Everyday, there are new small retail businesses opening nationwide, with the business owner hoping and dreaming that their business will be a success. Many of these new businesses close in the first few months due to non activity, slow sales or no customers at all. The competition is fierce with all of the major retailers consuming all of the customers.
Retail Advertising is key to at least letting the world know that you are here, open for business and ready to serve. but most advertising is expensive and the small retail store normally doesn't have funds available for mass retail advertising. There are many inexpensive and even free means of promoting your business. The key is consistency in your endeavors.
Press releases on the internet are free. There are many of these sites and for a few minutes of your time, you can write a press release describing your business and the products you have to offer. Once these are written, it will appear in most top name search engines.
Websites, describing your business and products or even selling your products, are low priced and easy for anyone to create without much help. Once your website is created, you can get it posted through many search engines, by adding your site for free.
Signage is important. One sign for about $60.00 at the corner of yout street or location, will help people passing by, to see that you are there. Once in your store, in-store signs are critical to suggest what certain items can be used for. For instance, for holidays or occasions, small signs stating "Great for Graduates" or "Super Gift for a Super Dad" or "Best Selection for the Birthday Girl/Boy". we all need "suggestions" to trigger our thoughts.
You also can try working with other retailers close to you in advertising together. Maybe a flyer listing all stores and what they offer would help all of the stores in your area. If each store dropped one of these flyers in the package when a customer purchases something, it would give everyone exposure to that customer.
Newspaper ads are expensive and I am not really sure how many people notive those ads. Joining with other retailers in your area and combining forces for one large ad could be helpful.
Newsletters on a monthly basis, spotlighting a different business each month, could also be a joint effort with you and your neighbors. Joning together in a mass mail out could prove effective when done every month. Remember, consistency is is critical.
Annual or semi annual sales as a group could prove to be helpful. You would need a catchy name that people would remember and watch for. We are all used to things like "Back to School Sale" or "Mother's Day Sale". But non holiday-occasion sales need a special name. a department store in Dallas used to have the "Red-Apple Sale" and we here in Dallas knew what that meant.
Finally, if you have downtime in your store, you could call local customers, inviting them to your shop for a "selected" percentage off or gift certificate as an enticement to come and see what you have. You can call several people at one time and put a time limit when they would have to come by and pick up their "gift". Getting the customer in your store is half the battle. Once they are there, make them feel at home so they will want to come back.
