Slow & Steady: Attracting Customers During Your �Off` Months

We all have off days sometimes. You know, when you get up on the wrong side of the bed, feel completely drained of inspiration and break the toaster before you`ve even gotten dressed? Your business has off days, weeks, and months as well, when foot traffic and sales slow, and, as a retailer, you panic.

First off, it`s important to remember that it`s normal for a business to go through ebbs and flows. But there ARE things that you can do to combat those off months. Here are a few ways to give your biz a boost when it`s feeling "blah."

1. Recognize WHY the Store is Slow

Some slow periods can be predicted, like the time following the holidays, when shoppers just want a break from retail or the off-season for a destination store. Stores in colder climates may know that their sales go down in the winter, because customers are unable to get to them.

Merchandise may be another reason for slow sales: your merchandise doesn`t have a strong demand at the time, you aren`t accurately letting customers know about the products you have for sale, or a competitor is selling similar products nearby. These factors are much harder to predict than others. But it`s CRUCIAL to be able to spot the reason that customers may not be coming in and making purchases, so that you can alter your strategy to boost sales despite of the obstacle. For instance, if it`s weather that is keeping customers away, consider highlighting products available in your online store, or make sure customers know that your sidewalks are shoveled and you are OPEN! If a nearby competitor is selling similar items, do some competitor research. Why would a customer want to shop with YOU and not THEM? Add some of these details to your website and add them to your social media posts. You might also be able to advertise to your competitor`s page on Facebook, check the Interests section of Facebook Ads to see if your competitor shows up (or the consumer known brands you carry). Knowing what is holding customers back is your first step to getting them back in your store. �

2. Throw in a Bonus

Customers aren`t flooding your store? Give them a reason to. 71% of people follow businesses on social media to get promotions and discounts according to Social Times, which means shoppers LOVE a good deal or a freebie, and they will make a special trip to a retail store if they know they will be getting a bonus. A bonus could be in the form of a coupon, a discount, a free gift with purchase, or a gift for the first ____ people who come into your store. Events and attractions can also be bonuses. For instance, have a jewelry expert in to appraise old family jewelry, and give a discount on NEW jewelry to anyone who gets an item appraised. You can even tie in the reason that customers aren`t coming into your store into your bonus. For example, if winter weather is halting sales, highlight diamond earrings at a special price, saying, "You`ll LOVE this ice!" �

3. Think Like Your Customers

Get in the heads of your customers to find out what would motivate them to shop. Write down some creative ways to get more foot traffic in your slow season, like:

Free gift wrapping
Free card with purchase
BOGO
Free jewelry organizer with purchase
Discount for anyone who sings "Diamonds Are a Girl`s Best Friend" in store
Free cleaning
Discount for future purchase
Flowers with purchase

4. Get Some Help

If you could use some more help getting your store out of its slump, check out the Social Edge Rainy Day Kit! The kit includes:

Training videos with creative ideas on how to drive store traffic with discounts and events
A pop-up sale checklist
An inspirational list of promotion ideas
50 social posts to boost sales
10 tips for getting more customers on a slow day

If you have any tips on getting foot traffic into your store during a slow time, I`d love for you to share at facebook.com/heycrystalmedia. RDI Diamonds pays for 25% of jeweler`s Social Media subscriptions, meaning you can access the Rainy Day Kit plus several other social media training courses for just $97/month or $747/year (normally $997). Visit socialedge.co to learn more, and use the coupon code RDIDiamonds to save $250.