The question we asked our interviewees is – What does it take to thrive and be a successful brick-and-mortar business in the digital age?
You can read their full answer bellow
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Lulu Albanna
Title: Co-Founder
Company: WRC Media
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lulu-albanna-b32836233/
Create a Memorable User Experience
The success of your brick-and-mortar establishment depends on your ability to establish long-lasting connections with customers. It’s common knowledge that a business can’t thrive without paying clients. As a result, you need to provide a seamless in-store and online shopping experience for your customers. Understanding your clientele inside and out is the first step. You want to know more about your clients than just their demographics, such as their pain areas, triggers, decision-making processes, and so on. Conduct in-depth studies of your target audience.
If you take the time to get to know your clients, you may create a service that’s perfect for them. Say, for instance, you discover that certain colors, typefaces, sizes, and messages are particularly well received by your target audience. Then, you can include these aspects into your store’s digital signage to improve its aesthetics and provide a consistent brand image that will entice people to return.
An excellent customer experience is the single most important factor in the long-term success of a brick-and-mortar business. To bring in and keep repeat business from existing consumers, you may also provide special discounts and deals on purchases made in-store.
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Frederic Linfjärd
Title: Director of Growth Marketing
Company: Planday
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/frederic-linfjard/
Added value to the brand:
Do you know what it means when someone says, “Content is king”? Customers are more likely to trust a company if it provides them with extensive product descriptions and customer reviews, an active blog, and other helpful and entertaining content such as videos. Customers are more inclined to buy from you and stick with you if they have confidence in your brand.
Offer Free WiFi to all customers.
Today’s customers simply expect free WiFi. Shoppers will feel more welcome and more likely to return if they are able to quickly and easily connect to the store’s WiFi and store the connection information on their device. These customers will be more inclined to bring their friends into the store and “teach them the ropes” of their new favorite hangout.
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Bertrand Theaud
Title: Founder & Director
Company: Statrys
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bertrandtheaud/
Engage with customers
I believe, that those days are a thing of the past; long gone are the days when you had to wait for your clients to actually enter your business before you could have a conversation with them. Now is the time to maintain a level of consistency in your efforts to maintain your connection with the individual with whom you are attempting to connect.
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William Kemper
Title: Owner
Company: kemper DMD
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kemper-dmd/about/
Providing Value
Respect yourself even when the world around you is moving forward. Having high regard for your company, its employees, and its goals would force you to emerge from your shell and keep you from seeing the road ahead. In addition, you must concentrate on increasing the perceived value of your offerings. In doing so, you’ll be able to identify and exploit any opportunities that you’ve missed so far. For example, if you love your staff, you’ll put in place stronger incentives for those who are continuously coming up with new ideas. You’d want to teach them how to improve their performance and get better results. Your connection with them will be strengthened, and they will be more motivated to perform their best for the company’s future. Because they are prepared to take chances without fear of losing their jobs, they will inspire others to do the same.
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Tim Parker
Title: Director of Marketing
Company: Syntax Integration.
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-parker-4089b82/
24-hour sales:
In the last two decades, retail has evolved into a 24-hour operation. Without an online presence, you’ll never have the opportunity to earn sales when you’re at home. If you have an e-commerce site, you don’t have to be present at all times or hire more staff because you don’t have to keep your business open 24 hours a day. Your products may practically sell themselves if you choose the correct eCommerce platform and develop an effective content and sales strategy.
Embrace the BOPIS Advantages (Buy Online, Pick Up in Store):
Customers appreciate the little things like these. Shoppers feel more at ease when they are given a small favor like this as a gesture of goodwill. Such an increase in BOPIS sales has been noted by big-name shops. Because of this, merchants have set up pick-up towers in-store to avoid crowding traditional customer service kiosks and to speed up the process for consumers making in-store pickups.
