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Showing posts with label Increase. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Increase. Show all posts

Tuesday, August 6, 2013

7 Ways to Increase Foot Traffic to Your Small Business

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AppId is over the quota

Late last year, I hosted a web chat with the SBA offering holiday marketing tips and ideas to small business owners. And while many business owners submitted questions relating specifically to the holidays, a large percentage of the questions centered on that age-old question: “How do I get more foot traffic to my store?”

Here are seven tried and tested steps you might want to consider:

1. Start from the outside and look in

If you are in a pedestrianized area, get to know who passes by your store. Literally, sit outside or close by your window and assess the demographic of who comes and goes. Do they window shop? Have they come from another store close by first?

Next, take an objective look at your signage and window display–does it appeal to your target demographic or buyer? For example, if you run a coffee shop and most of your business is done during the hours of 8 AM to 10 AM, think of ways to optimize your merchandising and window display to attract more buyers during these times. This could be as simple as using this time to hand out coupons outside, offering bakery samples to passersby, or promoting your latest offers using sidewalk signage.

2. Host a community event with a newsworthy tie-in

One of the best ways to increase foot traffic is to host a community or charity event. A great way to do this and get noticed is to tie it to a topical event. Say, for example, your local NFL or high school team is playing a critical game. Consider teaming up with other businesses nearby to offer game-day promotions/offers or a tie-in event. Host the event as a block party or at a central location downtown (even if you have to take your business on the road for a few hours). Don’t forget to be community-oriented—consider donating a portion of your profits to charity.

Feature the event ahead of time on your website and social media. For maximum impact, don’t forget to contact local media outlets—including radio channels—and email and mail out fliers to your contact list. 

3. Host a seminar or workshop

Both retail and service-based businesses can generate a good deal of foot traffic by educating their customers about how to get more out of what they are buying (even if you don’t make a sale that day). Florist shops could host a flower arranging class or realtors could host a house-staging workshop to attract potential sellers. And of course, publicize your event—in-store, online, via press releases and advertising.

4. Use location-based services to attract passersby

You don’t have to be a tech wizard to promote your small business using mobile apps that target consumers in the vicinity of your business. Groupon, Living Social, FourSquare and ThinkNear among others let you post information about your latest offers and limited-time deals to consumers within a certain distance of your business. You can also schedule deals to get delivered during key hours, for example, if you’re looking to boost foot traffic during off-peak times.

5. Engage old customers in new ways

It’s always refreshing when a store or restaurant you’ve frequented for some time starts doing something new. And thanks to the power of social media, doing something new or different and doing it well can quickly go viral.

So think about ways you can get the attention of older or existing customers. It could be as simple as offering a new type of discount (it may sound obvious, but offering something of value at a discount for a limited period of time can be attention-grabbing) or letting customers know about a new product or service you’ve added.

A straight-out sale is always a great way to bring old customers out of the woodwork. Send out an email or e-newsletter to your contact database and post it on social media. You might even host a secret sale first for a hand-selected group of customers.

If your business is service-oriented, consider offering a referral fee to existing customers who bring in new clients for you.

6. Put on your small business customer service hat

There’s a reason why consumers opt to frequent small businesses over larger chains—personal relationships. A smile, great service, product knowledge and enthusiasm will bring customers through your door and keep them coming back. So as you host new events, sales or workshops, use your small business advantage to the max!

7. Stay in touch

Staying top of mind with new and existing customers who you’ve engaged through your new efforts is not just about offering great products and services. It’s also about staying in touch.

If you host an event that brings in new customers, encourage them to sign up for your emails. A little incentive, such as a free giveaway in exchange for an email address, is always effective. Then stay in touch, set-up an e-newsletter program, send out regular updates about new product lines, company news, and events and start to engage with your customers via social media. (For tips, check out this blog).

What tactics have you used to increase foot traffic to your small business? Leave a comment below.

Caron_Beesley's Profile PictureCaron Beesley is a small business owner, a writer, and marketing communications consultant. Caron works with the SBA.gov team to promote essential government resources that help entrepreneurs and small business owners start-up, grow and succeed. Follow Caron on Twitter: @caronbeesleyTags: Community Blogs, Small Business Matters, Managing, Marketing

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Thursday, August 1, 2013

July Webinar Series- How to Increase Sales During the Travel Season

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AppId is over the quota

According to the Office of Travel & Tourism Industries’ 2013 Spring Travel Forecast, international travel to the United States is expected to increase through 2018. And a recently released report by the U.S. Travel Association indicated that in 2012 spending by international travelers to and within the U.S. increased 10.5 percent.

With the travel and tourism season underway, the SBA will be hosting a series of webinars throughout the month of July. This series will help small businesses capitalize on increased traffic throughout the remainder of the season. It will also provide participants in the tourism and travel industries with advice on how to sustain their businesses in the off-season.

Participants will hear from experts like Alex “Papu” Rincon, SBA’s 2011 Young Entrepreneur of the Year, Fed Lona, Senior Director for Supplier Diversity at Hilton Worldwide, and others. Topics will include the hospitality industry, adventure firms, corporate contracts, and convention preparation.

The SBA counsels an estimated 10,000 travel- and tourism-related small businesses annually.  In 2011, travel and tourism related businesses constituted almost 12 percent of SBA’s business loan guarantee program. In addition, small businesses in travel and tourism-related industries were awarded $1.5 billion in federal contracts in 2011.

The series supports the Task Force on Travel and Competitiveness’s National Travel and Tourism Strategy. The goal of the Strategy is to increase travel throughout the United States and draw 100 million international visitors to by 2021. This influx of visitors is expected to generate $250 billion annually.

Here’s a list of the upcoming webinars:

Tuesday, July 9th – 3pm EDT

Topic: Hospitality Industry Insider Tips Steve Densham, Hospitality Specialist Vermont Small Business Development Center (VtSBDC)

Wednesday, July 10th – 3pm EDT

Topic:  Accessing Corporate Hospitality Contract Opportunities Fred Lona, Senior Director for Supplier Diversity Hilton Worldwide

Thursday, July 11th – 3pm EDT

Topic: Maximizing Your Small Business Success During Large Events Ron Williams, Co-Founder FunkJazzKafe Music and Arts Festival

Thursday, July 11th – 5pm EDT

Topic:  Creating Lifestyle Culture for Adventure Firms Alex “Papu” Rincon, Owner Four O Six

Prior to the webinars, participants are invited to submit questions via Twitter, to be answered during the webinar. Tweet your questions to @SBAgov.

These webinars are free, but registration is required. 

Hi, my name is Natale and I'm serving as a Moderator for the SBA Community. Our goal is to continually improve this site to meet your needs, so we appreciate your feedback and participation.Tags: Official SBA News and Views, Open For Business, SBA News and Views

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