Marketing Strategies that Will Transform Your Brick-and-Mortar Business
Brick-and-mortar businesses face an increasingly competitive retail landscape. While online shopping has become more popular and convenient in recent years, physical stores are still important for many consumers who value an in-person shopping experience. However, thriving as a brick-and-mortar business in the digital age is not that easy.
One of the most important things that brick-and-mortar businesses can do to succeed is to have a well-developed marketing strategy. A marketing strategy can help businesses increase brand awareness, attract new customers, drive foot traffic to their stores, boost sales and profits, and build customer loyalty.
In this article, we'll discuss some of the most effective marketing strategies that brick-and-mortar businesses can use to not only just stay competitive but also thrive. We'll also provide tips for successful brick-and-mortar marketing.
What Are Brick-and-Mortar Businesses?
Brick-and-mortar businesses can be found in nearly every industry, especially retail, food and beverage, and services. Examples include clothing boutiques, grocery stores, restaurants, hair salons, gyms, bookstores, and coffee shops. What all brick-and-mortar businesses have in common is that they sell products or provide services to customers face-to-face in a physical building rather than only through a website.
This in-person experience is what sets them apart from e-commerce businesses. However, brick-and-mortar businesses can also establish an online presence and sell products through their website or one of the online marketplaces. An effective omnichannel strategy combines the advantages of physical and digital retail.
Brick-and-Mortar Marketing Matters More Than Ever
Marketing strategies are important for all businesses, but they are especially important for brick-and-mortar storefronts. Unlike e-commerce companies, physical retail locations must drive foot traffic and convert walk-in customers to survive and thrive.
Brick-and-mortar businesses face growing competition not only from online retailers but also from other local businesses competing for the consumer's time and purchases. A strategic marketing plan is essential to cut through this noise.
An effective marketing strategy enables brick-and-mortar businesses to:
- Increase brand awareness and visibility within their community
- Attract new customers and keep existing ones
- Drive qualified foot track into their stores
- Convert window shoppers into paying customers
- Grow sales, profits, and market share
- Foster loyal customers who keep coming back and refer others
Marketing Strategies for Brick-and-Mortar Businesses
Effective brick-and-mortar marketing requires an omnichannel approach that integrates both online and offline strategies. By combining digital marketing tactics with real-world engagement, physical retailers can raise brand awareness before a customer enters their store. This combination of strategies drives foot traffic while also nurturing relationships and loyalty.
Online Brick-and-Mortar Marketing Strategies
The Internet provides a platform for brick-and-mortar businesses to establish their brand, engage customers, and build traffic to their physical stores. Using the right online strategies can significantly boost awareness and sales. Here are some that brick-and-mortar stores should consider:
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
SEO is optimizing your website and content to rank higher on search engines like Google and Bing. SEO can bring more organic traffic to your website and store. You should use two approaches to SEO: local SEO and organic SEO. Local SEO focuses on optimizing your website for local searches, like "pizza near me" or "Dentists in Chicago". Organic SEO focuses on optimizing your website for general searches such as "how to make a pizza" or "best dental tips."
Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Ads
With PPC advertising, you pay a fee whenever someone clicks on your ad. It can help you target specific keywords, locations, demographics, and interests that are relevant to your business. PPC advertising can also help you measure the effectiveness of your ads and optimize them. There are many platforms where you can pay for PPC ads, including Google Ads, Bing Ads, Facebook Ads, and Instagram Ads.
Social Media Marketing
Social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube are great places to promote your business and interact with your customers. Social media marketing can help make your customers more aware of your brand and become advocates of the products and services you sell. Use it to showcase your products and services, share customer testimonials and reviews, offer discounts and coupons, and host contests and giveaways.
Email Marketing
Email marketing can help you build a long-term relationship with your customers and increase customer retention. It is also one of the most effective marketing channels when it comes to getting a return on your investment. It will help remind customers regularly that you are still around with personalized messages that will bring them product updates, special offers, and newsletters about your specific niche.
Referral Campaigns
Referral campaigns can help you capitalize on word-of-mouth marketing. While there are many ways to create a referral campaign, the basic idea is to provide some sort of incentive for your satisfied customers to spread the word about your business to their friends. A popular way to do this is to offer a coupon, discount, or store credit to your customers and their referral if they successively refer someone. Email marketing and social media marketing are both effective ways to spread the word about your referral campaigns.
