You connect with customers at various times and places throughout the day. One customer might open an email promotion on their morning commute, while another likes your post while they watch TV at night.
During all of these times, your customers pay varying levels of attention to your brand and might miss what you have to say. However, there is one place where you have a customer’s full attention — inside of your store.
In-store marketing is one of the most effective ways to reach your customers, because you already have the attention of engaged prospects and warm buyers. But, not every business uses it.
These companies are missing out. Find out what you might be missing if you’re not using in-store marketing and failing to connect with customers when they walk through your door.
You Can’t Control the In-store Customer Experience
Your customers want to believe they’re buying from a trustworthy source that offers quality products and top-notch customer service. If you’re not using in-store marketing, you can’t provide this high level of connection and positive customer experience. You can’t control the messaging and experience that your customers receive at your location.
Instead of your customers listening to overhead music while they relax and wait for one of your staff members, they will hear the construction next door. If your customers don’t see digital signage with your website and social information, they won’t know that they can turn to you.
Your customers will make their own decisions about your brand because you didn’t control how your store looks, sounds, and feels.
When your customers enter your store your business, they are prospects who are still considering a purchase. If you’re not using in-store marketing, you can’t drive them toward buying. Plus, a terrible in-store experience can even send them running for the door before they buy.
You Spend More Trying to Sell to New Customers
If you’re not marketing to customers who are already in your store, then you’re missing out on the increased efficiency of sharing your message with a willing audience. Most companies find that it’s five times cheaper to market to an existing customer than a new customer. Your existing customers are more likely to listen to your message and take action because of it.
The probability of selling to an existing customer is 60-70%, while the probability of selling to a new prospect is 5-20% percent. Furthermore, existing customers spend an average of 31% more than new customers.
If you expect a strong ROI for your marketing efforts, don’t let your customers leave without hearing about your latest sale or sharing their contact information with you for future promotional efforts.
Your Customer Churn Rates May Remain High
Customer churn occurs when your customers leave your business and never return. Every company has churn rates on some levels, though some churn rates are healthier than others.
For example, it’s normal for a baby clothing store to experience churn when infants grow into toddlers and beyond. However, a mechanic wouldn’t want a sudden increase in churn rates as customers leave for the new shop down the road.
In-store marketing gives you the opportunity to connect with buyers personally and prevent customers churn. By offering features like free customer WiFi and engaging video content on in-store screens, you can help customers relax and focus on your products or services. Positive experiences mean fewer lost customers.
If you can keep your existing customers and continue to acquire new ones, you can grow your business and succeed for the next several years.
Your Miss Opportunities to Upsell
As we saw earlier, existing customers spend an average of 31% of more than new customers. This creates a unique in-store marketing opportunity to grow your average ticket. Your customers all do mental “risk/reward” calculations in their heads when they buy, and the risks are significantly lower to try new things in customers who are already familiar with your brand.
Often, business owners fail to upsell to customers, thinking their minds are made up. However, there are multiple ways you can grow your sales even if your customers only spend a few dollars more than they planned:
- Offer combo options for customers who buy multiple things at once.
- Promote or discount more expensive items that returning customers might try.
- Develop a loyalty program with different sales levels that your customers have to reach.
- Place impulse buys around the store or near your check-out counter for customers to try and buy.
Each of these options will change user behavior in different ways, but they will all change what your customers buy and how they buy from you. If not using in-store marketing, you could be missing chances to create these valuable upsells.
You Can’t Connect With Customers Once They Leave Your Store
In-store marketing is also essential for connecting with customers outside of your store. During the in-store buying process, you can promote your social media channels and encourage customers to sign up for text alerts and other notifications. You can also collect customer email addresses through WiFi marketing.
When you collect customer data from new shoppers and strengthen your relationship with existing customers, you can then market to them at a later time.
Your marketing efforts follow a cycle. The purchase isn’t the end of the process, but rather the first step on their journey to buy from you again. The marketing tools you employ in your stores can help them along the journey and convince them to return soon.
Discover New Ways to Market to Customers In Your Store
If you’re not using in-store marketing, you might be missing out. There are dozens of benefits to marketing to your customers when they visit your business, from reducing churn to catering to a willing audience. All of these tactics improve the customer experience and improve your brand in the eyes of customers.
For more tips on marketing to customers in your store, check out our guides on improving customer experiences. They include many tips and tools that help you grow and retain your customer base.