Retail consultant Bob Phibbs advises small business owners to focus on what strategies they can control rather than bemoaning the tough market conditions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a recent blog, the Retail Doctor noted that most businesses that have survived so far had to first change how they do business. Here are a few of the highlights of strategies Phibbs shared to attract more customers:
- Get more cars in your parking lot. A nearly empty lot discourages shoppers from stopping. If you’ve always required employees to park in back, allow them to park near your storefront to look busy, then move out of the way when you’re busy.
- Establish an online presence and learn as much as you can about attracting fans via social media, engaging them with live videos and keeping them buying from you with livestreaming.
- Work on connecting with your employees as a person, not as their boss or the owner of the business. If you make your employees feel good, they’ll transfer the feeling to customers. Happy customers buy more, which is your goal.
- Fill up your Google My Business page. Use video, post updated pandemic hours and new products and promotions. Remember that most customers start their purchase journey online so it’s important to have useful information to offer them there.
