/U/Marketing

Why? Because competition in the retail industry is fiercer than ever. Between ecommerce sites and subscription services, consumers have plenty of choices when it comes to where they spend their time and money.

To stay competitive, you need to give them compelling reasons to come down to your store and shop.

Looking for ways to do just that? Below are 7 tips and examples to get you started.

1. Have each associate go from being a “salesperson” to being a consultant, expert, or even friend

This TIME article said it best: the retail worker of the future is “cool, charismatic, and better paid.”

It’s good to have the in-store technology and other bells and whistles, but don’t lose sight of the fact that your front-line employees are the biggest and most important creators of the in-store experience.

Any retailer that wants to stay competitive needs to step up their game when it comes to staff hiring and development. It’s no longer enough to train employees on your products and store policies — these things are just the bare minimum.

You also need to train them to relate better to shoppers. Your associates should have the ability to connect with customers in a memorable way. This often means shifting from being a “salesperson” to being an expert, consultant, or even friend.

Need an example? Freelance writer and content strategist Alexandra Sheehan recalls an interaction she saw between one of her friends and the associates from a tuxedo shop. Here’s how it went down:

“One of my friends was getting married in a couple of months and stopped by the store where he and his groomsmen were getting their tuxedos,” she wrote. “He was greeted by name and with a cold beer. Handshakes and hugs all around.”

“When we left, I turned to my friend and asked, ‘Do you know them?’ He said, ‘Yeah, they’re helping me with my tux.’”

“Their entire relationship was forged on a transaction, a customer-brand interaction. But it was authentic. I’m not in the market for a tux, but if I were, I’m sure that’d be my first stop.”

Consider the above example when you’re hiring or training your associates. Ask yourself, how can you and your staff uplevel your relationships with your customers? If your customers still see you and your employees as “salespeople,” what can you do to change their perception?

Find the answers to these questions and use them to reinvigorate your staffing and customer service strategies.

2. Let guests have some hands-on fun

Are you allowing your customers to experience your products or are those items just sitting inside boxes on a shelf? If it’s the latter, then it’s high time to mix things up. Figure out how you can present your merchandise in unique and experiential ways.

The Game Chest at the Del Amo Fashion Center is doing a great job at this. Founded by three local moms, The Game Chest combines board games with toys and allows guests to have hands-on fun with their products.

A lot of their toys are openly displayed so children can literally play with large train sets and blocks in-store. The folks at the store also offer toy demos so customers can try them before buying. Prefer to rent toys? The Game Chest has a rental service, too.

And for board or card game enthusiasts, they have a special area in the store with tables and chairs where people can play. Events such as classes and tournaments also take place in the store.

Another retailer that’s encouraging hands-on fun is kids’ apparel store, Gymboree. The branch at the Del Amo Fashion Center has an area where kids can color and draw. This helps the children stay occupied while parents shop.

Now it’s your turn. Can you ideate and test ways to promote hands-on fun in your store? Perhaps you can allow customers to play with your products. Or maybe you can promote activities that keep the little ones busy. Find what works and see how shoppers react. 

3. Make sure your physical and digital stores work together

If you have an online store (and you totally should), see to it that your ecommerce site works hand in hand with your physical location(s). Remember, modern consumers are using multiple channels and devices in their shopping journeys. Aside from shopping in-store, they’re using their phones, computers, and tablets to research and buy products.

For this reason, it’s important to not just have a presence on different channels, but you need to enable customers to shop across physical and digital channels seamlessly. In other words, you need to be an omnichannel retailer. Here’s how:

Implement click-and-collect

Click-and-collect, a service that lets shopper buy online and pick-up in-store, isn’t just convenient for customers, it also drives traffic and sales in your physical stores. This past holiday season is a testament to that, with nearly a third of shoppers opting for in-store pickup. Not only that but according to the ICSC, 69 percent of shoppers who went in-store to pick up their orders ended up buying additional items.

So how exactly can you implement click-and-collect? The first step is to have a centralized retail solution that lets you manage orders, sales, and customers from one system. Or, if you have separate systems for your physical and digital stores, then you need to find a way to integrate the two programs.

Whatever the case, talk to you solutions provider and ask them about their omnichannel retail offerings.

Bring your website in-store

Consider enhancing the brick-and-mortar experience by allowing shoppers to browse your online shop in your physical location. This can be a great offering, especially if you have multiple stores or warehouses and don’t carry all your stock in one place.

Enabling people to browse your ecommerce site in-store lets them see products or variants that you may not have on-site. If they see something they like, you can just have your associates place an order for them and ship it to their home.

Have a look at what Nike is doing. In some of its stores, the sportswear retailer has large touch-screens so customers can browse Nike.com and order products on the spot.

4. Redefine the checkout experience

Long lines at checkout are big a turn-off and can result in customers abandoning their purchases. Research has found that “Americans will abandon a checkout line and leave a store without making a purchase after eight minutes of waiting in a checkout line. British shoppers won’t even wait around that long. They’ll walk out after just six minutes.”

Don’t let long lines affect your bottom line. If you’re dealing with lengthy queues at checkout, take immediate steps to speed things up. Below are a few suggestions:

Always be ready with additional registers 

Are long lines slowing you down? Open new registers and make sure you always have enough cashiers on staff to serve shoppers.

To make things even easier, consider using an iPad as your POS. That’s how The Borough Kitchen (a homeware retailer) combats long lines in-store. “At peak times…we can add a new till instantly by switching on another iPad. That just wouldn’t work with a traditional till system,” says founders David Caldana & Justin Kowbel.

Another benefit of using an iPad is that it lets you untether the checkout process. Rather than being stuck behind the cash wrap, you can quickly take the checkout process to the customer and ring up sales from anywhere in the store.

Consider in-app checkout

Looking for a more innovative and tech-forward way to combat long checkout lines? Have a look at what Sam’s Club is doing.

The warehouse store has a mobile app called Scan and Go which lets customers scan and pay for their purchases within the app itself. All they need to do is use their phone’s camera to scan product barcodes, pay for their purchases using the Scan and Go app, and show their e-receipt to a Sam’s Club associate on their way out.

No doubt this the app makes shopping easy and convenient, and it hints at what the future of in-store checkout might look like. Granted, this solution isn’t right for every retailer (especially if you don’t have a mobile app or an active user base) but it’s worth keeping on your radar.

5. Provide “retailtainment.”

As we mentioned in our 2017 Retail Trends and Predictions report, we’re expecting “retailtainment” to pervade the industry. Retailtainment, as the name suggests, is the fusion of retail and entertainment — an effort on the part of retailers to provide customers with fun, unique experiences that elevate shopping above anything it’s previously been.

What kind of retailtainment should you offer? That depends on your store and customers. In some cases, bringing in celebrities or industry professionals could do the trick. 

Last year, for example, Walmart stores in Little Rock Arkansas brought in professional bullfighters to sign autographs in-store. The stunt not only attracted a ton of foot traffic, but it got Walmart plenty of coverage from the local press.

Retailtainment could also mean giving people something they don’t see every day. Consider what clothing store New York & Co. did. In 2015, the NY&C store in Cerritos, California used real people instead of mannequins in their window displays.

The attraction got passers-by to stop and actually check out the store, because, let’s face it, how often do you see real-life “mannequins”?

6. Promote a sense of community

If it makes sense for your business and customers, find ways to bring people together in your store. Invite customers and community members to events where they can learn new things, interact with like-minded individuals, or simply get a break from staring at their computer or phone all day.

A great example of a retailer that’s mastered community building is The Workroom, a craft store in Toronto. In addition to selling fabric and other supplies, The Workroom also holds sewing classes and workshops. These events instill a sense of community in people and they’re one of the reasons why shoppers keep coming back. 

“One of the biggest things for me was the community aspect,” says owner Karyn Valino. “[I wanted to have] a place where people who are crafty can meet other people and be surrounded by stuff that inspires them.”