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Jeff Moriarty
Title: Marketing Director
Company: Moriarty’s Gem Art
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffmichaelmoriarty/
We have a family owned jewelry business outside of Chicago. It is made up of a brick and mortar location, as well as an online website. Over Covid we needed another way to increase sales when people were not shopping in stores. That is why we started doing live streams through Youtube and Facebook to our local and online customers (none of our competition was doing this). It was free, just took time to implement. These live streams were both educational and commercial in nature. The live shows allowed visitors to view our items, buy online and ask questions. We advertised these live streams through emails, our website, and social media. We are now getting about 2500+ viewers watching our show each time. Not only has it helped to stay connected with our customers, it has generated a ton of sales ($20,000 from our last month’s show) for our business. Now 10% of our annual sales come from our live Youtube shows.
This is something that any small business can do with little experience. We were able to do it, even being a small family owned business.
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James Rehm
Title: Chief Operating Officer
Company: Skuuudle.
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jr-uk/
Improved customer accessibility:
Having an e-commerce website in addition to a physical storefront expands your company’s reach globally. As a result, you are no longer limited to a single physical location or sales channel, allowing you to reach new and existing customers wherever they are.
Become a part of the Amazon family:
So what if you can’t beat them, you should join them? Because of Amazon’s low pricing and free shipping, many local firms have been wiped out. Although this has begun to shift. Third-party retailers are now welcomed by Amazon. They’ve even come up with a new way for small enterprises to sell their wares: a storefront. Today, the internet retail giant has more than a million small shops, and that number is steadily increasing. In fact, Amazon accounts for more than half of the revenue generated by small firms selling on online marketplaces like eBay and Amazon.
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Mathew Bowley
Title: Marketing Manager at Solmar Villas
Company: Solmar Villas
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mathew-bowley-86461184/
Attract the Attention of Social Media Platforms by Being Generous:
Donating to a local charity or fundraising event is a certain way to get free media coverage for your retail business. Knowing your target audience and selecting charities that are likely to appeal to that audience are important considerations when using any of the other tactics. If you can, volunteer to assist plan, or running the event, and wear your company’s emblem on your sleeve.
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Andrew Dale
Title: Technical Director
Company: CloudTech24.
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-dale-75a9a754/
Increased brand recognition:
Having a small or medium-sized firm does not preclude you from building a substantial clientele. In addition to allowing you to connect with international customers, taking your retail business online can help you attract local customers to both your online and brick-and-mortar locations. In order to get your eCommerce website to the top of the search engine results pages, and on the radars of potential customers, you need to employ a sound SEO plan. You may increase visibility, your site’s searchability, and both in-store and online sales by using an eCommerce system with SEO optimization features.
Increase Public Awareness by Sponsorship:
There is always a need for donations in the community for various events and organizations. Once again, think about who you want to reach and sponsor activities that are likely to appeal to that group. You may also promote your business and store by joining local Facebook groups or other community forums on social media. To sum it up, search for local opportunities that make sense for your target audience to spread the word about you.
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Andrew Spence
Title: Owner
Company: Brandconvert
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewdavidspence/
There are many ways to thrive and be a successful brick-and-mortar business in the digital age. First, it is important to have a strong online presence. This can be done by having a well-designed website and strong brand identity and using SEO techniques to help your site rank higher in search engine results pages. You can also promote your business online by creating social media profiles and posting creative and engaging content regularly and responding to comments and messages quickly.
Also, have a clear understanding of what makes your business unique and how you can differentiate yourself from your competitors. You need to be committed to providing excellent customer service and creating a positive customer experience. This includes offering good opening hours, responding to complaints quickly, and providing helpful information on your website. If you can do all these things, you’ll be well on your way to thriving and being successful in the digital age.
