Through this article, you will find seven ideas on how to attract customers to your own store. We will explore innovative and effective ideas to enhance the customer experience and increase foot traffic in the physical store. You will learn how to invest in store design, create communal spaces, offer gift personalization services, provide a sensory experience, enhance personal interaction, and turn stores into multi-use retail spaces. We will also provide five additional tips to increase traffic in your store. Get ready to transform your store into a customer favorite destination!
1. Invest in Store Design
A beautiful design attracts people to spaces, which is why retail store owners invest carefully and uniquely in their store design. From hiring interior decorators to incorporating engaging visual merchandising, there are many ways to enhance the customer experience in the physical store.
When retailers ensure a strong brand image paired with flawless design, they achieve success. Effective store design can lead to a sales increase of up to 40%. This includes store lighting (which affects more than just the atmosphere in the store). Lighting shapes how customers feel – consciously and unconsciously – and influences the overall customer experience. According to one study, a clothing retailer in Germany saw an approximate 12% increase in sales compared to a nearby store after installing a new lighting system.
Store lighting can help create an atmosphere and guide customers through the store. That’s exactly what July, a luggage and travel accessories brand, achieved by using carefully considered store lighting.
2. Create Community Centers
If there is one thing the pandemic has taught us, it is that humans are social creatures. We love social interaction, meeting new people, and gathering with friends and family. In other words, we need to feel a sense of belonging – to a group, to a place, to a community. A study from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology indicates that interactions with others activate the same area of our brains that activates when we eat.
As we move towards seeking to be part of something, businesses that can build community around their brand can expect increased foot traffic in the store. The “store as community center” model allows retailers to engage with their customers regularly to raise awareness, gather feedback, share experiences, host events, and launch new products.
3. Offer Gift Personalization and Personal Embodiment Services
According to a New York Post report, 62% of Americans prefer gifts that come from the heart and appear more personal. In-store gift personalization services can be enticing to customers looking to purchase something special for their loved ones.
Sequoia Soaps is a local brand in Quebec that effectively offers this type of service. In addition to providing handmade soaps and skincare products, they also offer gift personalization services to attract more visitors to the store. Customers in-store can create their own gift baskets, mixing and matching products to create the perfect personal gift.
4. Make Stores a Sensory Experience
If the physical store experience doesn’t activate all five senses – you might be missing out on a lot. Creating a multi-sensory atmosphere elevates the buyer’s journey, ultimately leading to increased sales.
A behavioral study from Mood Media showed that when sensory marketing is applied, sales increased by 10%. Another study found that shoppers spent nearly six additional minutes in the store when their senses were activated.
An example of this is Chicago French Press, where customers can purchase ready-to-drink roasted coffee. The café’s founder, Chris Christian, states that to create stores that leverage all five customer senses, retailers should ask themselves some questions: How will the customer be received? Does the store feel open and inviting? Does the store’s music create a positive atmosphere? Is there a specific scent that attracts the target customer? If you are not already in the food and beverage industry, is there a special treat that customers can taste while shopping? (Perhaps a particular candy or brand of cake?) What incentives can you create for new customers to return when they leave? (Think about free samples, discounts, rewards programs, etc.).
5.
Benefits of Personal Interactions
While many things have changed in the retail world, one thing remains constant: customer experience can make or break your business.
Data indicates that 93% of customers are more likely to make repeat purchases from brands that offer excellent customer service. But brick-and-mortar retailers have a significant advantage in customer service: the opportunity to provide one-on-one personalized interactions.
Customers want undivided attention and personalized advice while shopping. The result is often immediate purchases. According to a survey of shoppers, 49% of them made a spontaneous purchase after receiving a more personalized experience.
An example of this can be seen with Giselle Wasfi, founder of REMIX Lifestyle, who created the high-end acupuncture concept.
6. Making Stores Multi-Use Retail Spaces
A blend of shopping experiences and cafe experiences opens doors to a new audience that typically wouldn’t enter your store. Repurposing part of your store to introduce a cafe or even a restaurant can create opportunities for community building.
One brand that blends shopping and dining is United By Blue. This sustainable clothing and accessories brand offers a menu featuring fresh, local, and organic meal options. This way, they add a layer of convenience to the experience and give people another reason to enter the store. This approach helps United By Blue strengthen its ties with its community as well.
5 Additional Ideas to Increase Traffic to Your Store
Here are five additional ideas to help you increase traffic to your store:
- Help customers discover your store using local discovery features
- Make your store pet-friendly
- Create a space for customers to relax
- Make your store Instagram-friendly
- Collaborate with other retailers
Use these ideas to increase traffic to your store and turn it into a customer favorite destination.
Source: https://www.shopify.com/retail/ideas-to-bring-customers-in-store
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