Offline Brick-and-Mortar Marketing Strategies
Offline marketing is still an important part of any brick-and-mortar marketing strategy. It allows you to reach potential customers in your local area and build relationships with them. Here are a variety of offline marketing strategies that you can use:
Direct Mail Marketing
Letters, postcards, flyers, and catalogs are still effective ways of marketing to potential or existing customers. Direct mail marketing can be personalized, targeted, and measurable. You can use it to announce new products or services, offer discounts or coupons, invite customers to events, or follow up with previous customers.
Event Marketing
With event marketing, you host or take part in events to promote your business. It can help you create brand awareness, generate leads, increase sales, and foster loyalty. Consider incorporating digital business cards into your event marketing strategies to seamlessly share information and stay connected with potential leads. Some event marketing strategies you can use include hosting in-store events like workshops, seminars, product launches, or contests; or participating in local events such as trade shows, festivals, fairs, or charity events.
Loyalty Programs
Loyalty programs allow you to reward customers for their repeated purchases or interactions with your business. They can help you retain existing customers, increase customer satisfaction, and encourage referrals. Methods of implementing loyalty programs include offering points, discounts, freebies, vouchers, or memberships.
In-Store Assets
Your store itself is a powerful marketing tool. You can use your in-store assets, such as merchandising, windows displays, curbside displays, and employee training, to attract customers and create a positive shopping experience. For example, you can display your best-selling products in prominent locations, use eye-catching signages and colors, train your staff to be friendly and helpful, and offer free samples or demonstrations.
Vanity Phone Numbers
A vanity phone number is a memorable phone number that spells out a word or phrase related to your business. For example, 1-800-FLOWERS or 1-800-BEST-BUY. A vanity phone number can make your business stand out from the competition and increase the chances of customers calling you.
Local Partnerships
Collaborations or alliances with other local businesses or organizations that share your target market or values can help you expand your reach, increase your credibility, and create mutual benefits. Some local partnership strategies include co-branding, cross-promotion, referral programs, joint events, and sponsorships.
Streamlined Checkout Processes
Some of the same technologies that make online marketing possible will also help you with your offline marketing. Streamlining your checkout processes will reduce friction and frustration for your customers and increase conversions and sales. You can use checkout strategies such as offering click and collect (where customers can order online and pick up in the store), contactless pay (where customers can pay with their smartphones or cards without touching a terminal), and QR codes (where customers can scan a code to access more information or offers).
Tips for Successful Brick-and-Mortar Marketing
Implementing effective marketing strategies takes effort, but the rewards for brick-and-mortar businesses can be immense. Here are some essential tips for marketing success:
Know Your Target Audience
Take the time to identify and analyze your ideal customers. What are their demographics, preferences, and behaviors? Once you gain insights into your target audience, you can customize your marketing messages and strategies to reach them on a deeper level.
Set Clear Goals
What do you want to achieve through your marketing efforts? Whether it's increasing foot traffic, boosting sales, or enhancing brand awareness, setting specific goals will help guide your marketing strategy and give you a baseline to measure its success.
Diversify Your Marketing Mix
Online marketing techniques like search engine optimization, social media marketing, and email marketing can complement offline tactics like direct mail campaigns, local partnerships, and event marketing. Using a variety of approaches will enable you to reach a wider audience and engage customers through different channels.
Be Consistent
Develop a consistent brand identity and messaging across all marketing channels. From your website to your social media profiles and in-store displays, make sure that your branding, tone, and communication align. Consistency builds brand recognition and trust among customers.
Track and Analyze Results
Use tools like website analytics, social media metrics, and customer feedback to track key performance indicators. This data will provide insights into what strategies are working and where adjustments may be needed. Regularly evaluate your results and make data-driven decisions to continually improve your marketing strategy.
Your Path to Brick-and-Mortar Success
Brick-and-mortar businesses remain pillars of the retail landscape even as e-commerce grows. Physical stores still account for most of U.S. retail sales, proving they can thrive in the digital age. The key is implementing effective marketing strategies.
Fortunately, there is a large variety of both online and offline marketing tactics that you can implement. The best way to reach your target audience is to use a mix of marketing strategies that are right for your business and your target audience. You should also track your marketing results so that you can see what is working and what is not to help you improve your marketing strategy over time.
The most successful physical stores don't just rely on outdated methods. They reinvent brick-and-mortar marketing for the digital age. By implementing even a few of the strategies outlined, any small business can attract more customers, drive sales, and future-proof their business model.