Dear Small Business Owner,
If you’re reading this, it’s evident you are looking for solutions to grow your business. If you have a brick and mortar business, defined as a business that is located in a building and relies on customers physically coming into the store for you to make sales, let’s talk.
Has foot traffic decreased over time? This is a common concern amongst many other small business owners, not just you. And it’s not your fault. The truth is that things are changing…and people are changing as well.
There was a local women’s retail shop that was struggling with getting customers to come into the store. It was well kept, stylish, in a good location, and sold awesome items but people weren’t coming in. Why? The shop’s owner and I talked about it one day as I stood in the store and saw several cars drive by and several people walk by with their dogs. She mentioned Amazon, Etsy, and other online retailers that just seemed to have all the sales. So naturally she considered selling items online but she didn’t know how or where to start. She figured she’d hire someone later to handle that part while she would continue to manage the store location. “Now why would anyone want to torture themselves with that challenge? There’s an easier solution.”, I thought.
It’s incredible how Amazon went from selling books to selling just about anything your heart desires. Jeff Bezos started the company with $100,000 loan from his parents and the rest is history. The idea that people would buy enough books online to make a multi-billion dollar company was just unheard of at that time and quite unbelievable to many (obviously not to his parents though—they believed in him!).
Do you want to get more customers? Do you want to know how to get started in social media, digital marketing, and e-commerce? Do you want to know how to keep customers coming back regularly?
Well here is the first step: Change your thinking concerning your storefront. If you have a brick and mortar storefront, your plan should be to move that business to eventually be 100% online.
If you have a brick and mortar storefront, your plan should be to move that business to 100% online. Click To Tweet
Unless you provide a product or service that must be delivered face-to-face to customers, your strategy should be to take your physical business and transform it into an online business. To give you an example, restaurants must have a physical location. Chiropractors and doctors must have a physical location. Salon owners must have a physical location. Wait…let’s reframe that. Even chiropractors, doctors, and salon owners are transitioning to providing “house calls” versus having a brick and mortar business so why shouldn’t you?
Amazon is an example of how just about anything can be sold online. As a small business owner with a physical location, you should make the most of your 3-year lease (commercial leases are typically 3-5 years minimum). Use this time to build deep relationships with your customers so that once you transition to being 100% online, you’ll still have their loyalty.
The transition from brick and mortar to e-commerce can be done successfully, but you need to have a strategy and start executing as soon as possible. When you first open your doors, you should be having conversations with customers and collecting as much information about them as possible so that you know what they want and need. This will allow you to best serve them now and in the future.
The transition from a brick and mortar store to e-commerce can be done successfully, you just need a strategy and start ASAP! Click To Tweet
Are you wondering how to make the switch? We can help you develop a strategy to a sustainable long-standing business without the overhead expense of maintaining a building. Let’s get started before it’s too late! Click here to contact us today.
Regards,
Monique Mills
Founder & Principal of TPM Focus
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