Do note that building a community isn’t just about holding events. Community building requires cultivating real relationships with customers and communicating with them on a regular basis.

At The Workroom, Karyn says they gather information from customers who purchase their products and attend their events. They also send newsletters regularly to keep people in the loop and to gather feedback.

According to Karyn, doing these things helped her get to know customers better. “It really helps to have such a close relationship with my customers. I know exactly what they like, and because of that, I’m able to make more educated decisions regarding purchasing, planning classes, and testing new ideas.

7. Create immersive experiences

Want your store to attract shoppers and make a long-lasting impression? Create a store environment that envelops customers and grabs their full attention.

Some retailers are doing this through technology. Shoe retailer TOMS, for instance, deployed virtual reality (VR) headsets in 100 of its stores to enable shoppers to experience the brand in an entirely unique way.

TOMS’ in-store VR program allowed customers to take a virtual trip to Peru where they would get to see the company’s One for One giving campaign in action. In doing so, TOMS wasn’t just able to drive awareness towards its charitable efforts, but it also gave people a brand experience they won’t soon forget.

Another retailer doing a great job with immersive experiences is IKEA. Last year, the homeware retailer opened The Dining Club, a temporary pop-up store in which guests were given a chance to run their own restaurant.

According to Ikea,”diners will orchestrate an intimate foodie experience in a homely kitchen environment to mimic an actual dinner party, but one where diners can host many more guests than usual.”

Guests are taken into The Dining Club where they cooked meals and entertained friends. It was a whole new experience that allowed them to enjoy good food and company (while being surrounded by IKEA products at the same time).

Commit to reinventing the in-store experience

What’s the best way to take your store’s experience to the next level? The short answer is it depends.

Do your research. Ask yourself — or even better, ask your customers — what would make shoppers come into your stores? Do you need to offer omnichannel services? Should you work on community building? The only way to find out is to get to know your customers and try new things.

Will it be easy? Not likely. But doing so is critical if you want to thrive in the months and years to come.

This is a post by Alexandra Sheehan

With more than 800 million active monthly users, Instagram is a social media channel of massive proportions. And, when used strategically, it can reap major benefits for your retail store.

But knowing what to post on Instagram — and how to do it — might leave you wondering where to start. That’s we’ve created this guide for retailers, detailing how to post on Instagram (including Stories, ads, IGTV and more) and tips for making the most of the photo-sharing social media tool.

How to post a standard Instagram post

Your standard Instagram post with an image looks something like this:

Here’s how to do it:

How to post a standard photo on Instagram

1. First, you’ll want to open your Instagram app and tap on the + at the bottom of your screen. You’ll then be taken to a screen that looks like this:

Notice how the shoe is cut off? If you have a photo that isn’t square and would look better full width, you can tap on the expansion button on the lower left part of the photo, to expand the frame so your photo is full width, like this:

If you want, you can also post a gallery on Instagram, which features more than one photo. To add multiple photos, tap on the multiple images icon. You’ll then be able to select the photos that you want to include in the gallery. This is helpful if you have a new product line and want to showcase the color variants, or want to promote your latest product bundle on Instagram. 

2. Tap Next (upper right corner) to add filters to your photo.

You can also adjust edit your images within the app.

3. Once you’re happy with your image, tap Next again. Here, you can add a caption, location and tags, as well as automatically share to your connected Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr accounts.

4. When you’re all finished, tap Share (upper right corner) to post the photo(s) to your store’s Instagram feed.

How to take a photo or video within Instagram

You can also take photos or videos within the app, instead of using images that you already have on your phone. This is helpful in cases such as in-store events where you’re posting out-of-pocket. Otherwise, you’ll want to have high-quality images that you’ve shot outside of the app whenever possible.

1. If you are taking a photo within Instagram, open the app and tap on PHOTO in the middle at the bottom of your screen. You should see a camera view (remember to allow Instagram permissions to access your device’s camera).

2. Hit the big circle in the middle of the screen to snap your snot, and follow the same steps as you would with the previous example, in terms of editing, tagging and posting.

If it’s a video you’re after, tap on VIDEO, to the right of PHOTO.

You’ll have to press and hold the middle button to record your video, and you can stop mid-video and then pick up at a new point without losing the footage you’ve already shot.

3. After you’ve recorded your video, you can choose filters like you would with still images.

4. Then you can tap on COVER to choose the cover image that users will see in their feed before the video begins to play. You want to choose a compelling, eye-catching frame that piques interest.

5. When you’re finished, follow the steps as you would with the standard Instagram post (tagging, adding location, writing a caption, etc.)

Here’s an example of an Instagram video posted by Tracy’s Place, a retail store in Westminster, Colorado:

Tips for posting standard Instagram photos and videos

• In-store events, such as the example above, make for great Instagram videos. You can do these live (more on that in a bit), or record videos and edit them together for a post-event Instagram post.
• United By Blue has multiple retail locations in New York City and Philadelphia, so they use the store-specific accounts to post regional content.
• Lifestyle images, rather than generic white-background product photos, are more visually appealing on and suited for Instagram.
• That being said, if you have striking or unique product photography, you can repurpose those images to use on Instagram as well.
• Let customers know what’s new at the store.Rare Finds sells one-of-a-kind antique furniture in Denver, Colorado, so they frequently use Instagram photos to announce new arrivals, like in this gallery:
• Use the tagging functionality to tag Influencers, brands or other accounts mentioned or featured in your post. Red Bank, New Jersey’s Jay and Silent Bob’s Secret Stash tagged the well-known individuals and Jay and Silent Bob Instagram account in this photo:

How to post a Boomerang on Instagram

A Boomerang is a small video clip that loops. First it goes in the order it was recorded, and it then plays in reverse, sort of like if you were to rewind the video. This video loops infinitely, creating a visual that appears similar to an animated GIF.

To post a Boomerang on Instagram, you first need to download a separate app (available for Android and iOS).

1. When you’re in Instagram, about to post a new image, tap on the Boomerang  icon. This will open the Boomerang interface, which you can use to record your video.

2. To record your Boomerang, tap and hold the white circle in the middle. When you let go of the screen with your finger, the Boomerang will stop recording. You can trim the video and fix stability before tapping NEXT.

3. After recording your Boomerang, you have the option to crop the frame as needed. Once it’s at the desired length, tap on the arrow in the upper right corner.

4. Now, you can add filters, trim the overall video, and add a cover image — just as you would with any other standard Instagram photo or video.

5. When your edits are complete, tap Next to add the location, caption, tags and other settings before posting.

Tips for posting Boomerangs on Instagram

• Make something that maybe isn’t visually appealing a little more exciting. Mystique Lingerie, based in Fort Collins, Colorado, posted this Boomerang from a booth at an event they were at. The photo wasn’t very well-lit, but the movement made the post more fun and eye-catching:
• Likewise, you can mask smartphone photography with a Boomerang, especially if the device doesn’t have a great camera.
• Helping Hands in Boulder, Colorado used a Boomerang to give an animated twist to their promotion announcement:
• New York City’s Strand Book Store posted a Boomerang to have a little fun with one of the books they sell:

How to post Instagram Stories

Instagram Stories are self-destructing photo and video posts that function similarly to how Snapchat works. They are located at the top of one’s feed and are visible for 24 hours from the time they were posted.

Instagram Stories also helpful for gaining followers, as they appear at the top of the Explore section, so it’s a great way for users to discover your brand — especially if you’re lucky enough to get featured in a local Instagram Stories feed. Instagram Stories has around 300 million daily users.

1. To post on Instagram Stories, you’ll have to tap on your avatar in the upper left corner or simply swipe left.

2. Select the type of Story you want to post. (e.g. Photo, Video, Boomerang, Superzoom, etc.)

3. Then, you can either tap on the white circular button to take a photo, or tap and hold to record a video. Your post will then be in your followers’ Stories feeds.

