If you’re running a store, then you should already know just how important a good base of regulars is. Without regulars, you’re constantly trying to find new ways to appeal to a target market that you don’t fully understand. Whereas with regulars, you get to learn their interests and wants a lot quicker, meaning you can shape the business better to fit the target market. But how do you make those regulars?
Build familiarity
The one theme that’s going to run through all these points is emotional engagement. It might seem like a very small part of their day, but how customers are treated when they set foot inside your store is going to linger on their minds for quite some time. Teaching proper manners to your staff and how to handle customers is a start. But it’s even better with some genuine feeling about it. Create a positive work environment and treat your staff better if you want customers treated better. Even better, foster an idea of familiarity and building professional bonds. If staff remember customers and engage in conversation, it creates a positive social experience around the transaction.
Capitalize on impulse
Give people more reasons to stop by and you’re going to be making a lot more money. There are a lot of reasons people might stop in a store even if it’s not what you primarily provide. For instance, with machines from Honest Coffees, they might stop on their daily commute to get their morning coffee. If you have an ATM in the store, they might stop to use it. If you do scratch cards, they might stop for that. All these points give them more reason to stop by and while they’re doing that, you can capitalize on some impulse buys.
Create some incentive
You can get them to be more mindful about repeat shopping as well. The best way to do that is by creating a loyalty scheme. Offering discounts, exclusive deals, or even entries into a raffle or similar competitions can all be used as an incentive to convince people to keep coming back.
Be part of the community
People like supporting businesses in the community. If you hire mainly from the community you’re surrounded by, it’s a good way to start building those bridges. But you should look at partnerships you can make outside the business as well. Partner up with local businesses, for instance. Or you can go a step beyond and engage in some cause marketing. People care more and more about corporate social responsibility. If your business pairs up with a charity, it gives people even more reason to support the business. It creates emotional value to go along with the practical value of buying from you.
It’s simple. You have to keep giving people reasons to come back. The reasons should be emotional just as often as they should be rational. People shop at a place once because it’s a good decision. They keep shopping there because they have an attachment. Put that to practice.
