By Joanne Kuipers

Not sure where to invest your Advertising dollars to get the best Return On Investment or even A Return? Not sure how much to invest?

Location

Location, location, location. This is the most important thing. If you don’t have the walk by traffic it will be very, very difficult to attract business. I would say this is more important than spending money on advertising.

There is a lot of competition out there! After investing a lot of money in the new arrivals it is difficult to find the money to spend on advertising. You have to make every dollar count. I have seen new businesses that are so excited when they open their doors that they spend their whole advertising budget in the first three months. Then in month four, when the new fall arrivals come, they don’t have money to promote that.

Plan your Marketing

It is very important to plan how and when you are going to promote your business a year in advance. That way you will get a more effective plan and it will cost you less. More bang for your buck.

Newspaper or Local Magazine

 If you are just starting out contact these local sources of media and ask them to come by for your Grand Opening. They will do an editorial and take picture of your new business, all for free. People are more likely to read that than an ad. They will ask you to advertise with them. Ask them for their rates. With that information you can plan how much you will spend with them. And when placing ads always ask for a discount. They will give it to you, in fact they will expect you to ask. Also, tell them that you want your ad to appear on the upper right page nearest to the front as possible. People will look there first. And lastly, if your budget is tight, only advertising here when you have a sale. If they ask you to advertise here and there, just say no thanks, ‘I have my budget set for the year’. That will take the pressure off of you when they call.

Pick Your Target Market

You can’t cater to several niche markets at the same time. Pick your target market, whether it is teens, middle-aged, casual, or business

Retail Merchandising

Set the right mood the second your customer enters the door. Use lighting, music, décor etc to make them feel good and excited about coming into your store. Train your sales staff to smile and greet your customers by asking ‘How can they help’ your customers.

Direct Mail

This tool works for this type of business if you use the right offer. Don’t offer discounts, offer dollars off based on your average sale. For more information see the Direct Mail section on this site.

On-line and Email Campaigns

Suzy Shier does this best. Go to one of their stores and sign up for their membership. With that you get a card for special discounts and you are put on their email list. Even if you are a small independent retailer you can do this very effectively. They send weekly emails of their new arrivals and special promotions. It is a low cost way for you to keep in front of your customers. You can choose how often you will do this. Your manufacturers might be able to supply artwork.

When customers come in to shop ask them in a low key way ‘How can I help you?’ I like it when people ask me that as I like the assistance and attention. The number one reason why businesses lose customers is not because of sub-standard product or service, it’s because of customer indifference. Make people feel good and they will come back and tell their friends.

Member Cards

This is becoming more popular. One reason is that it creates customer loyalty. People have been becoming less and less loyal and more price conscious. Just look at the big box and discount outlets. You can set yourself apart from these and become a more attractive business for your customers by giving them personalized service and reward points etc for their loyalty. La Senza, Susy Shier, American Eagle all use membership cards. I have seen small, independent stores use them as well.