4. Tap “Send to” at the bottom right, then hit “Share” on the next screen.

Tips for posting on Instagram Stories

• Go behind-the-scenes on your Story. Nordstrom Rack did that at one of their photoshoots:
• At United By Blue, the local store accounts use Instagram Stories to share upcoming in-store and local events that are relevant to their brand.
• User-generated content makes for great Instagram Stories content. Plus, it gives your customers a shout-out and others incentive to engage with your brand on Instagram: (Remember: Always ask permission before using customers’ content, otherwise you could land yourself in hot water.)
• Post interactive polls on Instagram Stories. Maybe you use it for market research and get feedback on new product ideas, or you use it as a fun way to create engagement with your brand.
• Unlike standard Instagram posts, you can add links to your Stories. Perhaps you link to directions to your store, or a landing page about the upcoming in-store event series you’re hosting. J.Crew uses links to promote its blog posts:
• Make your Story a host to Instagram takeovers from local influencers in your community.
• Use the location tag to promote your store destination.

How to post photos with tagged products on Instagram (aka shoppable posts)

Ask any social media marketing their biggest qualm about Instagram, and you’ll likely encounter a few answers revolving around the inability to link. When brands post standard Instagram pictures, videos or Boomerangs, there is no option to add a link to the content, either in the visual itself or in the caption. You can include the link in the caption, but it won’t be clickable.

But you can work around the inability to link is by making your Instagram shoppable. Here’s an example from GoPro to show what a shoppable Instagram post looks like:

Essentially, the shoppable Instagram works by allowing business pages to place virtual product tags on products so users can click directly through to the link.

Before you can post your own Instagram shot with tagged products, you’ll need to get approval for shopping on Instagram. Once that’s in place, and you’ve connected your product catalog to your account, you can tag products in your posts.

Follow the steps you would to post a standard Instagram photo and tag individuals. Using the search function when tagging, enter the name of the product you want to tag. You’ll be able to select the corresponding product, which will add a link to the page on your site and the pricing from that page.

Tips for posting tagged product photos on Instagram

• Announce a new product or product line with tagged photos on Instagram. Invest in high-quality product photography to show them off in their best light.
• Create a gallery that serves as a collection of products which create the whole solution. Maybe it’s an entire outfit with accessories, or all of the ingredients necessary to make a specific recipe.
• Show off your new product or window display, and tag the products that you’re showcasing in-store.

How to post an Instagram ad

There are two ways you can advertise on Instagram: promoting a post from within Instagram or running an independent ad through the Facebook Ads Manager.

• https://adespresso.com/blog/instagram-ads-cost/
• https://www.facebook.com/business/a/advertise-instagram

Promote a post

Tap on a standard Instagram post that you’ve already posted in the past and select Promote. Choose the business objective that you want to set for the ad; your options include Visit your website or Call or visit your business. For brick-and-mortar retailers, you may want to select the latter.

Then tap Select button text to choose from the list of call-to-action (CTA) text. You can choose from a variety of CTAs, like Learn More, Shop Now, Book Now or Contact Us. Then add the link or location (depending on the business objective you chose).

Now it’s time to choose your audience. You can customize this based on certain demographics and behaviors, or you can make use of Instagram’s suggested targeting. Tap Done.

Set the budget and length of campaign for your promoted Instagram post. Tap Next, review the details, and tap Promote to promote the Instagram post.

Run an ad

To run a full-on Instagram ad, you’ll have to go through the Facebook Ads Manager. From there, create a campaign objective. Instagram ads give you a few options:

• Brand awareness: reach people more likely to pay attention to your ads and increase awareness for your brand
• Reach: show your ad to the maximum number of people
• Traffic: for clicks to your website or to the app store for your app
• App installs: send people to the store where they can purchase your app
• Engagement: get more people to see and engage with your post or Page. Engagement can include comments, shares, likes, event responses and offer claims
• Video views: promote videos that show behind-the-scenes footage, product launches or customer stories to raise awareness about your brand
• Conversions: get people to take valuable actions on your website or app, such as adding payment info or making a purchase

Then choose your targeting (or ad set) and budget. You can use custom audiences, lookalike audiences, or insights from Facebook, Instagram, Google Analytics and your POS system to help you create audiences. You can set a daily budget or a set budget for the lifetime of the campaign.

From there, you’ll have the opportunity to choose which type of Instagram ad you want to run:

• Carousel: Multiple images, similar to a gallery. Here’s an example from Reynolds Kitchens:
  
• Image: This is similar to a standard photo post. 
• 
• Video: This is similar to a standard video post. Here’s an example from Brandless, where they show users how to make cold-pressed coffee:
• 
• Slideshow: This is when multiple images are put together into a video for a slideshow-like presentation.

Finally, choose your CTA text and enter the link you want the ad to drive users to.

Tips for posting an Instagram ad

• Showcase your customers in your ads. Instagram users are accustomed to seeing posts from their friends and family — in other words, people just like them. thredUP shares a customer testimonial, plus an image of the “real-world” person in their Instagram ad:
• 
• Use videos to show your product in use and prove the claims you make about it. Tesalate took this approach with their Instagram ad, which shows off how their sand-free towels work:
• 
• Think outside the box with creative design to promote the opening of your new store. Remember, ads are intrusive to users’ feeds. A minimal approach like the North Face example below shows a technique that they used on Facebook which could easily be repurposed on Instagram as well.
• 
• Check out your competitors and, more importantly, what users are commenting there. Some of the feedback on Harry’s and Dollar Shave Club’s ads are women who feel their needs are neglected. Enter Billie:
• 

How to post on IGTV

In June 2018, Instagram announced the launch of IGTV, an “app for watching long-form, vertical video from your favorite Instagram creators.” Essentially, IGTV allows users to post video content that lasts up to one hour — much longer than the standard Instagram video post.

1. Download the independent IGTV app. While you can watch IGTV posts in the native Instagram app, you need to download the independent IGTV app (or use the web app) to post your content. You’ll also need to shoot and edit your video outside of the app.

2. Open the app to create your channel.

3. To post your first IGTV video, tap Upload video and choose the file from your device’s gallery. Your videos must be vertical and between 15 seconds and 10 minutes long.

4. Choose your video and tap Next in the upper right corner. From there, you’ll be able to change the cover image, add a title and description, and choose whether or not to automatically share the content to your account’s linked Facebook page too.

5. When that’s all complete, hit Post to share it with the world.

Tips for posting on IGTV

The feature is still relatively new, so the advantages for brands remains to be seen, but there’s no doubt that IGTV brings a whole slew of untapped opportunities.

• Extend your in-store experience. lululemon broadcasts free yoga classes, something that they also offer in-store.
• 
• Remember how thredUP leverages real people for social proof of their brand? Warby Parker does the same on its IGTV channel with #WearingWarber, where influencers talk about their frame and story behind their glasses.
• 
• Show people what’s going on in your store via live broadcast. Nordstrom at The Grove in Los Angeles shared in-store event coverage on their IGTV:
• 

Your turn

How do you already use Instagram for your business? What works best? What plans do you have to try in the future? Let us know by sending a tweet or post on Facebook!

In 2017, shoppers spent $14.3 billion shopping for Father’s Day according to Statista, and we can expect a similar trend this year.

So, how can you get into the Father’s Day action?

Try the following 6 tips.

1. Start with the right displays

Like with any other holiday, you’ll want to set up a special Father’s Day display in your store so you can showcase your dad-centric merchandise. Depending on what you’re selling, they could include men’s apparel, electronics, and home improvement products, among other things.

To give you a better idea of what’s popular with consumers, here’s the 2017 list of Father’s Day gifts that consumers planned on spending money on, according to the NRF:

And if you’re looking for real-life inspiration, here’s an example of a great Father’s Day display from Paddington Station in Ashland, OR:

Don’t have a lot of merchandise for men? Consider selling gift cards or greeting cards instead.