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Craig Wilson
Title: Director
Company: Gardeners Dream
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craig-wilson-608190212/
To thrive and succeed in a brick-and-mortar business during the digital age, it’s essential to ensure you have a healthy dose of online and in-person engagement and interaction. Many brick-and-mortar locations assume that, since they have a physical location, their online presence isn’t just as significant. You have to ensure you are still promoting yourself to the masses and reaching audiences near and far. Also, remember that you may have customers who want to buy from you who cannot physically come to your location. If you have a healthy online presence or an established website, you can expand your money-making opportunities and essentially make money while you sleep. This is an excellent way to supplement your income on days when you can’t get to your physical location or something happens and you have to close.
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Tiffany Payne
Title: Director Marketing
Company: Orangeries UK.
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiff-payne/
Selling Products Via the World Wide Web
If you run a physical and mortar business, you can still make money by selling your products or services online. Your website & social media pages should include links to your e-commerce site. Think of a simple and appealing item that you can boxed and sent, such a premium coffee mix, an irresistible dessert, or even your own name of salsa. Consider creating a new product for internet sales if necessary.
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Matthew Dailly
Title: Managing Director
Company: Tiger Financial
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mathew-bowley-86461184/
One of those “extras” that makes clients feel appreciated is this. When a simple favor like this is done as a courtesy, it fosters a sense of community and makes customers want to make further purchases when they walk in to pick up their orders. Large merchants have observed this rise in BOPIS sales. In order to prevent filling up conventional customer care kiosks and to speed up the procedure for consumers who go into the shop for pick-up purchases, some businesses have constructed in-store pick-up towers.
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Robin Antill
Title: Director
Company: Leisure Buildings
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robin-antill-0495572b/?originalSubdomain=uk
Pop-Up Shops / Shops
A pop-up store outside your business is one way to get more people excited about your brick-and-mortar location. During the last few years, pop-up shops have been increasingly popular among consumers. Because they’re only present for a short period of time, they’re popular with consumers. In order to get their mitts on some limited-edition goods, many people will queue up around the block. Invite an artist or designer to open a pop-up shop in their business and collaborate with them. New customers will be drawn to your store by the pop-up shop, and they will be able to see what your company has to offer while they are there.
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Robin Antill
Title: Chief Marketing Officer
Company: iFlooded Restoration
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiff-payne/
Cross-promotional collaboration could be an option.
What additional products or services, when viewed through the eyes of your target market, would pique the interest of your target audience? A coffee shop, wine bar, or spa, for example, might go well with an expensive women’s professional apparel company. If you’re stumped, head to the local businesses and talk to those other small company owners.
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Adrian Paul
Title: Head of Marketing
Company: NC CuttingTools
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nc-cuttingtools-55bb15246/
Organize live in-store marketing events:
Retailers must provide unique in-store discounts as well as experiences that customers can’t receive when buying online in order to attract the foot traffic required to keep their business solvent. This is your opportunity to arrange in-store promotional activities and exercise some creativity. Make sure to keep the individual client profile in mind when organizing promotional activities. Who are you attempting to draw in and what interests them? For instance, providing free drinks, free swag, or even other freebies are all excellent strategies to boost foot traffic and brand exposure.
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Patrick Johnson
Title: Owner
Company: C&H Essentials
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-johnson-b13252248/
Limitations of the Revolution in E-Commerce:
Brick and mortar stores will likely continue to exist even if internet retail is unquestionably moving the industry forward. Online shopping typically prioritizes accessibility and convenience, not the in-person experiences of checking on or sampling products before to purchase. To avoid the trouble of mailing back deliveries, consumers are unlikely to take the chance of making certain online purchases.
Many brick and mortar businesses have discovered how to play to their capabilities in order to attract clients by offering in-store exclusive deals, client appreciation events, or exclusive VIP membership sales. Many customers prefer going shopping in person to doing it online since it is regarded as a pleasure or recreational activity. When consumers need to make last-minute purchases or need products right away and can’t wait several days for delivery, they frequently buy in the traditional way.
