Keeping up with the competition can be hard when you’re going against big-box stores and online quilt shops. We’ve got four tips to set yourself apart so you stay in front of customers minds.
Approaching the customer
Keep the pressure off the customer by greeting them as they enter the store. Instead of asking “May I help you?” say “Nice to see you!” instead. The goal is to make them feel welcome, not to put them on the spot, and a greeting is the same as letting the customer know you’re there and available.
Hosting events
Think about it this way; there are two restaurants that serve essentially the same menu right across the street from each other. One restaurant has people inside and around it, and the other is empty. Which restaurant are you going to eat at?
It’s a proven sales tactic that if you make your retail store look like the place to be, more business will follow. Hosting events is a great way to ensure your store stays full—and just because we’re in a pandemic doesn’t mean that fun has to stop. Host virtual events, and personally invite customers to those events. You may want to keep some small (so they feel more exclusive) and others larger to continue to build community with your client base.
Encourage self learning
People like to help themselves. Many companies have guides that answer frequently-asked customer questions. What size needle do I need? What do different thread weights mean? Post these guides on social media (and don’t forget to tag the companies!) as well as by the product on your sales floor.
Optimizing your online presence
Encourage your customers to show off how they use your products on social media through store-specific hashtags. Make sure your website includes photos of employees, the facade of your brick-and-mortar store, and a video of the sales floor. Following these tips will help to set your store apart from the rest of the competition.
Inspiration for this post came from “Become the Go-To Quilt Shop,” by Kate Colleran, Joanne Hillestad, and Kris Poor, published in the June 2020 version of American Quilt Retailer.
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