From the article: 50 Marketing Ideas for Retailers (Part 1)
It can be difficult to come up with new marketing ideas when we are so very busy operating our retail business. That's why I came up with 50 marketing ideas for retailers. Now I'm asking other retailers to share their marketing tips. Do you have a creative marketing idea that has worked for your store?
Mobile Marketing
- Technology is sweeping the world, by the end of 2011 half of Americans will own a smartphone. With mobile marketing you can send a SMS text message with your promo, special, or event. Over 97% of text messages are read. Text your audience 24/7 directly and individually! There's no better way to get your message across. BE WHERE YOUR AUDIENCE EYES ARE, on their phone! Create apps and mobile website systems!
- —Guest Bryan
Transform your laptop into a billboard
- I often use my laptop to show clients our product range, I recently purchased a laptop skin (of my company's logo) which creates a great talking point with clients.
- —Guest Damien
Follow us on Facebook Shirts
- Provide shirts to employees that they wear on special sale days that say Follow us on facebook with your facebook page link and a large qr code on the back. Make sure your employees understand what your doing on facebook and what they need to tell customers when they ask about it. You can buy these t-shirts for around $6.00 each. Ron Yatteau House Hasson Wholesale Hardware
- —ryatteau
Text message marketing
- Text message marketing is an opt-in marketing and runs very high return rates at costs averaging $70 a month. 93 % of americans have a cell phone-over 173 billion texts are sent MONTHLY-97% of those messages are read-83% are read within an hour of receiving them! These stats are from the CTIA and show the reach and speed of which text message marketing can produce.
- —TXT180
Marketing as extension of creativity
- I like the whole topic here, and my overall take is that marketing doesn't need to be looked at as something separate from the business itself. I would use the example here of writers. It is possible for a writer to position themselves in such a way that their marketing style is very similar to the subject of the book. Case in point: Tim Ferris
- —Guest Stephen Lloyd Webber
Packaging and Tissue Paper
- I am a new store owner and something that created a lot of feedback is the packaging and tissue paper I use to wrap their purchased merchandise. It is a simple yet stylish way to attract attention and create talk amongst customers. I found a place to buy in bulk which has also saved my store a lot of money.
- —mliv1
President
- Host a Special Event, perhaps a VIP new product showcase event, a themed event or just a happy hour event. Consider partnering with a vendor and a local group in your area to make sure your event is a success. Keys to successful special events include setting goals, promoting and marketing the event, offering exciting specials during the event and paying attention to the details needed to make the event a success. Special events can help drive sales in your shop. Sample events that have helped increase sales include: *"How to workshop" * Fashion show * Anniversary event * New product preview * Trunk show * Make-over event * There are hundreds of events you can host, be creative and have fun
- —Guest Sheryl Bindelglass
After-Sales Service
- Offer customers a warranty on products, free servicing of product up to a determined period.
- —Guest Ron
Staff pricing
- offer customers staff discount i.e. staff at company are allowed a certain percentage off when making purchases, the same can be offered to customers for a short campain period
- —Guest Ron
Get your business involved in community
- Every year we hold a blanket drive for the local Animal Shelter. We accept donations of blankets and any animal supplies or toys that people are done using. People like to pass on their items they no longer use to a place that could really use them AND they have to come to YOUR business to drop of their donations! We do the same a couple of times a year for various community services that could use the help and donations. We enjoy helping our community and our customers appreciate the fact that we care about our community. We also offer a 25% discount to foster parents in our community and surrounding communities. Most foster parents can use all the help they can get, and we get most of the foster parents as our customers! It is a winning situation for both parties and you get the satisfaction of community service as well!
- —Guest Rebecca Romeo
Think outside the box
- In addition to the usual advertising, we have hooked our clients up with mobile ads straight to their cell phone. Extremely easy, very cheap ($50/mo). I actually have taught my mother to be in charge of the ads!
- —Guest getme
Broadcast your voice
- Use voice broadcasting to send phone messages to your customers reminding them of upcoming sales or simply to thank them for their time.
- —obhappy
Tax Stimulus Program that works
- I own Whitehouse Floors and More in Whitehouse, TX. For the month of April we are returning our customers sales tax (up to $500) by way of a check payable to another merchant...not to the customer. We call it, Pass it On. I went to a number of merchants and signed them up as recipients of our payments. It didn't cost them anything. Many of them added additional discounts on top of mine. It's expensive, however, I'm getting a lot of positive PR.
- —Guest Max Anderson
Provide free gifts
- in present days when customer purchase anything,they want extra benifit or extra services,if the purchase your product you try to provide extra Gift,service than competitors.
- —Guest bhushan
Donate Old Merchandise
- Last year we gave some products that just weren't selling to a community organization for their Relay for Life fundraiser. We got to write off the donation and because we also placed each item in a bag with our logo and location, we had customers come in to the store for the first time and thank us for giving to such a worth while cause. It really was a win-win!
- —Guest Ann