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*You might have heard that it takes only seconds for someone to form a first impression of you. The same holds true for a business.
"We're judging how warm and trustworthy the person is, and that's trying to answer the question, 'What are this person's intentions toward me?' And ...'How strong and competent is this person?'" social scientist Amy Cuddy told Wired.
So, since you only get one shot at showing off your business' trustworthiness and competence with a good first impression, it's important to make it count by making your business stand out from the competition. Below are some tips to help customers want to come to your business and invite their friends, too.
Find the right location
"What good is it if you have a great staff and awesome merchandise but no customers? You should choose a location that has a high traffic count," Smith wrote.
People will make time in their schedule to find their favorite well-known franchises but are less likely to go out of their way for a lesser-known retail store they don't know much about. Other factors affecting location are if your business is high-end or low-end and if there are competitors nearby (which you don't want). This is why it's crucial for a local retail store owner to take the time necessary to find the perfect location to gain the business needed to get the ball rolling and make a good impression.
The moment customers step in to your shop, those first few seconds they take to look around their surroundings will decide whether they want to stay or not.
Purposely design the interior
"The moment customers step in to your shop, those first few seconds they take to look around their surroundings will decide whether they want to stay or not," wrote Anna Dizon for fitsmallbusiness.com.
Steps to take when designing the interior of your store include:
- Make the windows shine
- Add background music
- Incorporate good lighting
- Match the inventory with your store's theme
- Establish a path that your customers can easily follow: "a well-thought-out path can be a great way to strategically control the ebb and flow of foot traffic in your store," Humayun Khan wrote for Shopify.com.
Hire great staff
"As employers, it’s key to … train associates to best represent their stores. Retailers who successfully run their businesses recognize the value in their associates and not only train them, but train them often," wrote Nicole Leinbach-Reyhle, a contributor to Forbes.
Employees are the face of your company, so hire people who will meet customers' needs, understand and emulate their specific job descriptions and provide valuable knowledge and information about the company's products and services.
Provide excellent customer service
Along with hiring great staff, customer service is key to retaining customers. Your customers are choosing to get in their car and drive to your store instead of shopping online, so make it a positive experience for them. For example, some stores have drink holders in their carts so customers can sip their coffee while shopping. Other stores provide complimentary fruit so children stay happy while their parents shop.
"Customer service isn't just telling a customer 'hello'; it's also about helping them to their car with their packages and making sure they had a great experience while shopping in your store ... Treat your customers with respect, and always go the extra mile for them. Word of mouth is priceless — your best advertising can come from a happy customer," according to Entrepreneur's Devlin Smith.
Reward loyalty
Customers like to be appreciated, and one way to do that is with a loyalty program. It's an easy way to connect and establish a relationship with the customer, and it's a win-win for the customer and the retailer.
"Customer loyalty programs are becoming increasingly popular and are especially important to retail business success. In fact, Nielsen found that 84 percent of consumers are more likely to choose retailers that offer such a program, and 59 percent report that they’re available where they already shop," according to Alexandra Sheehan at Shopify.com.
Be organized
One last vital thing to do to ensure your customers have a good impression of you and your business is to minimize clutter and stay organized. For example, display items where your customers can easily see and reach them, arrange by category, maintain store cleanliness and optimize the interior layout.
You can find outher ways make your store and business stand out. For more ideas, visit advancedisplays.com.
