Getting new customers through the door of your store is more complicated than ever, with competition from online services and rapid delivery, so people don’t even leave their homes for a lot of purchases. Plus the go-to practice of blanket sales and discounts doesn’t resonate the way it once did, but there are alternatives to discounts.
(Image Cottonbro Studio, pexels.com)
A recent document from retail customer acquisition consultant SheerID provides “3 Customer Acquisition Strategies for Profitable Retail Growth.” Briefly, the three strategies are: “Create a clear value exchange” (WHO is your ideal customer and what do they value?), “Activate permissioned data” (Customers want to know unambiguously what they can expect) and “Share precise audience-specific offers” (Cut through the marketplace noise with offers tailored to your customers)
Beyond Discounting
In talking about the first strategy, SheerID provides “14 non-discount ideas to build relationships with verified retail customers.” Fourteen!
Are you trying to…
…make your brand synonymous with high quality and reliability?
1. Priority customer services
2. Free returns, shipping, or flat rate shipping
3. Free samples or complementary services
4. Bonus points
… strengthen brand affinity with access and recognition?
5. Unique product bundles
6. Early access to new products or special events like launch parties and pop-up shops
7. Product trials and feedback programs to test new SKUs or features
8. Behind the brand experiences, such as livestreams or Q&As with product developers
… build emotional connections through fun, purpose-driven experiences?
9. Sweepstakes and raffles tied to launches or seasons
10. Experience-based rewards, such as makeovers or factory tours
11. Gamification with points, badges, or entries
12. Giveback raffles to donate products in the winner’s name
13. Surprise and delight moments for unannounced rewards
14. Interactive programs partnering with influencers for live-stream activities
Each of these suggestions deserves an explanation and the document does explain a lot, but much more could have been said about each option. Not all of these options will be right for your store, but maybe they will spark some ideas.
