Best Tips for Brick and Mortar Business

I would also write a similar thread but not word for word and post it in the Offline sub forum where you will get some great ideas from

Jason

You might also get some good answers in the ecommerce sub forum. But one thing I would do is have a website where I sell all my products online as well as in my brick and mortar. I would not have my brick and mortar competing with the internet have your internet store compete with the internet and your brick and mortar compete with the other brick and mortars in your area.

Take a look at something like 3dcart for your online solution. There are many ecommerce solutions but that is the one I use and have for years

al

It depends on your business, NOT all off line biz need a website presence.

Today, one of the best and fastest things to attract new customers, is PARTICIPATE in Pokemon GO, and entice people to your location, and give a discount, or something away.

The first thing you need is an independent appraisal of your current marketing. My experience in dealing with gazillions of store owners goes something like this:

ME: How is that ad you are running in the coupon clipper doing?

THEM: I don't know.

Many of your surrounding mom and pop businesses are CLUELESS.
Some, like franchises, have certain things they must do. Or limitations.

It really depends on what sort of retail you have, then, perhaps we can give more specific advice.

GordonJ

A lot really depends upon your niche. What kind of store is it? Without knowing that, I'd say have a facebook page, make some nice helpful posts about your business. Then test a few local targeted facebook ads.

I'd also check to see how you rank in google local. (google my biz) If you don't show up, then work on optimizing for local. Lots of guys here can help you do it. There is plenty of info and wsos on this topic too.

Also, pm me if you want to chat. I do web design and digital marketing for small biz clients.

Good luck,

Jeff

Agreed with the above. Without knowing the niche and target audience, it's really impossible to say what the best of anything is for you.

An electronic repair store, a fashion boutique, rent to own shop and hardware store will all have drastically different answers when it comes to how and where to market them.

We are in the games, comics and popculture niche. Essentially a family owned game & comic store. We do have a Facebook page already and a website, but no email marketing yet. I can pm our urls to any of you guys if that would help. I'm not sure if posting them in the thread is a good idea.

Target audience is 18-28 males and then 30 something's that like to do social game nights with friends.

If I were you, I would look at your profit margins and see how you can compete with other businesses online. Since it's not a unique product/brand, the most obvious way to compete is on price. Can you do that? Knowing your costs and profit margins compared to what's selling online will help you identify whether or not, and roughly how much, you can spend for PPC.

As far as loyalty programs, start with a giveaway. When people come to your store, have a way to capture their email and provide them with something they want in exchange for their email. This can be anything from a newsletter to an eBook to a coupon, but the higher your perceived value, the better chances of opt-ins. Then follow that up with an email series that genuinely helps your customers or that they'll find useful. Depending on your platform, you can offer a rewards program. Where, customers get a discount and/or points they can redeem for products.

Not sure if they exist or not, but have you looked into a "comics of the month" membership program?

I just read this earlier today & I'm sure you will find some good nuggets of helpful info. It's mostly geared at local SEO.

A 30-Day Master Plan for Marketing Your Brick-and-Mortar Business - https://www.quicksprout.com/2016/07/...rtar-business/

Rather than consider the 'internet' as a competitor think of it as a resource where you can leverage the opportunities for promoting your store - Certainly have the option to purchase online also, an eCommerce dimension to your business. One very effective way of advertising your shop to your local community is to have a short Video where all of your details and location & what you sell is presented, a video commercial but the big plus for this is placing it on your YouTube channel and optimizing this to appear to only people in your town who are already looking at related topics to what you sell. This approach can provide a lot more advertising bang-for-your-buck than T.V, because it is specifically targeting your customers. I produce these commercials for my clients, and they love them - because they work.
Don't be afraid to reach out to your local community on Facebook, with those 'Buy,Rent & Sell' groups that are being used by most communities these days - post specials occasionally on there and this builds local awareness - your town is bound to have one .
The old fashioned leaflet drop is still a very effective local marketing tool, hire some local high school or college kids to make a few bucks by delivering them to specific areas (letterbox) You can produce these very cheaply on your own inkjet-style printer, a couple of thousand is easy to get done! There are literally dozens of things you can do, but I don't want to post an enormous comment. Best of luck with your business.

A lot of times, having an offline presence will quickly enhance your online presence.

One way to do that is by having your website url printed on your sign post, business card, flyers and banners.

It also pays to integrate some form of services that will necessitate them using the site for orders or activating gift cards or such.

You just got to be creative..

Once the site is launched, I suggest you make a monthly budget for 12 months that you will use in advertising your brand on social media, local pages, classified, adword and YouTube..

Don't forget to also have a blog that you post updates and also a social media fan page where you post great offers and coupons..