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Michael Newman
Title: CEO/Plastic Surgeon
Company: Michael K. Newman Breast and Body Plastic Surgery
Linkedin: https://wwlinkedin.com/in/dr-michael-newman-132a755
For a brick-and-mortar business to thrive in the digital age, they must invest in building a seamless customer experience in both the physical and digital realms. The quality of your customer service must be consistent both online and in-store. Your clients should feel they can expect the same level of service whether they choose to see you in person or virtually. However, as a brick-and-mortar business, you have to pay even closer attention to your in-store experience because that’s what’s going to set you apart.
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Alvaro Moreira
Title: Chief Executive Officer
Company: Moreira Team
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/atlantamortgagebroker/
The key is to have a strong online presence while still being able to match your digital appearance with your brick-and-mortar business. A brick-and-mortar business is designed with great care and attention to detail, and you must copy it to your online presence. In this case, you’ve considered everything, from the room ambiance to the furnishings. Consider also how you may capture that energy while developing your internet presence. For example, if your business smells like coffee, utilize rich reds and browns to evoke that scent in your color palette. If your decor is mid-century contemporary, match the typefaces to the style. In our case, it contributed significantly to the traffic-sales ratio because our clients have also adapted quickly from brick-and-mortar to digital as an option. It’s imperative to note that small clues like this generate a sense of familiarity for anybody who is familiar with your in-person encounter. This will help brick-and-mortar stores to adapt to the current digital advancements while still preserving their physical presence.
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Kshitij Nigam
Title: Chief Marketing Officer
Company: Cheef Botanicals
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kshitij-nigam-89665980/
By selling online, you may supplement your revenue from your brick-and-mortar business. In our case, the brick-and-mortar store has easily adapted to the digital age because of an appealing online presence. I think it’s important to connect your website and social media profiles to your online store. If your main items are food or drinks, come up with a practical and successful item that can be bundled and transported, such as a gourmet chocolate blend, a delectable pastry, or your own version of chutney. Develop a new product that is specifically developed for online sales if appropriate. For example, if you own a salon, you may offer skincare or hair care items online. Concentrate on the social networking sites where your consumers are most engaged. A mailing list also allows you to communicate with your consumers and send out newsletters.
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Alice Smith
Title: Marketing Director
Company: Cicinia
Linkedin: N/A
Your website should provide plenty of contact options. You may provide a phone number, email, or contact form. You can also use a chat tool to capture leads and communicate more conveniently with them. By using digital marketing strategies like social media, email, and SMS marketing, you can convince customers why they need to visit your store. For instance, clothing brands may follow up with leads by promoting in-store sales. Engage customers on any channel – including online reviews – by creating a dedicated process.
Communicating effectively in-store also involves keeping your team connected on the floor. Make sure you don’t make a customer wait at a cash register while you run to the storeroom to check if an item is in stock. Thanks your customer for their visit, offer a discount on their next in-store visit, or suggest products they might like.
Brick-and-mortar stores won’t disappear, but the brands that survive will be the ones that adapt to a tech-savvy environment. Consumers are increasingly engaging with brands through digital channels, so it’s important to be available both in-store and online. Convenience is key, so you must be everywhere your customers are.
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Elisa Bender
Title: Co-Founder
Company: RevenueGeeks
Linkedin: /
Creating a personalized in-store experience can enable ease of motion when transitioning to a digital experience. Technologies like NFC and augmented reality make it a possible reality. For example, let’s say your customers visit your location on their birthday. On their arrival, they receive a push alert on their device through an NFC beacon. The alert informs them of their eligibility for a gift. All the customer would have to do would be to ask an associate. The team would be notified. They would greet these customers with a “Happy Birthday!” Human interaction has become a priority in these times. Brick-and-mortars are challenged to follow creative solutions with customer experience.
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Mark Buff
Title: CEO & Founder
Company: Profit Frog
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/profit-frog/
The digital age has made it pretty difficult for physical stores to thrive. But there is no reason why brick-and-mortar stores have to remain behind. The best way to thrive right now is to leverage the internet and engage your customers.
