Digital marketing is the biggest hit of this millennium in the world of marketing and brand promotions. Most people indeed believe that digital marketing is only for e-commerce stores or online sellers, but in reality, it can significantly boost retail businesses also as it can reach out to a large customer base in a very short time. It’s high time owners of retail shops pay some attention to the huge potential of digital marketing for the overall growth in sales and revenue. In this article, we will discuss the top 10 hacks in the digital way of marketing to skyrocket the sales of your retail shops. So, let’s get started.
Also Read: Most Popular Digital Payment Methods That All Retail Shops Should Implement
Why do people still prefer retail shops?
With a majority of people owning a smartphone and an active internet connection, the easiest way to shop is through online portals and apps. Still, most of people worldwide prefer retail shops more compared to online stores. Shocked, well let me explain.
Every customer wants a physical touch of the product; they want to feel it, smell it, and test it with their own hands. Advents of technology have blessed us with online shopping saving us truckloads of time and energy, but whenever we get the opportunity, we go for retail shopping. It’s a great sense of satisfaction to buy something physically and that’s why retail businesses still thrive amidst the cacophony of online shopping.
Also Read: Tips for better offers to give to customers for retail shops
The biggest hacks to reach out to a large customer base through digital marketing
- Be visible: Your store needs to be visible on social media and especially Google. If you have not, go and create a Google business listing today. It will help your GPS-led customers to discover your business in a flash.
- Own a website: Maintain a website for your retail shop. It may be a simple two-pager website or a single page website, but every business should have a website of its own. Do not forget to include a testimonial corner on the site. If you want to increase your customer base, then this is a must-have requirement.
- Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter: A Facebook page, an Instagram account, and a Twitter account is a must for all kinds of retail shops. Put up all the fresh offers, discount coupons and holiday sales in these social media pages. You should offer special discounts for customers coming through these pages. In this age of cutting edge competition, this step is a must to reach out to maximum people.
- Sell online, deliver offline: Give customers the option to buy their favourite items online from your website, but ask them to collect the items from the physical stores. This option will save them time while ordering but at the same time, they will be able to feel those while picking up from your store physically.
- Flaunt your social handles: Put up stickers throughout your retail shops with details of all your social handles. Moreover, all the packaging of your items should have these stickers so that your customers know you are social!
- Business listing in e-commerce sites: Any kind of retail shops should be listed in various e-commerce sites such as Amazon. It will ensure a regular stream of customers to the business.
- Display advertisement: Retail shops, from time to time, should be featured as display advertisements in local or community websites. The cost of the ad will be lower in such local sites, but you will be able to reach out to a large customer base by this method.
- Email marketing: Email marketing is still relevant. All kinds of retail shops should maintain an open-ended email list of its customer base. Then you can buy email databases from legal sources. Both these email lists should be targeted with regular updates and special concessions.
- Continuous customer interaction: One of the best things about digital marketing is the power to engage people. Owners of retail shops should not shy away from answering customer reviews and questions in Google business listing, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and the likes. Try to be responsive as much as possible. The more you engage more customers will retain your shop’s name in the subconscious mind.
- Contests, events and employee engagement: At last but not least, retail shops should organize online contests as well as offline events. This will generate new customers for the business. Moreover, you should use the people networks of your employees too for another stream of revenue.
Also Read: Best Mobile Apps To Manage Trade And Payments For Restaurants
Business is all about revenue and growth. And expansion should always be in the minds of a business owner. You can’t simply own a shop and be happy with that. Rather you should aim for the expansion of this single shop to a chain of retail shops. Digital marketing can play a major role to make this happen. Moreover, organizations such as Indifi help your business grow. The highly popular and effective platform can help you secure urgent loans, funds, and investments for your business.
