Who doesn’t want a sales boost? If you are running or own a retail business, there’s no doubt that you could use a revenue pick-me-up after the events of 2021.
How To Jumpstart Your Retail Store in 2021
It might seem like there are a lot of obstacles and a disconcerting amount of competition, but you can still give yourself a shot in the arm. In fact, with more people being willing to head back to brick-and-mortar stores as restrictions get lifted, there has never been a better time to take advantage. Here are some things you can do to jumpstart your retail store in 2021.
Get Your Staff Engaged
2020 was tough for everyone. A lot of people lost jobs, for example. Many of the places people turn to for amusement were not open for business.
It was harder to go out and get what you needed. However, things are opening back up, and people are eager to get back to work.
As you ramp up to increase your sales, make sure that you get your staff involved. Communicate regularly with them about the goals for the business and how you want to go about achieving them.
Ask them for suggestions for running the business better. A staff that feels appreciated and valued will work harder and want to help you reach your goals.
Get Out in the Community
Putting your brand out there is a great way to get a bump in your sales. Attend markets and special events. Sponsor fun runs and other charity events. Make sure that you have products with you and your branding is very visible. Buy some custom portable sign holders to have great-looking signage at your booth that will provide a flashy and professional look to draw in customers.
You can also try a pop-up shop. Find a place outside where there’s space and the potential for a lot of foot traffic and cars driving by.
Offer up some sales and specials, and see how many people you can get to stop by.
It’s one thing to have a physical location for shoppers to visit, but why not go to where potential customers might be?
If you can make it look like you have a crowd by your temporary shop, that will draw in even more customers and get people talking.
Make Use of CRM Software
Customer relationship management (CRM) has never been more important. Brick and mortar stores are struggling against the very real threat of online shopping. Retailers need to be able to use everything at their disposal to bring in more customers.
Making use of a quality CRM tool can help you do that. You can track what is trendy, personalize your marketing for each customer, and track what you’ve tried and what has or hasn’t worked with them.
Your CRM technology should allow you to enter in contact notes, track spending habits, and get a solid picture of who each of your customers is in relation to your brand.
Sometimes it’s better to work on keeping the customers you have rather than spending the time and effort to acquire new ones. Using a CRM tool effectively will help you do that.
Start a Referral Program
It’s never a bad idea to get some of your customers working for you. Instead of trying to create marketing materials to bring in new customers, you can ask your current customers to refer their friends and family to you.
Offer discounts, free products, and other incentives. You can also offer incentives to the new customers to get them to take the plunge.
By starting a referral program, you will also help make your current customers feel like they are a part of the team, and they will better connect with your brand.
This will turn them into more loyal and repeat customers.
Start a Competition
There’s nothing wrong with healthy competition. When it’s done right, it can bring in dollars for your business. Get your staff involved in competing for certain benchmarks. They could either compete against each other, with the top earner getting a prize or a benefit.
However, sometimes this will disincentivize those who get off to a slow start and feel like they can’t catch up, so it’s not worth trying.
It may be better to pit your entire team against the calendar to reach certain targets by a certain date. If they succeed, they can get some sort of prize as an entire team. Make sure that the prize is actually valuable and will be enjoyed by all.
It’s hard out there for brick and mortar retail businesses. You should do whatever you can to get a boost in your sales numbers. If you are looking for that shot in the arm, then try out these tips and tricks. They could be just what you need to jumpstart your retail store in 2021.
