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Making Your Store Memorable

With customers torn in a million directions these days, it’s hard to truly “stand out” among their busy days. But as an independent merchant, that’s exactly what you should aim to do. After all, your store should be an experience… not just a place to shop… wouldn’t you agree?

Store Perks

Among the ways you can help to do this include offering store perks. Beyond great customer service and strong inventory, your store can offer “extras” that may include lemon infused water or complimentary coat hanging. It’s these little details that help shape memorable experiences in a store, and certainly ones that don’t happen often enough among other merchants.

VIP Services

Is the product you sell extra large and often hard for customers to get into their car? Or possibly it’s not over-sized at all, but customers may prefer to have it shipped or delivered to their home? Maybe your consumers prefer private shopping hours, or possibly you have a group of women you know are friends that all shop at your store and you want to host a private party just for them? The ideas are endless, but the goal is the same… make your store have unique, one-of-a-kind experiences that your local competition doesn’t and that your local customers will remember.

Be Nice… Yes, Be Nice 

Just as your customers are busy, so are you. We get it. BUT what we don’t get is when a store owner or their employees are too busy, flustered or uninterested to graciously greet customers who walk into their stores. You did open a store to support customers, right? Well, even if that wasn’t the case, the reality is your doors are open and in order to keep them open, you need to support everyone that walks through them with open, welcoming arms. Stocked shelves with great inventory only goes so far. Your attitude and the attitudes of your team make a huge impact on your store success and ultimately, how your store is remembered among customers.

What are you doing to make this happen? We’d love to hear how you make your store memorable! Please comment below.


Comments

  • Vicki Flores
    March 15, 2014

    We built a kitchenette/bar at the hub of the rear of our shop.( Our interior designer invited a kitchen designer to put a cabinet display in our shop.) We have air pots filled with flavored coffee and ice tea and on Saturdays little snacks. We greet the customer, let them get acclimated and offer them a beverage. 70% say yes. Another 15% change their mind once they get their initial “NO” out of the way. We actually sell the coffee and tea in small bags to cover the cost of this service.
    That bar becomes a gathering place when friends see each other in the shop. Husbands head directly there , pour themselves a cup, take a seat and visit with anyone who will listen.
    We have people say ” I was driving by and thought I’d come have a cup of coffee with you.”

  • stephen
    March 25, 2014

    if you are having problem getting people to come to your store here are a few tips that can help, it would also help in keeping your old customers and would encourage them to spread the word to other people especially the VIP treatment tip. people like being treated specially even if they dont need it, they feel appreciated.

    its a great read.

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