Take a look at what the UPS Store on 38th & Peach is doing. Since they’re more of a printing and mailing shop, they don’t sell the typical dad-centric merchandise like menswear or electronics.

That didn’t stop them from getting in on the Father’s Day fun, though. To stay relevant, this UPS Store stocked up on a bunch of greeting cards you can give to dad.

2. Run a digital campaign specifically for Father’s Day

We can expect ecommerce to be a significant retail channel for consumers buying presents for dad. Last year, 33.7% of shoppers said they planned to purchase Father’s Day gifts online, and we can expect similar behavior this year.

What does this mean for you? Well, if you’re not ramping up your online strategy yet, it’s high time to do so.

Start with the low-hanging fruit and add a banner or section on your website specifically for Father’s Day. Also be sure to craft an email marketing campaign encouraging people to check out your store for some great gifts or gift ideas.

One retailer that’s executing this incredibly well is Untuckit. In mid-May, they sent out a Father’s Day-centric email featuring matching styles of men’s and boys’ shirts to promote a “like dad, like son” message.

Untuckit also has a special section on their website to showcase these styles. And to top it all off? They’re running a dad’s day promotion in which shoppers can buy a men’s shirt and get a boys’ shirt for 50% off.

3. Run conditional Father’s Day promotions

Speaking of promotions, if you’re looking to further entice people to buy their Father’s Day gifts from your store, consider applying promotions to specific products or categories. Like Untuckit, you could do something along the lines of buy a men’s shirt and get a discount on your other purchase.

Other examples include: buy and save off specific items (e.g., “Buy two men’s shirts and save 20%”) or buy a certain number of items, then pay a fixed price (e.g., 5 men’s ties for $80”).

MyDIY.ie implements this for slow-moving products, but you can apply the same concept for items that you want to sell around Father’s Day. You can, for instance, offer double or triple loyalty points for categories like menswear, electronics, or sports.

4. Have a sense of humor

If there’s one time of the year when dad jokes will be (fairly) well-received, that would be Father’s Day.

So, consider injecting some dad humor in campaigns. Whether it’s adding a joke in your next email or posting a funny dad quip on Instagram, grab the opportunity to crack some dad jokes — they’re very timely and you might even get some laughs out of it!

And of course, if you have some humorous products for men, now is the best time to promote them. The clothing brand Look Human, for example, is promoting more of their funny Father’s Day products on their site as well as on social media:

Meanwhile, Zazzle created a section on their site specifically for funny Father’s Day presents.

5. Sell dad-centric gift cards

We talked a bit about gift cards earlier in this post, but they’re worth mentioning again. As of last year, gift cards were the third most popular gifts for Father’s Day (next to special outings and clothing).

There’s certainly a case for stocking up on gift cards for the occasion — particularly if you don’t sell experiences or menswear.

If you haven’t done so yet, order a few Father’s Day-themed gift cards and put them in key areas of your store, such as the checkout counter and those special displays we talked about earlier.

6. Avoid stereotypes

Whatever type of promotion or campaign you decide to run, be mindful of the dad images that you’re portraying. A study by Dove Men+Care Internal Research found that “only 7% of men can relate to depictions of masculinity in media.”

To combat these stereotypes, Dove created a great campaign focusing on father’s who care. Take a look at one of their videos below.

Examine your offers or messages for Father’s Day to determine if they would really resonate with your target customers. Ask yourself, what type of dad would use your products? Would it be the macho or aloof type? Or would be someone who’s warm or cares about his appearance?

Also, consider how moms or kids see the father-figures in their lives — after all mothers and children would be your main customers for this holiday. Find out their perceptions around dads and then make sure that your campaigns reflect those perceptions.

Your checkout area is a critical part of your retail store — and it’s not just because it’s the space where you ring up customers. With the right approach, your cash wrap can also drive sales, increase exposure, and give shoppers a lasting impression.

Let’s have a look at some of the ways you can spruce up your retail checkout counter.

1. Encourage impulse buys

Allocate some space in your checkout area for items that people can quickly buy on their way out. With the right approach, you stand a great chance of increasing each sale.

Impulse purchases account for a significant chunk of consumer spending. A survey by CreditCards.com found that “Eighty-four percent of poll respondents say they’ve made an impulse purchase at some time, and 77 percent in the past three months.”

The survey also found that nearly 80% of respondents made an impulsive purchase in-store, versus just 6% who said they impulsively bought something on their mobile device.

As a brick-and-mortar store, you’re in a great position to encourage impulse buys, and your checkout counter is one of the most natural areas in your store to do this. People who’ve made it to the checkout line are obviously in the mood to buy, so positioning the right merchandise can help boost their basket size.

What are the best impulse buy items?

Generally speaking, the best impulse buys are small and self-explanatory. As business consultant Lynn Switanowski told ABC News, “Such products don’t need a lot of explaining. It sells itself (because) you understand what it does.”

Depending on your store, you could consider displaying the following items at checkout:

• Gift cards
• Travel-sized version of existing products
• Accessories to compliment your core merchandise
• Seasonal products (e.g. holiday cards, gift items)
• Food and drink
• Small toys or kids’ products
• Practical items like car chargers

Whatever you decide, make sure those impulse items are on brand. For example, JapanLA, a shop that features Japanese Pop Culture toys, gifts, and apparel, displays nifty items like lipsticks and stickers at the checkout counter.

What’s great about them is that they’re not just any old lipsticks or stickers. Just like the rest of JapanLA’s products, these impulse buys fit in with the Japanese pop culture lifestyle that the store promotes.

2. Make it a work of art

Feeling crafty or imaginative? Then let your creativity shine through to your cashwrap. You’re already getting creative with your window displays and store fixtures, so why not let your checkout counter get in on the fun?

Here’s a great example of a checkout counter that serves as a work of art at the same time:

3. Give people the chance to (digitally) browse your products

If you have an ecommerce site and don’t carry every single SKU in-store, give shoppers the ability to browse the rest of your catalog. You can easily to do this by giving your associates tablets that they can use when interacting with shoppers.

As for customers who prefer to browse on their own? Put tablets on checkout counter area so customers can explore your online shop. Here’s a great example from activewear retailer Outdoor Voices:

4. Add a TV screen behind you

Television screens not only enhance the look and feel of your store, but they can also heighten the shopping experience. You can use TV screens to reinforce your brand and products. Let’s say you’re an apparel retailer. Why not air a slideshow exhibiting your latest look designs?

In some cases, TV screens can be used to entertain customers. JapanLA, for example, has a video of adorable cats playing on loop.

The wall behind your checkout counter is one of the best places on which to install your TV. It’s a prominent section of your store, so you can pretty much guarantee more eyeballs. Plus it gives your customers something to look at while waiting for their turn at checkout (see the photo of JapanLA’s checkout counter above).

5. Add a bit of “you” 

Use your checkout space to show off your personality or story. Fancy fixtures and decorations are great, but having something uniquely “you” on or around your checkout counter will give shoppers a glimpse of who your are what you’re all about. That’s the type of thing that encourages connection and memorability.

So, use your shop’s checkout section to tell people about yourself or your business story. Maybe you can put up photos from when you were just starting out. Or, if your business has any press mentions, you could put up those magazine articles up on your checkout wall.

Have a look at this great example from Lynn & Barrett, a mother-daughter owned clothing boutique, which has portrait drawing of the owners hanging in their checkout area. https://www.instagram.com/p/BMCC6rQhJeb/

Credit: storiesoftori_ on Instagram

6. Let your lighting make a statement

Your checkout counter needs to be well lit, so why not invest in lighting that’s beautiful and functional at the same time? Bold lighting fixtures right above your cashwrap can draw attention to your checkout area while enhancing your overall in-store design.

