Why a Bricks and Mortar Business Desperately Needs Digital Marketing
If you’re a bricks-and-mortar business, you need to understand the importance of digital marketing for your brick-and-mortar business. As more consumers turn to the internet for shopping, you’ll need to be visible online to attract customers and build customer loyalty. Digital marketing is an effective way to attract customers to your brick-and-mortar business and increase sales.
One of the biggest benefits of digital marketing for a brick-and-mortar business is the increase in foot traffic and sales. While most consumers still make purchases in the store, most will check online first before visiting the store in person. Increased awareness and increased sales can increase customer loyalty. But how do you use digital marketing for a brick-and-mortar business? Consider these tips. Let’s begin.
Web-based shopping has changed the retail industry. Nearly two-thirds of millennial shoppers conduct price research online before visiting a brick-and-mortar store. Your website needs to reflect this trend. Give customers valuable information on your website, such as your return policy or product range. And if it’s easy to navigate, it will attract customers and boost sales. And it’s not just online that will benefit your brick-and-mortar business.
As mobile devices put the wide world of the internet in consumers’ hands, they’ve changed the way we shop. Many mobile apps now allow users to pay for products by downloading an app. This poses a constant threat to brick-and-mortar retailers. Rather than fearing the constant digital presence of consumers, brick-and-mortar businesses should embrace it and learn to thrive on the internet. In fact, your mobile activity may even drive customers into your brick-and-mortar store!
As consumer expectations continue to change, brick-and-mortar retail will undergo a transformation. Stores will become the new face of brands, using back-of-house technology to enhance retail intelligence. They will be smarter and more responsive than ever, bringing shopping closer to consumers and enabling them to interact with the brand more effectively. Soon, brick-and-mortar retailers will have digitally connected devices, pop-up stores, and temporary market places. Ultimately, brick-and-mortar retail will be a clicks-and-mortar experience.
Brick-and-mortar retail doesn’t want to disappear. Consumers want convenience, and brick-and-mortar stores must adapt to this reality. In fact, more than half of consumers interact with brands via digital channels compared to brick-and-mortar ones. Therefore, a digital strategy will ensure greater profits for brick-and-mortar retailers. This means a digital strategy is essential to attracting and retaining the audience.
In addition to online and mobile platforms, brick-and-mortar retailers are also turning to digital technology to increase customer loyalty. With the advent of mobile payments and other digital technology, brick-and-mortar retailers are leveraging mobile apps to make their customers’ shopping experience even more efficient. For example, the Guides app by Bonobos collects customer information and helps sales associates find the right products.
The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively affected people and businesses all over the world. In Australia alone, the unemployment rate soared from 5.2% to 7.5%. Many traditional brick-and-mortar businesses have been left with minimal revenue. Innovative ways to survive in the current recession have emerged, such as online ecommerce, social media marketing, and search engine marketing. So what are you waiting for? Get started today!
A physical store should be located on a busy street. Digital businesses should advertise on websites where their target audience hangs out. Knowing where buyers hang out will help you expand your business. Using content marketing and SEO-driven blog posts can help attract more attention to your website. These methods can take time, though, as social media is slow to draw traffic. Regardless of the channel you choose, it’s essential to have an online presence in order to attract more visitors.