The times are changing for stores because more and more people are doing business online. But even though people spend more time online, stores such as Amazon can still make money. The internet is essential for all stores to do well.
40% of clients are more likely to purchase from stores that offer a unique online and in-store shopping experience. People want to be able to switch between online and offline shops easily. That’s something to consider if you like to start your own retail business or make changes to help it grow.
People who make decisions for stores need to think like digital natives. You can use these tips to improve your bottom line by adding digital marketing strategies to your physical businesses.
Make Use Of Google Shopping
There are 63,000 search queries on Google every second. Many of them are about shopping, but not all of them are. With Google’s shopping module, showing off your goods or making your business stand out online is simple. After all, 34% of “near me” search queries lead to store visits. Your store needs an SEO-friendly website because Google is like a digital tour guide.
You can do many things to boost SEO, but that’s a different story. When you use Google Shopping, Google will connect your business with people in your area looking for the things you sell. You must use Google Shopping if you have both an online shop and an actual store. Google can help you get more people into your store, even if you only have one.
Accept Omnichannel Marketing
It might sound scary to use omnichannel marketing, but every business needs to start doing it. A vast 73 percent of people who shop in stores do so through multiple outlets. People interested in your goods will Google them, read reviews on your website, talk to other customers on Facebook or Twitter for more information, and check their email coupons to see if they have any.
Then they’ll come into your store, ready to do one last thing: ask questions, try things on, and buy. There are a lot of places for customers to shop, so stores need to make the shopping experience as smooth and complete as possible.
To do that, you need to hire data scientists and researchers to collect data and find ways to use it to make your shopping experience better. You can better target potential customers, improve the customer experience, and connect your online and in-store sales if you have better data.
Customer data is used in an excellent digital marketing plan to determine when people are most likely to look at your site, come into your shop, ask a question, buy something, and do many other things.
Now that you have that information, you can make user profiles and send freebies or other deals to your Wednesday shoppers. If Friday afternoon is the best time for shopping, tell your salespeople they should be on the floor then. All this information helps you improve the in-store experience so that people would instead shop there rather than online.
Learn More : 5 Innovative Digital Marketing Tactics
Consider Mobile Technology
As you walk down the street and see everyone looking at their phones, you might feel sad about the state of people. “How do I take advantage of that?” you should ask yourself as a store owner. Lots of people use their phones while they shop. Eighty percent of people in a store use their phones to read reviews, compare prices, or find other shops like yours.
That means your digital marketing plan needs to work well on phones. Giving customers Wi-Fi is a good idea because you can still get information from them even if they go somewhere else to buy something. When you use an SMS marketing tool, you can answer customer questions while they’re on the phone in your shops.
People are probably also on social media websites like Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter while in your stores, so you need to be involved on those sites. People use social media to interact with your business and read reviews and feedback from other buyers. It’s a vital part of any successful digital marketing plan.
Provide Wi-fi Access In-store
Having Wi-Fi is a great way to set your store apart from others in the same field. A study found that 62% of businesses that offer free Wi-Fi say their customers stay longer. Not only is it a nice bonus for your customers, but it also helps your marketing and your bottom line.
According to the same study, half of businesses say customers spent more after having Wi-Fi in their stores. By law, you can only get information about a customer if they buy something or agree to receive your emails or ads. Building an email list in person shops is hard because employees must ask customers for information and add it to a database.
Customers can do that by connecting to your Wi-Fi network. Get people to give you their email address, phone number, or other helpful information in exchange for free Wi-Fi. Your Wi-Fi platform can track what your customers buy and how they move through your store so you can see what works and what doesn’t.
Your Wi-Fi network will also help you build email or phone lists to help your mobile marketing strategy. This way, you can reach out to customers who didn’t buy as well as those who did.
Learn More : Marketing Strategies That Drive Leads For Home Service Companies
Create A Sense Of Urgency
We’ve all bought something on a whim before. Many bought because they thought they would miss out on something if they didn’t. That’s how you sell something well. You can put up a sign outside your store that says “BOGO Sale Today,” but that will only reach people walking by.
You can take advantage of more impulse buying if you use the same sense of urgency in your digital marketing. You can ensure everyone on your email list knows about your one-day sale, even if they don’t come by your shop that day.
With or without a sudden sale, making people feel like they need to act quickly can make all the difference. Competent store managers will use holidays like Valentine’s Day, the Fourth of July, and Christmas to plan sales, promotions, and other deals. Shoppers will rush to your store if your digital ads say these sales are only available in-store.
Conclusion
There are many things you can do to make your store more profitable. One of the best things you can do is spend money on a bright, all-around internet marketing plan. Digital marketing can create a big difference in your store’s bottom line. It can help you set up an online marketing system and improve your brand’s digital message.