7. Add a plant

Looking for a quick and inexpensive way to spruce up your counters? Add plants.

They’re easy and affordable to maintain, and they can instantly breathe life into your checkout area.

Empire Homewares in Australia is a master at using plants in-store. Check out their photos below, and notice how they use planters to enhance their checkout counter (and various other space in the shop).

Image credit: empirehomewares on Instagram

8. Use your POS system to boost the appearance of your checkout counter

Your point of sale system is the most important piece of technology on your checkout counter. And if you get the right POS, you can even use it to enhance your cashwrap.

Get yourself a sleek POS system that works on a tablet or a computer, versus a clunky cash register. In addition to saving space, modern POS solutions look and function beter, so you can ring up customers efficiently — and in style.

And depending on your store, you can even add a splash of color to your hardware. Selftraits in Toronto, for example, uses a red iPad case and stand for their POS. It’s a simple move, but it makes a bold statement.

9. Display inspiring messages 

Another cool idea? Use your checkout area to spread good vibes. Consider displaying inspiring message on top of your checkout counter or on the wall behind you.

It’ll put a smile on your customers’ faces as you ring them up, and you could even earn some social media mentions while you’re at it.

Need some inspiration? Feast your eyes on this lovely checkout wall at So Chic Boutique.

Credit: thesochicboutique on Instagram

10. Encourage social shares 

Social media is an integral component of retail marketing. In addition to creating content in-house to post on social, we highly recommend encouraging your customers to share images of your products and store.

You can accomplish this by displaying your social media handle and brand hashtags inside your fitting rooms and — you guessed it — your checkout counter.

Put up a sign reminding people to connect with (and talk about) your brand on their favorite social channels. Doing so will help increase your followers and potentially put your brand in front of wider audiences.

Below is a great example from Serena & Lily which says:

Share your design shop love. #SLLOSANGELES #SERENAANDLILY

Be sociable. Let’s connect.

@SERENAANLILY

11. Have something seasonal 

Make sure the design of your checkout counter doesn’t stay static all year round. Keep things fresh by incorporating seasonal elements whenever relevant.

For example, if it’s Valentine’s Day, you could spruce it up with hearts or flowers. Or, if it’s the holiday season, why not put a small Christmas tree on top of your counter or hang some stockings in front of it?

Take a look at this beautiful example from Beacon Home Goods:

Image credit: @beaconhomegoods on Instagram

12. Promote your CSR efforts

Engaging in corporate social responsibility? Use your cash wrap to promote your efforts. Having a simple sign telling shoppers about your charitable initiatives can help your cause. It also reminds customers that you stand for social good, and this, in turn encourages loyalty and increased spending.

One retailer that’s doing this well is Lululemon. In its West Hollywood location, the activewear retailer has a small sign on their checkout counter reminding people about their #MakeYoursMatter initiative.

Bonus: can you go checkout counter-less?

Eliminating the checkout counter isn’t for everyone, but in several cases, this move can improve the layout and flow of your store. Sometimes, simply having the option to untether the checkout process can make you more efficient.

For example, if you’re having a particularly busy day in your store and you’re dealing with long lines, you can arm your associates with mobile POS systems so they can ring up sales from anywhere in the shop. You can leverage counter-top solutions to manage a primary line while another employee helps line-bust simple transactions with a mobile device.

Final words

Did this post inspire your to spruce up your checkout area? We hope so! Now, we don’t recommend that you try these ideas all at once — that might be just a tad over the top. But we do hope you try a few of these tips. Test out a couple of ideas and see how shoppers react. Document your efforts and results, and improve accordingly.

That segment is none other than Generation Z. Born after 1995, the oldest Gen Z consumers are still in their early 20s, but their numbers and retail influence are growing rapidly. According to Fast Company, Gen Z “makes up a quarter of the U.S. population and by 2020 will account for 40% of all consumers.”

If your store caters to these teens and early twenty-somethings, keep reading. In this post, we’re discussing the key traits of Gen Z along with tips to help you sell and market to them.

Gen Z traits and characteristics

What’s Generation Z like and how are they different from (or similar to) other consumer groups? Here are a few key characteristics:

They want to be part of product development

According to the National Retail Federation, Gen Z shoppers “like to be part of the product creation process, and are much more willing to share feedback and product improvement suggestions with brands.”

This is one of the biggest differentiators of Gen Z from millennials, notes the NRF, as the former “want brands to cater to them, and expect purchases to reflect their personalities and values.”

Gen Z shoppers want to do good

This isn’t to say that young consumers aren’t without their values. Like millennials, Gen Z-ers is driven to do good. Research has shown that this particular generation cares about various environmental issues (76% are concerned about humanity’s impact on the planet) as well as social causes such as racial, gender, and income inequality.

Studies have also shown that 60% of Gen Z consumers “want their jobs to impact the world”, and “26% of 16-to-19-year-olds currently volunteer.

They trust influencers more than traditional celebrities

Out of all consumer segments, Gen Z-ers are the consumers who trust traditional advertising and marketing the least. This is particularly true when it comes to digital influencers versus traditional celebrities.

A report by Fullscreen found that “over half of teens would prefer to see a brand advertise via social influencers rather than produce TV commercials, pre-roll video ads, sponsored articles/posts or banner ads.”

This generation is practical and realistic

Majority of Gen Z-ers are “are risk-averse, practical, and pragmatic,” notes Fast Company.

The publication found:

Whereas millennials were criticized for their lack of focus, Gen Z are determined to plan ahead. Gen Z have been strongly shaped by their individualistic, self-reliant Gen X parents and they’re committed to avoiding the mistakes their meandering millennial predecessors made. “I need a job that will come out with money, otherwise college will be a waste”, says Marcus, 17. “I want to pick a career that is stable.”

They appreciate brick-and-mortar stores

Here’s something that might surprise you about Generation Z shoppers: to them, physical retail is far from dead. A study by CrowdTwist found that “57% of Generation Z prefer shopping in-store… Despite being digital natives, Generation Z prefer to shop in-store rather than online, and a slightly larger percentage of them compared to Millennials prefer to do so.”

That said, offline shopping still needs to be aided by technology. According to research by HRC Retail Advisory, to the vast majority of Gen Z-ers (over ninety percent) having a strong Wi-Fi signal is essential to a great shopping experience.

This is because while young consumers like to shop offline, they prefer to do so with technology (smart devices, in-store tech) close by.

“[While Gen Z] was born with a smartphone in hand, it doesn’t keep them from shopping – and even preferring to shop – in brick and mortar stores, as long as they have access to their ever-important social network,” said Farla Efros, President of HRC Retail Advisory.

How can retailers market and sell to Gen Z?

Now that you know have a better idea of what Gen Z is like, it’s time to figure out the best way to market and sell to them.

Here are some ideas of what you can do:

Be real and inclusive

Out of all that generations and shopper groups, Generation Z has the least amount of trust for traditional ads and marketing campaigns. These consumers can see right through those perfectly touched-up commercials, and they’re not impressed.

To move and engage Gen Z shoppers, you need to be authentic. Feature real people and stories in your campaigns and build a brand that’s down to earth and relatable.

One example of a brand that’s doing this (and seeing results) is Abercrombie & Fitch. After falling from grace a few years ago, the company set out on a new strategy to reinvent itself. One of the things it did? Revamp its marketing strategy.

As Glossy reports, the company “moved away from the scantily clad, thin, white models it was known for, and instead embraced diversity across race and size.”

It also launched its “Made for You” campaign in which it featured real people (instead of “hot” models) showing off the brand’s clothes on the streets of Memphis, Tempe, and Austin.

 

Engage Gen Z through technology

Gen Z-ers appreciate brick-and-mortar stores, but they still love their technology. Remember, this generation comprises of digital natives. They grew up with the internet, and unlike Generations X and Y, they know very little about analog technologies.

For this reason, you can’t afford not to adopt technology in your business.

