Boosting your business’ footfall is vital to success. Because of this, companies are trying to think outside of the box to create a unique idea to bring people into their business. We know all about the impact that a successful marketing campaign can have for a company. However, other than leaflet distribution, tv and radio advertising, use of billboards, and magazine or newspaper placements, how else can a business increase their custom?
Here is a list of 5 super simple and easy ways businesses have managed to boost their custom and ideas which have worked to better their reputation…
- Offering an experience
The generation we live in is hunger for experience and we love to share these experiences with our friends and family on social media. Therefore, you should offer an experience that your customers want to share. A London business, Elan Café, hit the jackpot with its ‘flower wall’. This had customers flocking to the café to get the perfect snap for their social accounts of the garden plants that were on the wall.
Elsewhere, at Buffalo Phil’s, a Wisconsin restaurant in the US, diners have their food delivered to them via a toy train. The track, which runs along the perimeter of the restaurant, stops at the designated table to allow customers to pick up their food. Such experiences create a great word-of-mouth campaign, which makes people want to come at take part themselves. If your business can find a unique experience, it will draw people in.
- Making use of social media
If used in the correct way, nailing social media is a crucial element to business success. Its an easy way to enhance a brand’s image. By creating a catchy hashtag, a company can become an internet sensation. The right hashtags can extend the reach of your content, meaning more members of the public will engage with it. Trending hashtags are a simple way to increase how noticeable your content is.
- Offering discounts
Near enough every industry now operates in an extremely competitive environment. Discounts and offers can help you attract new and repeat customers, as a reduction in price can act as a ploy to attract people to your business. This works especially well if your discount is only available for a number of days, as people are ‘afraid’ of missing out.
By offering a good discounted product, this will also boost your reputation. This is also the case for companies which offer reduced rates for personnel, including military members or NHS workers. Discounts can also present impulse buy opportunities, meaning that customers will buy something they weren’t intending to originally. This will help to boost sales across the board.
- A positive workforce
There is nothing worse than encountering arrogant and rude staff that make your whole experience with a brand uncomfortable. This can have a hugely damaging impact on your business. By 2020, it’s anticipated that customer experience will be more important than both the price and product they’re receiving. Simply put, if a customer likes you, they’ll continue to give you their business. If they don’t, they won’t!
RightNow discovered that 73% of customers are drawn to a brand due to friendly customer service representatives, while ThinkJar states that 55% of customers will spend more money with a company if they’re guaranteed a satisfying experience. Therefore, it’s crucial that you give the public what they want if you want to increase your footfall — a happy and positive experience!
- Be open to receiving feedback
It can be really beneficial to be open to feedback from your customers and many businesses are already doing this. Often, it’s in conjunction with a prize being at stake to entice you to take part. This is crucial for increasing custom, as it gives the consumer the chance to have a voice. People like to voice their opinions and asking for feedback is the perfect opportunity to show them that their thoughts do actually matter. Conducting a survey can help you measure customer experience and satisfaction, while also helping you to conduct industry research.
While boosting levels of custom is the ideal end goal for all businesses, there are several ways to ensure you appeal to your audience. Each business is of course different, but by following the above steps, you’ll be well on the way to gaining new customers.
Sources
https://kimgarst.com/top-instagram-hashtags-for-gaining-new-followers/
https://www.tripadvisor.com/LocationPhotoDirectLink-g186338-d13008842-i309219033-Elan_Cafe-London_England.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pV4bxZpOjc8
https://www.qminder.com/customer-service-statistics/
https://smallbusiness.chron.com/advantages-offering-discounts-business-25765.html
https://www.superoffice.com/blog/five-simple-ways-to-increase-your-customer-base/
