It's a tough market for brick-and-mortar retailers today. With major online stores like Amazon.com offering massive discounts on virtually every item imaginable, stores must take extra measures to draw customers in. The primary advantage physical retailers have over web-based outlets is the experience they offer shoppers. Going to an actual store where display tables and wall racks are organized elegantly and staff is eager to help trumps sitting at home alone on a laptop. Remember, the customer really is king, and if you want shoppers to come back again and again, you need to make them feel like royalty each and every time they visit.
Prim and proper
Even if you pride yourself on your store's down-to-earth atmosphere, there's no excuse for having a messy retail space. Customers who see clothing falling off the hangers or jewelry displays that are a jumbled mess probably wont' want to return any time soon. You should have at least one or two employees on hand at all times who are patrolling the floor making sure everything looks neat and tidy. After major traffic hours, you'll need to work twice as hard to get the store back into an organized and aesthetically pleasing state.
Attentive and smiling
Your staff plays a major role in how your store is perceived, so you must educate them on how to treat customers properly. This means no moping around behind the counter, and they must always mind their p's and q's. Beyond that, attentiveness is essential – employees should always be on the lookout for customers who need assistance. However, advise your staff not to be too over-eager when it comes to offering assistance – some shoppers prefer to do their browsing without being bothered.
That extra something
If you really want your shoppers to remember the experience they have in your store, you need to find something special you can offer that no other retailers in your area have. For example, if you run a beauty store, you may want to offer you customers a free gift bag for purchases over $50. You can simple stock sinamay bags with sample-sized lotions, ointments and perfumes. Free gift wrap is also something customers are sure to appreciate, as are complimentary samples of your products. Make sure your spread the word about the special offers you have by using store signs and sending out Tweets and Facebook posts.
