7 Ways to Increase In-Store Traffic

Driving in-store traffic is always a top priority for brick-and-mortar retailers. It is, after all, is the lifeblood of any physical store. And with consumers increasingly turning to ecommerce and subscription-based businesses to shop, it’s more important than ever for physical retailers to step up their foot traffic game.

Below are 7 ways to do just that.

Work those window displays

Window displays play a huge part in drawing customers into your shop. Your store could offer superb products and excellent customer service, but if it doesn’t look enticing from the outside, you’ll miss out on plenty of foot traffic.

That’s why it’s critical that your window displays be enticing, fresh, and relevant. Make sure they showcase your best products, tell stories, and update them frequently.

My favorite example of a retailer that does a wonderful job at this is Anthropologie, which has one of the most creative window display strategies that I’ve seen. Anthroplogie’s corporate headquarters chooses specific themes for their displays, but leaves it up to each local store to come up with their own interpretations. This enables each Anthropologie store to incorporate some local art and flavor in their window displays, while still being in line with the general theme that the brand wants to convey.

Offer in-store pick up

If you have an ecommerce site, you can use it to increase traffic by offering in-store pick up services.

Doing so will no only help drive more people to your store, it can also increase sales. A recent study has found that “about a third of shoppers would prefer to have an item delivered to a location other than their home, up from 26% last year, and many of those are choosing to pick up their orders in stores." 

Not only that, but about 50% of respondents have opted for in-store pick up, and 45% of them have bought something else during their trip to the store. 

Hold events

One of the best ways to attract customers (especially those who prefer shopping online) is to offer in-store experiences that other channels can’t match. For brick-and-mortar stores, holding events can usually do the trick.

When executed correctly, in-store events such as fashion shows and workshops allow people to socialize, shop, and have fun, while enabling you to drive traffic and get to know your customers. 

Ramp up your PR efforts

Getting yourself featured in the media—especially if the outlet is relevant to your target audience—can also help drive traffic, so keep grabbing those PR opportunities. Why not reach out to journalists or even bloggers in your space and invite them to one of your in-store events? 

Are you doing something interesting in your community? Get in touch with local publications or TV stations and fill them in on what you’re doing.

Keep in touch with existing customers

While you should continuously find ways to acquire new customers, be sure to exert the same (if not more) effort into your current customer bases. It’s much easier to invite existing customers back to your store than it is to convince new ones to visit you for the first time.

That’s why you should make it a point to keep in touch with your current customers. Send them emails on a regular basis, offer perks to your loyal patrons, and personalize the experience of shoppers based on their previous interactions with your brand.

All these efforts will not only keep you on the radars of your repeat customers, but they’re sure to communicate just how much you appreciate them. That in turn, will get them to come back. (And they might even bring their friends.)

Increase online visibility

Consider investing in SEO or even Internet advertising, so you can boost your online visibility. Most consumers conduct online searches to find and discover local stores, so getting your shop’s website and contact information on the first page of search results can do wonders both for your in-store and web traffic. 

Don’t have the budget for SEO or ads? At the very least, see to it that you’re listed on all major directories (like Google Maps) and review sites (like Yelp). These steps improve your “findability” and can help you get in front of the potential customers in your area. 

Measure your efforts

Don’t forget to measure your foot traffic initiatives. For example, if you’ve just updated your window display, measure the amount of traffic in your store using people counters or foot traffic analytics tools.

Did you just implement an email campaign inviting people to come in? Be more observant and see if you’ve had an increase in repeat visits as a result of that campaign.

Your turn

We hope the tips above gave you some ideas on how you can increase foot traffic in your store. Got anything else to add? Have you seen any interesting brick-and-mortar initiatives around driving traffic? Share them in the comments. 

Want more retail advice?

Check out the Vend Retail Blog, where we talk about trends, tips, and other cool things that can help stores increase sales, serve customers better, and be more awesome overall.