members of the Young Entrepreneur Council how they recommend bringing more people into a store. Here are their top tips:

Ways to Bring More People into Your Store

Here’s what members of the YEC community suggested for increasing foot traffic:

1. Use In-Store Pick Up

Instead of fighting for attention in the crowded online space, I have a better idea for you. Use your online presence to your advantage. Let me explain how. Create a website that acts like a catalog where people can browse your products. And here’s the best part: give them the option to pick up their order in-store. This way, you not only reach more customers and increase sales, but you also get more people coming into your physical store. It’s a win-win situation! Trust me, it works like magic.” ~ Shu Saito, Godai

2. Offer Special Deals for In-Store Shoppers Only

I’ve got a little secret for you. Want to attract more customers to your store? Give them something special. Here’s what you can do. Offer exclusive deals and promotions that are available only to those who shop in-store. This makes your customers feel valued and special, and it will definitely convince them to choose your store over others. It’s like a secret club that only they get to be a part of. Trust me, they won’t be able to resist.” ~ Jared Atchison, WPForms

3. Take Advantage of Geolocation Tools

I found a clever way to attract more people to my store and boost sales – geolocation! By using geolocation technology, I can target people who are in the area and entice them to come into my store for special promotions or events. It’s a great way to catch those who may have been considering visiting but needed that extra push to actually step through the doors.

4. Give Your Social Media Channels a Boost

Hey, did you know that you can use social media to get more people to come shop at your store? It’s true! Whether you share eye-catching graphics, exciting offers, or showcase new products, social media can help persuade your audience to visit your store. Since everyone is already hanging out on social media, it’s a fun and effective way to grab their attention and bring them to your store.

5. Enhance the Look of Your Storefront

When a business looks enticing, it catches the attention of customers like me. I get curious about what they might have to offer, so I decide to step inside. If you want to attract more visitors, it’s important to make your store and curb appeal appealing.

6. Give Out Samples or Show Demonstrations

Depending on what kind of business you have, it can be a good idea to offer free samples or have live demonstrations right at the entrance. If you own a restaurant, for example, you can give out samples to grab the attention of curious customers. Demonstrations work well when you’re offering a service or selling a high-priced product. We all love to see a $1,200 vacuum cleaner in action, don’t we?

7. Start an Email Marketing Campaign

8. Get More Customers in Your Store by Encouraging In-Store Pickup

If you want more people to come to your store, I have a great idea for you. Why not encourage your online customers to pick up their purchases in-store? This way, they can see all the cool stuff you have and maybe even buy more things. Plus, when they bring along a friend or family member, you might get new customers too. How awesome is that?

9. Make Your Store Even Better with Extra Services

Online stores are all about convenience, right? But guess what? You can add something special to your physical store that online stores can’t offer. For example, imagine going to a clothing store where they offer free tailoring services or a style consultant who helps you find the perfect outfit. Or how about a contact lens store with its own eye doctor? Those are some amazing extra services that make going to the store totally worth it!

10. Win Awesome Prizes in a Giveaway

Hey, have you ever heard of a prize giveaway? It’s when a store holds a special event where you have the chance to win cool prizes. How exciting is that? So, if you want to create some buzz and get people excited about your store, you should definitely consider holding a prize giveaway. It’s a fun way to bring in more customers and make them love your store even more.

You know what’s a great way to get more people to come to a store? Doing a prize giveaway! It’s awesome! Here’s what you gotta do: first, let everyone know about the giveaway on the radio and on social media. Do this for at least a week before the contest. On the day of the giveaway, have one of your employees stand outside the store with a sign to let people know about it. And oh, don’t forget to ask for their information when they enter. That way, you can keep in touch with them later on. – Ben Walker, Transcription Outsourcing, LLC

11. Make sure people can find your store with ‘Near Me’ Search Engine Optimization

Did you know that optimizing your websites for Google Maps can greatly benefit your business? More than half of mobile searches are local, with people looking for nearby options. These near me searches are also the fastest-growing keywords. And guess what? Google loves local maps and Google My Business. So, make sure you prioritize them.

Another interesting feature of Google Ads is that they now allow you to track the online ads that lead to offline foot traffic. This means you can measure the effectiveness of your ads by seeing how many people actually visit your store. It’s a great way to gauge the impact of your marketing efforts. But if you don’t have an ad budget, don’t worry. You can still optimize platforms like Yelp and Trip Advisor to attract more local customers.

12. Reach Local Customers with Targeted Facebook Ads

Here’s the deal: Facebook ads are a powerful tool to promote your business to qualified local customers. By using lookalike audiences and interest-based targeting, you can make sure your ads reach the right people within a reasonable radius of your store locations. This way, you won’t waste your marketing budget on reaching the wrong type of consumers. Instead, you’ll be able to deliver focused and cost-efficient ads that really hit the mark.

13. Give Your Signage a Makeover

14. Get the Word Out on Local Radio

If you want more people to come to your physical store, advertising on a local radio station is a fantastic idea. Lots of folks in the area will hear your ad while they’re driving or stuck in traffic. You can make the most of this captive audience by also offering a special deal or discount just for radio listeners.

15. Make Your Store a Gathering Place for the Community

A wonderful way to attract people to your store is by turning it into a hub for like-minded individuals to connect. Use social media to learn about your target audience and entice them with planned events or promotions. Whether it’s a monthly giveaway on a specific day or a screening of a new product, advertise on the platform they use the most and create an unforgettable experience for them.

16. Tap into the Magic of Mobile

Everyone’s got a mobile these days, and let me tell you, it’s a total game-changer when it comes to boosting your store’s popularity. One way to make the most of it is by using a fancy mobile app to reel in more customers. There are loads of clever ways to bring mobile into your offline strategy. For instance, you can use geolocation to find people nearby and send them nifty notifications about great deals and fun events happening at your store. Believe me, it’s a surefire way to get the crowds pouring in! ~ Rahul Varshneya, CurveBreak