Start with great connectivity – For starters, make sure your young customers can access the internet from your store. Shopping is a social experience, and for Gen Z, the “social” component comes in when they whip out their phone to share an Instagram Story or post about their experience on Facebook.

Encourage social media shares – Speaking of which, make sure your store is social-media-friendly. Create spaces that are snap- and share-worthy. Your young customers will thank you for it. You don’t even have to splurge to get this right. Sometimes, a witty or empowering sign outside your door can do the trick.

Here’s an example from Isalis in San Francisco.

Consider non-traditional payment methods – If you’re only accepting cash and credit cards, consider expanding to other payment options such as mobile payments. This is particularly important if you’re selling to younger customers.

These consumers love their phones and there’s a good chance they already have their payment details stored on their devices. Why not make it easy for Gen Z shoppers to use them?

Don’t forget the non-customer-facing tech – They’re not exactly sexy, but the technologies that power your inventory management, point of sale, and reporting are still critical to the shopping experience.

Case in point: stock control. 66% of Gen Z-ers would shop at a store more if they could check inventory beforehand. This means that if you want to win over these customers, you need to make your inventory available online and ensure that it syncs with your offline catalog.

The only way to do that is through a retail management system that seamlessly connects your various sales channels.

Personalization is also an important factor when selling to Gen Z (or any generation for that matter). Shoppers today want to you to cater to their specific needs and preferences, and the only way to do that is to collect the right shopper data through a robust CRM.

Team up with influencers

As we mentioned earlier, Generation Z trust influencers more than traditional celebrities. Rather than teaming up with a celebrity to endorse your brand, you’ll find more success (and likely spend less) teaming up with influencers or even just real people whom your customers can look up to.

Here are some ideas:

Scouring the web – Use tools such as Alltop, Alexa, or even good old Google to search for bloggers in your niche. Sort through the websites, check out how authoritative or influential they are, and then take note of the ones you could approach.

Searching on social media – Use the native search features of Facebook and Twitter, or leverage a tool like Social Searcher to find mentions of your products or brand. Hashtags can also do the trick. Tiffany Willson, co-founder of home design app Roomhints says that they make use of hashtags to find influencers in their space. “Retailers can find the right influencers by searching relevant hashtags on Twitter. The key people within the industry will pop up.”

Look through your database – You may not have to look too far to find the key people you need. Customers who love your store would likely be more than happy to refer their friends or talk up your brand. Go through your database, find your best customers (Hint: these are your top-spenders and frequent shoppers) and see if they’re up for the task.

Once you find people who can help amplify your brand, get in touch and strike up an agreement on how you can work together.

Invest in corporate social responsibility

As we mentioned earlier, Gen Z consumers care a great deal about various social environmental issues. That’s why it pays to invest in corporate social responsibility (CSR). Depending on your business, there are a number of ways to do this.

Donating to charity – One idea is to donate a portion of your sales to charity. Find a charity or cause to support, then pledge to give something every time shoppers purchase something from you.

TOMS does this through its One for One® program, an initiative in which the company provides “shoes, sight, water, safe birth and bullying prevention services to people in need.”

GAP’s Give Twice program is another example. For every gift card sold, the retailer donates 2% of the purchase to organizations such as CARE or Communities in Schools.

Sourcing and producing your products responsibly – CSR can also mean being more conscious of how you source and produce your merchandise. Are you implementing human- and environment-friendly business practices? What about your suppliers or vendors?

If the answer is no, consider aligning yourself with suppliers or manufacturers who have the worlds’ common good in mind.

Consider Everlane, which only works with factories with integrity and values. “We visit them often, and build strong personal relationships with the owners,” says Everlane on its website. “This hands-on approach is the most effective way to ensure a factory’s integrity. As an added assurance we also require stringent workplace compliancy paperwork.”

Enable product customization

Gen Z shoppers love being part of the product development process, so be sure to seek their input when you’re trying to decide what merchandise to sell. 

Or better yet, why not let them build the products themselves? If it makes sense for your business, see if you can enable your customers to build and customize their merchandise. Consider Build-a-Bear which specializes in stuffed animal customization.

Shoppers truly make a toy their own by choosing everything from the type of animal, to its clothes, accessories, and even sounds and scents.

Not selling items that can be “built” on the spot? Then let shoppers built collections of products instead. Birchbox does this really well through its “Build your own Birchbox” program.

While the company still says curated boxes, it also offers shoppers to literally create their own boxes. All they need to do is pick the box size they want then select product samples to put in it.

Your turn

Do you have a lot of Gen Z customers? How are you selling and marketing to them? Let us know by tweeting at us or dropping us a line of Facebook.

Increase visibility

As Specialty Retail put it, “Seeing is buying.” Donald R. Lichtenstein, a professor of marketing and associate dean at the University of Colorado Leeds School of Business, told the publication that getting customers to see your product is “the first and most important step in impulse buying.”

“Being in their faces and placing the focus clearly on what you’re selling so that they can make a quick selection sums up what a kiosk operator (or in our case retail store owner) needs to do,” stated Lichtenstein in an interview with Specialty Retail.

How can you get shoppers to see your impulse products? One effective tactic is using signage. Get the merchandise noticed by using eye-catching signs.

Also, be sure to pick your color palette wisely. Hues such as red and yellow have proven to draw attention, but feel free to test out other colors depending on your product and audience.

Check out what Forever 21 is doing. To encourage impulse purchases, the retailer uses big red signs to promote its low-priced items.

Bath & Body Works is doing something similar by placing impulse products together with a sign promoting that day’s deal on the checkout counter. But instead of using the usual eye-catching hues (i.e., red or yellow), it stays true to its brand colors by opting for blue and white.

Be strategic with positioning

Part of increasing visibility (and sales) with impulse purchases entails placing the merchandise where customers are sure to see it. In retail stores, the two most effective ways to pull this off would be positioning impulse products at the checkout area and placing them near your bestsellers.

Increasing impulse buys at the point of sale

Placing products at the checkout zone is a common and highly effective tactic. Shoppers who are at the point-of-sale area are likely already in the mood to buy, so the chances of them making additional purchases are relatively higher.

You generally have two options when it comes to having impulse items near your POS. The first is putting them on or in front of your checkout counter. Have a look at the photo below. In it, the retailer has products nicely arranged on top of the counter, but they also have a display right in front of it.

See if you can do something similar in your store.

Another option is to have those items near the checkout queue.

Victoria’s Secret executes this quite well. In most of its stores, it has attractive displays and fixtures containing inexpensive lip glosses, trial size fragrances, and other novel items near the checkout counter. These products typically come with a promotion (i.e., Buy two get two free) to further entice customers.

Having impulse items near your top-sellers

Position your products near your store’s prominent sellers. What parts of your store do customers frequently head to? What are the items that customers usually go for? Strategically place merchandise near these areas or products to increase their visibility.

Also, see to it that the merchandise you want to promote complements the bestsellers. For example, a pet store can strategically place dog-grooming accessories such as brushes near its top-selling brands of shampoo to encourage impulse buys for the accessories.

Choose impulse products wisely

The best impulse products are the ones that are easy to grasp—both physically and mentally. Keep them simple. As business consultant Lynn Switanowski told ABC News, “Such products don’t need a lot of explaining. It sells itself (because) you understand what it does.”

Ideally, impulse products should be small and inexpensive. These are items that people can pick up and easily add to their baskets or hand to the cashier.

Going back to Victoria’s Secret example, the retailer chose to place trial size products near the checkout area precisely because these items meet the criteria above: they’re uncomplicated, handy, and economical.

Keep these principles in mind when you’re deciding on which impulse items to display.