There are a lot of ways stores can connect with their audience online. Social media is your best bet. You have to create an enticing social media presence. Then regularly engage with your audience on your posts, comments and stories. Go beyond social media with email and SMS marketing. These strategies will help physical stores maintain an online presence and keep up with ecommerce businesses.
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Simon Bacher
Title: Founder and CEO
Company: Simya Solutions
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simonbacher/
In this digital age, improving your customer experience is a top priority. It’s true for both online and physical business models. But how one does it may be different. That’s because cart abandonment is what e-commerce stores focus on. But, it’s not a metric that needs attention for a successful brick-and-mortar business.
Hence, we use in-store marketing strategies. This encourages physical traffic, which is essential for boosting sales. So, don’t forget to hone your employees’ showrooming skills. It further enhances our in-house customer experience. Workers convince potential consumers to buy other products that they’d need.
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Angela Blakenship
Title: CEO
Company: Best Neighborhood
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angela-blakenship-090104214/
The best way for a brick-and-mortar business to thrive in the digital age is to create a hybrid experience across all customer touchpoints. You must think of a customer journey from the moment they encounter your brand online till the post-transaction communication. Try introducing options like buying online and picking up in person. Engage your customers in-store with augmented reality, digital on-screen catalogs, etc. It’s a great way to engage customers and make your store stand out.
Remember that buyers can always shop online. So, your in-store experience must be unique. Offer a personalized experience through NFC and AR. For example, customers can get gift alerts if they walk into your store on their birthday. This attracts more walk-in buyers. Thus, creating a profitable store.
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David Clark
Title: CEO
Company: Basement Guides
Linkedin: /
You can thrive in a digital age by customizing the in-store experience can enable ease of motion. It would be best to use NFC and augmented reality. For example, when a customer visits your store. You can send them a push notification. The notification can be received through an NFC beacon.
Brands can send promotional offers and discount codes through this method. Customers can even as the sales agents about the code. This can be redeemed at any physical and online stores. This measure helps create a connection between consumers and brands, which leads to brand loyalty.
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Tim Schroeder
Title: Founder
Company: Starting a Blog
Linkedin: /
The best way to help your brick-and-mortar business thrive in this age is to cultivate reviews. Reviews have become very important nowadays. Customers consult online reviews before visiting a store in person.
You must make sure that your business is eligible to be reviewed. It can be done by listing your company on Google My Business. GMB will make it easier for your customers to locate your store, in person and online. It will also allow it to appear in Google reviews.
Business owners should also register their company on any review site that is relevant to their products. For example, Angie’s List is perfect for businesses that provide home improvement services.
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Ava Martin
Title: Founder
Company: Quality Water Lab
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ava-martin1911/
It’s important to modernize and digitize your brick-and-mortar store to thrive in today’s world. You can do this by offering online selling and free delivery. These offerings will give more value and convenience to shoppers. Don’t be shy to think digitally; try sending them regular emails. You can use these emails to offer all the accommodations to make the buyer shop. By attracting online customers, you will also gain in-store customers especially locals. You can also provide incentives that cannot be availed online, like alterations of clothes or food tastings.
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Edward Mellett
Title: Founder/Co-Founder
Company: Wikijob
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edwardmellett/?originalSubdomain=uk
How to get customers interested in your company:
In my opinion, one of the best ways to increase store traffic is to cultivate ongoing relationships with regular customers. This is essential even if you only have a brick-and-mortar store, as mobile shopping cart abandonment rates average 85-89%. Once customers are in your store, you may use showrooming techniques and other in-store marketing tools to get them to look around and make additional purchases. Using digital marketing strategies like social media, email, and SMS marketing, you may encourage customers to visit your store by having a conversation about what they’ll get out of it.
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Adam Fard
Title: Founder & Head Of Design
Company: Adam Fard’ UX Agency
Linkedin: N/A
Cultivate an outlook that is open to change.
