Standout Holiday Shopping for Brick and Mortar Stores
Make Holiday Shopping an Event in Your Store
As retailers ramp up for the retail holiday season, it can be difficult for brick and mortar retailers to get excited. We understand. Online shopping has dominated the holidays and it seems all but impossible to create the buzz that eCommerce generates, but don’t get worried. Your online marketing channels are the perfect places to begin building the excitement and it challenges online retailers in their own arena. We’re here to tell you that the pendulum is swinging away from online purchases and coming back into your store.
Start the Experience Online
The main advantage you have over online stores is the ability to create an experience, not just allow a purchase. This is precisely why the pendulum is swinging back towards you, giving you the upper hand. The holidays are the perfect time for experiences over purchases. Customers want to touch the gift options they have. They want to talk to employees who are familiar with unique offerings. They want real-world insight about new products that are not available through online reviews.
- Take pictures of your new and popular products and share them. Don’t forget to tell people why you’re excited about having the item in-store--chances are those are the same reasons your customers will want to come in. Let them try the product, touch it, feel it, and complete the customer experience.
- Create a pop-up shop. Larger retailers do this, dropping items or literally popping up a shop somewhere unexpected. As a small business, you want your customers to be able to find you so take the lead from the big boys and pop up a shop in your shop. Build a special area devoted to a product and its promotions. Create some mystery around it by dropping event hints in the lead-up to the event. A successful pop-up shop might take some time to perfect so don’t stop at just 1 or 2!
- Create online event announcements. Facebook makes this very easy with their events tab. Once you hit Create Event, the platform walks you through the process and you’re ready to go! Copy the link and share it on Twitter, post it in your blog, and put it in your newsletters.
Online Excitement Leads to Brick and Mortar Success
Once your customers are engaged and have been visiting, keep them coming back. Remember, social media is not a one-and-done strategy. Instead, it is ongoing and the more you put into it, the more you will get out of it.
The customers you gain online will be the gift that keeps giving to your business in the new year--if you set your strategies accordingly. Announce events, give customers a great experience, and keep them talking about you long after they leave.
Sellr makes marketing simple--holiday marketing included. Why Sellr? Click here to learn more.
Renee Clare-Kovacs is the Content Marketing Strategist at Sellr. She is passionate about creating digital marketing strategies that help business owners develop successful relationships with customers and vendors.
