Alex Milstein is a columnist for Casual News Now. He…
Let’s face it, big retailers are getting bigger — whether they’re big-box stores, large independent retailers or national chains. And more stores than ever are carrying outdoor.
So do smaller retailers still have a shot on the playing field?
The answer is an overwhelming yes, and there are a few ways they can compete.
First, don’t just get online, but optimize your website for local search. You want to show up in the local searches in your area, not national searches from people around the country.
Though it wouldn’t be smart to turn away that business, you’ll have a better shot of landing sales if you bring in people from your local area.
You can start by getting your Google Business Profile and filling out every section. How you rank will depend on factors like the strength of your website, social media channels and customer reviews.
If your business has been around for a few years, you might already have one and simply need to claim it, verify it and ensure the information being shared is accurate. The verification process can take up to a week and you may be asked to authenticate your information in a variety of ways.
Make sure you’re also using social media in addition to web and print ads to get the word out about your store. Creative posts that explain what makes your store different are going to get the most attention.
Why should they come to you over big-box or large furniture stores and how will the experience be better? Those are questions you should be asking yourself.
As a smaller store, you can also take advantage of different things bigger stores can’t do, like personalized customer service. Stay in touch with your customers and keep them updated on deals, promotions or in-store events.
There are also things you can do in-store with your staff to ensure the experience stands out. Sales associates should want to help others and create relationships with customers. The retail industry is geared toward making people’s lives better, so they need to have a desire to sell customers products that will improve their lives.
Empathy is one skill that many people forget. An employee that’s empathetic can put themselves in a customer’s shoes and truly understand what they want.
At the end of the day, we’re all people, so we need to interact like people. Sales are great short-term, but forming long-lasting relationships is what ultimately leads to success. If you can teach that to your salespeople, they are likely to make more sales.
Don’t forget about giving back to your community — whether that’s through charitable events held at the store or sponsorships of local events. Meet members of your community, educate them about your business and find out what’s important to them.
Be sure to get your employees involved, add fun content in your marketing material and level with customers as people. Not only will this build interest in your brand, but it will build loyalty and repeat customers.
Alex Milstein is a columnist for Casual News Now. He previously served as senior editor of both Casual Living and Designers Today. Prior to that, Alex covered technology for Furniture Today, with a focus on augmented reality, e-commerce, and 3D visualization.