It’s my opinion Without a question, the pace of change is quickening. This is true not only in the professional world but also in our daily life. The days of a company implementing an initiative and then not having to make any adjustments to it for months, or even years, are over. This is not the case any longer. Since the business environment, today is in a constant state of flux, it is no longer feasible for an organization to take years (or even months) to implement a plan. Therefore, the company must foster a culture that recognizes the changing nature of business and promotes quickness of action. However, a company need not act on the impulse to be nimble. Proposed initiatives nevertheless require intensive monitoring and review to minimize any harm and make sure they adhere to the business’s goals and priorities.
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Michael Michael Hess
Title: eCommerce Strategy Lead
Company: Code Signing Store
Linkedin: N/A
Focus more on the needs of your customers.
I think it’s important to point out that Today’s client is king, especially in the highly charged social media arena. A company’s success or failure depends on them. Therefore, their requirements must be met. Despite how straightforward it may seem, a surprising number of businesses do not put customers first. Although management, the Board, and shareholder interests are all crucial, customers are ultimately responsible for a company’s success or failure. Fostering a customer-centric organization requires a shift not only in the company’s culture but also in its operations and approach.
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Gerrid Smith
Title: CMO
Company: Joy Organics
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gerrid-smith-1259622/
Merchandise that can be purchased in-store
So far as I can tell from personal experience There should be no drop in the quality of your client’s routine once they’ve arrived at your physical site. To provide excellent customer service, you need to have members of your staff present on the floor. Having a simple call button that alerts staff members to a customer’s need for help is another option. Customers of some businesses can even have a live chat with an agent as they shop at the physical location. To ensure the smoothest possible in-store experience, it is important to consider how your team members will remain in constant contact while working.
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Andreas Velling
Title: Chief Marketing Officer
Company: Fractory
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreas-velling-841082130/
ENHANCE IT AS A MANAGEABLE PRODUCT
Individuals and businesses alike are prone to fall victim to technological enchantment all too often. We love how well it works, but we’re also impressed by the status we may gain simply by owning a particular model or brand. Thus, it is simple to forget that technology is merely a means to an end. This means that the information technology (IT) used by a company must be adequate for its purposes. A company used to make do with the technology at its disposal. Due to the proliferation of suppliers, the availability of alternative approaches, and the potential for substantial personalization, this is largely unnecessary at present. The company may now put IT to use, and make any necessary modifications as time goes on.
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Austin Lugo
Title: Founder
Company: Theater 42
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/austin-lugo/
Theater 42 is the world’s first virtual arthouse cinema, with a brick and mortar location in Reno, NV. So for us, things are a bit different. We have the luxury of also functioning in the digital space. Our virtual theater allows us to provide exclusive content to people across the United States. But this business is fundamentally different than our physical location, and entirely independent.
Of course, we have the advantage of being able to advertise our physical space in the virtual world we’ve built, but to be honest, that’s not very good business practices.
To sustain our physical space, what’s most important is serving the community. This means offering services that can only be experienced in person.
So we encourage a talk positive environment in our theater. Instead of having concession workers, we have ticket ambassadors who know anything and everything about the movies in theaters. Before each film, we give a detailed background of the director, writer, and other key players. We host events for film festivals and celebrate local artists.
We do all of this because when it comes to a physical location, the experience is everything. We know that for most people, watching a movie on Netflix isn’t all that different from going to a theater. So it is our duty to prioritize an experience that is fundamentally different to provide more than just a film, but an experience.
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Peter Drow
Title: Head of Marketing
Company: NC CuttingTools
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nc-cuttingtools-55bb15246/
Adapt your systems or risk falling behind:
Although they already have a strong e-commerce platform, brick-and-mortar companies still need to adapt to modern digital norms. Simply selling your things online is insufficient. Nobody can afford to lose consumers in this economy, therefore if your software and systems are outdated, you may potentially be losing them. Online is the way of the future for many businesses, including retail.