Hit the right psychological triggers

Make your impulse buys more noticeable and enticing by pushing the right consumer buttons. Here are some suggestions:

• Urgency – Trigger people’s sense of urgency through limited-time promos. Consider the Bath & Body Works example above. It included a “Today Only” description in its signage to make the impulse buy more compelling.
• Value – Make people see that they’re getting a good deal with generous offers. Victoria’s Secret for instance runs “Buy two, get two” promos with its impulse products to further encourage shoppers to buy.
• Excitement or Novelty – You don’t always have to throw in an offer with your impulse products. Often, if a product looks fresh or novel enough, people will notice them. If you have new and original items in your store and they fit the above-mentioned criteria (i.e., handy and low cost), then consider testing them out as impulse buys to see how customers react.

Use online and mobile technology

A study on shopping behavior found that social media, mobile apps, and SMS marketing can drive unplanned visits or purchases.

Mobile Commerce Daily cited that “21 percent of respondents say they make more unplanned purchases because of shopping apps, 20 percent do the same because of retailer texts and 22 percent for retailer social media. These were the highest scoring tools in terms of encouraging shoppers to make more unplanned purchases.”

Be sure to leverage online and mobile tools to increase impulse store visits and purchases. If you’re on social media, make sure your fans are in the loop by posting news about any items or promotions. 

Covet, a jewelry shop in San Francisco, does this really well. Covet keeps their Instagram account updated and they often post pictures encouraging people to stop by the store.

And if you have a mobile app, keep it updated so users can see the latest happenings in your store.

Do the same thing via e-mail and text. Grab the opportunity to bring people into your shop by alerting subscribers whenever you have something happening in your store. (Just don’t overdo it. Keep messages relevant and only alert people who have opted into your list.)

Train your associates in the art of suggestive selling

While impulse buys typically come in the form of those small, handy items near the checkout counter, let’s not forget that you can also encourage impulse buys for moderately-priced or even higher-priced merchandise.

The key is training your associates to practice suggestive selling. When an associate develops a rapport with the shopper, they’ll be in a much better position to recommend unplanned purchases.

Do note though, that suggestive selling will only work if you (or the associate) are able to make a genuine connection with the customer. You also have to remember that the product you’re recommending should truly benefit the customer and that they’re open to buying it. The last thing you want is to push someone to purchase something only for the customer to have buyer’s remorse later.

As we mentioned in our post about suggestive selling, you should only do it after you’ve gotten to know the customer. This will allow you to make more relevant recommendations.

Another great time to engage in suggestive selling? One the shopper is already holding a product.

When they already have something in their hands, suggesting something that is complementary to it could increase add-on sales. Let’s say you sell garden supplies and the customer picks up a pot. From that point, you can recommend soil types or plants that would go well with it. And it’s even better if the suggested item is on sale because they’ll be more likely to buy it if they feel that they’re getting a deal.

Reese Evans, a former retail associate, also recommends using suggestive selling to address objections. “If someone is in your store and saying things like ‘I’m not sure about this…’ or ‘The fit is a little loose…’ retailers should grab the opportunity to suggestive sell.”

“The fact that they’re going through the process of eliminating things that they might not like means they’re seriously considering buying. If they weren’t, then the would’ve walked out of the store already. So let’s say the shopper thinks a particular garment is too loose for her body type; that would be a great opportunity to suggest a belt to go with the product to help make an outfit complete.”

In this post, we’ve compiled some must-try marketing ideas for retailers. Check them out and see if you can make them work in your business.

1. Start with the store assets you already have

Before looking at fancy retail marketing tactics, start by leveraging the assets you already have. If your store is up and running, you likely have a lot of resources that you can use in your marketing efforts.

These assets include:

Your merchandise and fixtures

The best way to attract and convert customers is to wow them with your amazing merch. See to it that you’re always stocking the right products. Then once you have the right merchandise, come up with creative displays and arrangements to make them pop.

Not sure how to do that? Start by identifying your “Lake Front Property.” This is the area of your store that generates the most revenue.

According to Rich Kizer and Georganne Bender, “Displays in this area should house new, hot and high margin product, not every day, basic items that are best housed toward the rear of the store. And since 90 percent of customers enter a store and look or turn to the right, the Lake Front Property needs to be merchandised with particular care.”

Your window and curbside

Your window and curbside offer tons of opportunities to attract new customers, so get the most out of them. Let’s start with your windows…

Window displays – Keep changing things up and try to update your displays at least once a month. For busy shopping seasons like the holidays, you want to do it every couple of weeks or even every week if possible.

Every retail store is different, so certain design tips may work better for others. The “best” design or look depends on your customers, so zero in on who you’re targeting and craft your displays specifically for them.

Also, consider telling stories with your displays. You can do this by selecting a theme, and finding stories in line with it.

Check out what Anthropologie is doing. The apparel retailer changes the window displays of its stores depending on certain seasons or events. What makes their window displays great, though, is that Anthropologie always finds a unique angle or story within its chosen season theme.

For instance, for Earth Day 2013, the retailer decided to “pay homage to the gifts of gardening with a variety of handcrafted fruits and veggies, and containers made from recycled cans, tires, bottles and more.”

Curbside – Don’t neglect your curbside. In addition to keeping this space clean and tidy, consider adding “curbside extras”. For example, why not set up a sandwich board outside your shop with some eye-grabbing text or art? Doing so can make passers-by stop and pay attention.

Check out this great example from Covet Shoppe & Jewelry Bar in San Francisco

Your staff

Did you know that Starbucks spends more money on employee health benefits than coffee beans? And according to AOL, the company also “offers extensive benefits packages that are customized for each employee, called “Your Special Blend.” Options include things like bonuses, 401 (k) matching plans, health/medical/dental plans, and even adoption assistance.”

Starbucks recognizes that happy and healthy employees perform better and are generally more pleasant. Walk into any Starbucks store and you’ll likely find enthusiastic baristas who chat up customers and recognize their regulars. Starbucks’ employees provide a great in-store experience that keeps people coming back.

Here’s our point: employees could be your best marketers. It’s important to keep them engaged and motivated. Accomplishing that starts with hiring the right people and treating them well. Offer competitive compensation, provide ample training, and strive to be a great place to work.

These steps will lead to happier employees and higher levels of performance, which in turn lead to better retail experiences and more satisfied customers.

2. Leverage social media

When it comes to retail and social media, there are three platforms you should seriously consider: Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. These are the most consumer-centric networks, making them ideal for merchants. Pinterest has the added edge of being a platform people specifically go to conduct research before they purchase something.

So let’s break it down:

Facebook tips for retailers

Here’s the reality: if you’re a brand who wants to get more visibility on Facebook, you need to pay for it. The social network has been decreasing brands’ organic reach for some time now, but in 2018, we can expect business’ organic presence to decline even more.

Mark Zuckerberg himself said that they will be rolling out changes to the News Feed to prioritize content from friends, family, and groups, so business pages will have to fight even harder to get exposure.

Here’s what you can do to compete:

Start a Facebook Group – Facebook lets you create Groups for your business or brand. Think of Facebook Groups as clubs or communities where your most engaged customers and fans can congregate.

While you can talk about your products and business, the primary purpose of having a Facebook Group is to allow your customers to connect with each other. It’s not a place to shamelessly promote your business.

One example of a company that’s leveraging Facebook Groups is Peloton, an indoor cycling brand. The company established the Official Peloton Rider Page, which is “intended to be a community board for Peloton members to share their experiences on the Peloton bike and iOS app.”

The Group is very active, and people use it to share their workouts, ask questions, dish out tips, and more.

See if you can do something similar for your Facebook presence. If you sell something that’s centered around a particular lifestyle or interests (e.g. fitness, food, crafts), then consider creating a Facebook Group for your patrons and potential customers.

Run Facebook ads – If Groups aren’t your cup of tea, or if you want even more brand visibility on Facebook, then you’ll need to run Facebook ads to reach your target audience.

The good news is, Facebook has a variety of ad products with robust targeting capabilities that let you zero in on your specific audience.

