If you’re running a clothing store, no matter its size, there’s little likelihood of it ever being a success without a strong customer base. Catering to customers alone, retail industries must work hard to attract them to their bricks and mortar shops, and invest in engaging positively with customers to increase sales. With online sales having increased in popularity exponentially, your clothing business must put extra effort in to compete with online clothes shops, but fortunately, there are a variety of simple ways to do exactly that, and here are 7 of them:
1. Make your signage enticing
Wherever your clothing shop is located, you’re going to need some attractive and engaging signs to draw people in from the street, and turn window shoppers, into paying customers. Think of your signs as branding for your business, and as such, make sure that they reflect your brand’s mission and personality as accurately as possible. for more engaging interactions.
2. Make your window displays enticing
Once you’ve got an attractive sign outside your shop, you can turn your attention to your window display. Instead of just having a couple of stiff mannequins dressed up in clothing that you sell, why not take the time to design an intriguing window display that evokes some sort of emotion in shoppers? If you’re having a sale or want to display something more detailed about the items of clothing being displayed, invest in some catchy, easy-to-read clothes stickers, and give window shoppers an extra reason to step inside.
3. Create a welcoming shopfront
From small things such as keeping the entranceway free from litter, to a lick of paint every six months, what your shopfront looks like, says a lot about your shop, and your business as a whole.
4. Give excellent customer service
How customers are treated while inside your shop can be the difference between someone who goes on to make a purchase, and someone who never wants to set foot in your shop again. Giving excellent customer service, right from answering simple in-store customer queries to billing, is easy to achieve with the right training, and is always worth investing in.
5. Have effective clothes stickers
When a customer enters a shop, they don’t want to have to ask a shop assistant for the price of an item they’re interested in, or whether it’s included in the sale. As much information as possible should be displayed on each item of clothing, from sizing to sale stickers, and a well-designed, colourful clothing sticker can say a lot.
6. Give weary shoppers a rest
From bored husbands to grumpy teenagers, there will always be those customers in your shop who don’t really want to be there and certainly don’t want to stand around on shop-weary feet while they wait for their friend or family member to try on umpteen different outfits! So, give them some comfy seating to relax on while they wait, and they just might recommend the experience to others!
7. Work on your email list
Sending out emails to registered customers is still an effective way to inform them about sales and promotions – despite the growing popularity of social media advertising – and is an easy and affordable way to keep in touch with them and keep them updated.
From an inspiring shopfront to vibrant clothes stickers, there are a multitude of ways to help your clothing shop compete with online retailers, and most of them don’t cost a fortune, either.