Working with just an outdated system could prevent you from doing some types of transactions and put the security of your company at risk (like cyberattacks). Find an integrated payment platform that will accept all forms of payment to protect your business from risk. Although it may be costly upfront, it will pay off greatly in the long run for your business.
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Dean Lee
Title: Head of eCommerce
Company: 88Vape
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deanleeseo/
Cost-effective growth:
Internet business is far more affordable to launch than a traditional brick-and-mortar expansion. Forget about paying more rent, hiring more staff, or making modifications; entering the internet world of commerce needs very little expense. How did you create your website? To complete the task, no programmers are required. Regardless of your level of skill, the proper eCommerce platform should offer you all the services and resources you need to construct your website at a reasonable cost.
Expanded consumer base:
You expand your company’s market by adding an eCommerce website to go along with your physical store. You are no longer limited to a single physical location or digital storefront, giving you the freedom to reach potential and current clients wherever they may be—in your shop, on their mobile devices, desktop computers, or laptops.
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Dara Busch
Title: CEO
Company: 5WPR
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darabusch/
5W’s 2022 Consumer Culture Report set out to determine what influences consumer behavior and shapes the current culture around spending. The report reveals that the top three elements that inspire brick-and-mortar shopping include in-store experiences, sales staff support and advice, as well as an activity to share with friends. The commonality between these three elements and the key to keeping brick-and-mortar alive during the digital age, is that while you can attempt to replicate these elements through e-commerce the experience will never be the same. And this experience is what will keep consumers shopping brick-and-mortar. Our advice is to really hone into these elements–hire incredible people who are talented in customer service and build unique installations that will draw new and repeat customers through your doors.
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Christopher Falvey
Title: Co-Founder
Company: Unique NOLA Tours
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopherjfalvey/
The best way to thrive in the digital world is to make sure you’ve got a great digital presence. A lot of brick-and-mortar businesses don’t have up-to-date websites or information that is widely available on the internet and that is to their detriment. Relying on word of mouth works, but it only goes so far. Almost everyone is on the internet these days, so you need a website that is updated regularly and pleasing to the eye.
By keeping your website updated with things like opening times, holiday closures, and prices, you let them know that your website is active and the information on it can be trusted. If you have a great web presence and make it easy for customers to find you, you’ll be able to keep your business functioning and potentially bring in new customers.
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Alexa Allamano
Title: Owner
Company: Foamy Wader
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexa-allamano-aa36b919/
Brick-and-mortar businesses need to embrace an omnichannel approach in order to thrive in the digital age. Retailers can drive traffic online 24/7 by utilizing their high visibility and organic foot traffic. In late 2020 I took the innovative approach of opening a by-appointment-only storefront with QR code activated window shopping (a literal window shop). I monetized window shopping by merchandising a system of scannable QR codes within my window display, allowing me to capture sales and leads outside regular open hours.
Shoppers use their smartphone camera to scan the QR code next to an item in the window and be led to order that exact item on my website. One customer recently said it was “like shopping online IRL.” Since poor search navigation is the #1 pain point in online shopping, providing the QR to scan bypasses the need to search for an item online and gets the shopper three steps closer to checkout with a simple scan. QRs can also be used to capture new email subscribers, grow social media followers, and book appointments.
Customers have been raving about the QR code window shopping concept and how well it suits the trend for BOPIS. By popular request and due to my personal success with QRs I wrote my guidebook for retailers to incorporate this method (scantoshopsolution.com)
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Christine Brownstein
Title: Chief Marketing Officer
Company: Palaleather UK
Linkedin: N/A
It takes in-depth digital marketing research and face-to-face business experience to succeed an enterprise in the digital age. You would need to copy-paste, metaphorically, the brick-and-mortar business to the digital world, or the web. For instance, when you create a website, ensure that the font style, size, ambiance, color palette, and uniformity of a physical store can be found in your online page. You would need to have a resemblance of, if not fully imitate your brick-and-mortar store to save customer retention. You can also optimize the payment process and allow various option methods for different customers to ease their online shopping experience.
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