The best thing to do is test different advertising solutions, then keep track of your metrics (e.g. clicks, engagement, sales, etc.) Take note of the numbers, then use those insights to determine your ROI. This will help you figure which ad types are right for you and how much to budget for Facebook advertising.

Using Instagram to market your store

With over 800 million monthly active users (over half of which are active daily), it’s obvious that Instagram is a go-to social network for today’s shoppers. Here are some best practices to consider:

Curate your visual content exquisitely – Your Instagram posts should be anything but random. You need to create a clear brand aesthetic so when people visit your profile, they get a quick idea of who your brand is.

Check out Clad and Cloth’s profile. You can see instantly from their collection of photos that their brand produces casual clothing items and likes a clean neutral palette with pops of color.

So, if you haven’t done so yet, spend time thinking about your brand aesthetic. Ask yourself, what kind of first impression do you want people to have about your brand? Find the answer then figure out how to make it come to life on your Instagram page.

Make liberal use of Instagram Stories – Instagram Stories allow you to be more informal with your aesthetic, as people expect Stories to be more spontaneous and less curated. You can use them to give people behind-the-scenes glimpses at your store or showcase new products.

A secondary feature of Instagram Stories is that you can create a few permanent ones to display on your profile, highlighting things you really want your potential customers to see. Check out what Peridot Decorative Homeware is doing. The retailer uses these permanent Story spots to make it easy for people to view interior designs, shop for items, and more. They even created custom Story cover images to make them look more attractive!

Hashtag it up – Research which hashtags are relevant to your brand and use them to help your photos surface in front of people you’d like to become customers. Pro tip: rather than putting the hashtags right into the caption, post your picture without hashtags and immediately comment them. It looks cleaner than putting hashtags in the caption.

Pinterest for retailers

Now let’s move on to Pinterest best practices:

Remember that curation is key – Like your Instagram profile, make sure that your Pinterest boards are carefully curated. You should create boards that make it simple for potential customers to navigate to things they’re interested in.

J.Crew, as you can see, has boards that make it easy for you to look at their jeans, their prints, or their stripes.

Don’t just pin your own things – Get social and pin things on your boards from others. (But make sure it fits your aesthetic.)

Be aware that the Pinterest algorithm doesn’t necessarily surface your content quickly – It can often take up to 6 months for your content to really start appearing in people’s feeds.

This means that, while you should be pinning your products, pages that will do best for you organically are likely to be links to your blog posts. You can write blog posts specifically for Pinterest, such as gifting guides that help get your brand lift and will then direct your customers on to your correct pages all year round. As for products, they’ll do great on Pinterest in ad form.

3. Market your business through key partnerships

Partnering with a local business or charity is a wonderful way to get your brand’s name out to people who can come and shop in person, not just online. There are a few ways to do this:

Partner with the stores in the same location as you – If you’re in a strip mall or downtown area, you can ask the stores around you to offer your coupons to their customers (in return for you doing the same). The upside here is that you’ll be directly reaching people who are perfectly positioned to just pop by. The downside is that your neighbors’ clientele may not be your clientele.

Partner with stores in the general area whose clientele are your clientele – If you have stores in the nearby area that service the same clientele as you, you can also ask them to offer your coupons. Alternately, if you worry that no one will be motivated to drive to you based on coupons, you can always take your business to your partner and set up a pop-up shop for a day.

Partner with a local charity to put on an event – Customers these days are much more socially conscious and like to shop with brands who care. Partnering with a local charity offers you the chance to hit two birds with one stone: get your name out to a new set of people and show your customers you care about making a difference at the same time. Choose a charity whose values align with your own and set up an event!

4. Beef up your email marketing

Email marketing is still the most effective marketing channel, with a 4400% ROI. Taking advantage of email to acquire new customers just requires a little savvy-ness.

Segment your non-customers – The best way to use email marketing for getting new customers is to segment your subscribers who haven’t purchased yet into their own list. (For even more effective and personalized emails, you should further segment this list by other relevant pieces of information.)

You can then send people who haven’t purchased yet targeted campaigns with first-time buy offers or giveaways.

Showcase your story and values while you’re at it – Another great campaign idea is to send an email detailing your brand story. It’ll get people engaged with your brand and excited about your values.

The Farmer’s Dog is killing it on this front. Check out this gorgeous email I received after not purchasing. Their story is touching and the 20% off coupon is a solid CTA to end on. (And fun fact: their marketing automation software also served me a personalized 20% off CTA when I went to the website independently about 20 minutes later. Genius.)

Provide value (period) – Email promotions aren’t the only way to acquire new customers.

You also have to think about the long game of email + content marketing, in which you send valuable content without any hard sells or strings attached. This builds trust and positions your brand as an authority, so when people are ready to buy, they’ll think of you.

Check out what The Dollar Shave Club (DSC) is doing. While DSC sends promotional emails now and then, they also have DSC “Original Content” emails that contain informative (and entertaining) articles on grooming, health, style, work, and more.

These content pieces are non-salesy and they’re refreshing to read, especially when every other company out there keeps sending “SALE” or “BUY NOW!!” emails.

The bottom line? Your email marketing strategy should have a mix of promotional and valuable content. Find the balance that works for your subscribers and go from there.

5. Consider influencer marketing

These days, a nod or endorsement from an influencer carries more weight than traditional advertising. Why? Because people are more inclined to act on the recommendations of sources they know, like, and trust.

This is why it pays to have an influencer strategy. Getting key individuals to recommend or talk about your brand can drive awareness, traffic, and ultimately, sales.

The basis of influencer marketing is that your brand partners with a third party content creator who then pushes your products on their platform(s).

One brand, Morphe, used influencer marketing to become in less than a decade one of the most powerful names in the beauty industry. Morphe was founded in 2008 with the very intention of using beauty influencers, particularly those on Youtube, as their primary way to generate sales. They have given many, many beauty influencers affiliate codes, but Morphe really refined the art of marketing by working very strategically with a certain few top influencers, whom they pay extra.

They also collaborated with these influencers to create customized beauty items, like eyeshadow palettes, which the influencers then encouraged their huge followings to purchase.

This strategy paid off in a big way when Morphe’s top influencer, Jaclyn Hill, delivered Morphe 1 million sales of her palette in 6 months last year. At $38/palette, that’s pretty life-changing for a brand.

The best part about this story for your store? You can totally replicate their success! Morphe was an almost unknown brand when they first partnered with Hill, who was also relatively unknown at the time. Morphe prudently chose to invest in her early on and their partnership ultimately allowed both parties to flourish. If you’re looking to use affiliate marketing, follow Morphe’s footsteps and get strategic about who you’re investing in.

6. Start a referral campaign

Capitalize on word-of-mouth marketing with a referral campaign. While there are many variations on referral campaigns, the core idea is that you provide some sort of incentive for your happy customers to share the word about you to their friends.

Stitch Fix, a fashion box company, has referral marketing down to an art. Their referral campaign is such a permanent part of their strategy that it actually has its own page on their website.

Each customer is provided with a unique link to Stitch Fix’s home page. The customers can then share this link with their friends and social network. When someone purchases a box using that link, the original customer is given a $25 credit towards their next box. (And the new customer is enticed to make a purchase with their own $25 credit.)

For stores looking to replicate Stitch Fix’s success, consider testing out referral marketing with an initial campaign. Choose your incentive, set up goals and get cracking. (For a great step-by-step guide on how to run your first referral marketing campaign, check this article out.)

Conclusion

Acquiring new customers can be daunting for a SMBs, but these strategies have worked wonders for many retailers. By testing different things out and analyzing your results, you’ll be able to figure out what works well for your brand.

And take note that these retail marketing tactics are just the tip of the iceberg. There are plenty more ways to acquire new customers. You could try promotions, mobile marketing, or events, among other things. They key is to try different things, figure out what works, then go from there.