Through the changing seasons, you know you have a lot to go through after reviewing initial costs. From labor to supplies to specialty services, your balance sheet has a lot of variables. Your ability to bring in customers – the most critical people in running a business – is the key to making the engine run smoothly. How to get them in is complex, but there are some solid ideas that can help you consistently bring people through your doors.
Plant your Roots
Plan your advertising strategy carefully. You’ll notice there are a lot of options – but which gives you the best ROI? You don’t want to go really big, as those campaigns are the most expensive and tend to work better for large retailers. Nor do you want to employ a scattershot approach; buying ads here and there is money down the drain. Smaller and targeted efforts tend to be the most effective ways to attract customers organically. The first step is having curb appeal. Put your best stock forward. Nothing attracts like the beauty of the goods you’re selling. Dress up the exterior with colorful banners or a marquee with a funny joke or saying that will get people’s attention as they pass by. A sign and appealing logo can attract their attention as well and is a great way to make your store stand out. A yard or standing signs that you can place in different spots not only near your store but in the community can also help you identify the spots that bring people in the best.
Say Aloe
No one will want to walk into your store if it looks like a mess. Making your storefront appealing isn’t just about hygiene and cleanliness, it’s an imperative one to entice customers. Put your best, most beautiful plants at the front of your store with easy access and organization for your customers to be drawn to. Better, if you decide to go this route, do an artistic arrangement with your plants to make them more enjoyable to walk through. Keep in mind the design principle of vertical elements. Change the height, use some with big, lush fronds and others with more delicate leaves. This variation will make walking into your store a memorable experience, making customers talk about your store more.
Another key component to consider is the internal parts of the store. Continuing to grab customers’ eye as they walk through by using in-store signage in colors that get their attention is critical. Bright yet relaxing colors like green and blue, for example, can inform them of a sale or, even more, crucial to establishing a relationship, provide free tips on how to grow their plants. That will set a good tone and let them know that you’re thinking about them after they leave your store. It establishes you as not just a seller but an expert, a helping hand.
Vera Successful Social Media
Social Media can be daunting but there are many ways to show off your store’s stock and aesthetics, beginning with Instagram and Pinterest. These two websites in particular show the best in pictures and are perfect for such a visually engaging industry. They’re also great for networking with other small businesses across the country to see what’s working for them. Pinterest can help you keep up with requests by pictures a customer may make, and show off what you offer and are inspired by when it comes to design and aesthetics. It can also provide customers with free tutorials or steps to take to grow and care for their plants.
To keep your audiences’ attention, you’re going to have to modernize your strategy a bit. Constant updates at times people will be at lunch, on or off work are best. Research shows that this is 8 AM, 12 PM, and after 5 PM. You can plan your posts and have them automatically go out with a lot of free apps out there. Be sure to include pictures, as those work best to get people’s attention online.
Venus Fly Trap Them
Newsletters can be a huge boon in helping you obtain customer information. They also present the tricky challenge of keeping people engaged with your brand without boring them. Otherwise, they will click unsubscribe and your ongoing interactions with them will be limited to the times they come into your store. Hack this by creating an inspiring newsletter filled with ideas that will help their purchases thrive and can turn them into wonderful centerpieces in their homes. Your newsletter isn’t about sales – push that to the background. Your goal is to provide them with interesting, fun, and useful information that will make their lives better. Remember, they came in and purchased living things from you, which means they have a vested interest and most likely a passion for helping plants thrive. As you become known as a go-to source for assistance and information, your word of mouth metrics will skyrocket and more people will be signing up for the newsletter and visiting your store more often.
Engage and Gauge
Talking to your customers about what you offer and gauging their interest can be tricky in conversation but is imperative to upkeep your business. Asking them what they’re looking for, offering food for their plants, and having advice from knowledgeable people is key in offering the best in-store customer service as well as making the workplace inviting, comfortable, and fun. When you do this, you are more likely to make more sales and have recurring customers.
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