15 ideas for attracting customers to your store

Think about customer attraction measures in three layers.

When a store is having trouble attracting customers, it is often not because the number of measures is insufficient, but because the types of measures are uneven. I'm in a state where I'm always using SNS, and I'm always posting discounts.

The measures are broadly divided into three layers. ``Create a topic'' to get people who don't know about your store to know about it, ``new visit'' to get people who know the store to come, and ``return visit'' to get people who have visited the store to come again. These three have different purposes, time taken to produce effects, and methods of measurement.

You can generally tell where your store's weaknesses are by looking at the numbers. If there are many passers-by but few people enter the store, there is a problem with the storefront, if the customers who come once do not return, there is a problem with the experience, and if the store is not recognized in the first place, there is a problem with creating a buzz.

Measures to create topics (widen awareness)

01 Continuous communication on SNS

This is the most basic measure. However, it all depends on whether you can keep updating, and posting a few times a month will not accumulate recognition. Please check first whether you have a system that can be operated.

02 Collaboration with influencers

The difference between success and failure is whether you can choose callers who match your own customer base. Rather than looking at the number of followers, look at whether the people who are responding to a person's posts are within walking distance of your store.

03 Press release

New initiatives may become articles. Local media, in particular, will pick up on elements that aren't available elsewhere.

04 Setting up a shooting spot

Place objects that customers will want to take and post on their own. This is one of the few ways to spread awareness without spending on advertising.

05 AI robot installation

Robots that move and interact with people attract attention at stores and generate photos and posts. Since it is still rare, it is currently a great measure to create a buzz.

Measures to attract new customers (attract customers)

06 Review of storefront

Signage, lighting, and entrance visibility. It takes a few seconds for a passerby to decide whether it's a good store to enter. If this is weak, no matter how much awareness you spread, it will not change the number of customers who enter the store.

07 Attraction

The most effective way is to have someone speak to you, but it takes a lot of human effort. You can also choose to leave guidance and invitations to robots, allowing your staff to focus on customer service.

08 Limited time project

Create a “reason for going now.” Unlike permanent discounts, they act as a trigger for customers to visit the store.

09 Opening a store at local events

Go outside the store and make connections. The purpose is to get people to know about the store rather than selling on the spot.

10 Cooperation with nearby stores

Partner with stores that have similar customer bases and are not competing with each other. You can increase the number of points of contact with less effort than using it alone.

Measures to encourage repeat visits (get them to come again)

11 Membership/point system

We will create a system to motivate customers to return to the store. However, the system alone will not bring the situation back. The premise is that you have an experience that makes you want to return.

12 Improve the quality of customer service

It is the most effective and takes the most time. A shortcut is to reduce routine tasks such as guidance and accounting, so that you can spend more time serving customers.

13 Experience waiting time

Lines and waiting lists are a source of disengagement, but they also provide room for creating experiences. Just having something to keep you from getting bored changes the impression.

14 Periodic change of plans

There is no reason to revisit a store where nothing has changed. Continuing to make changes, no matter how small, will lead to repeat visits.

15 Points of contact after visiting the store

Stay in touch via SNS and messages. The key is to let them know about your next project at a frequency that is not too pushy.

Stores that are suitable and unsuitable for attracting customers using robots

Robots are most effective at attracting customers at stores with high foot traffic and plenty of room for customers to stop by. In locations where there are a certain number of passers-by, such as the road surface of a commercial facility, in front of a station, or an amusement facility, postings are directly linked to store visits.

On the other hand, in locations with low foot traffic or in businesses where the purpose of a visit is clear (such as a reservation-based service business), the effect of creating a buzz is limited. In that case, it would be better to use it in a way that reduces the burden on guides and receptionists.

Another deciding factor is whether or not you can continue. The novelty of the installation will draw a crowd on the first day of installation, but if you don't do anything with it, you'll get tired of it within a few weeks. Your results after six months will change depending on whether you have a system in place that allows you to change what you say and what you do.

How to measure effectiveness

If you end your customer attraction strategy with ``somehow it was crowded,'' you won't be able to make the next decision. Before you start any measures, decide what will be considered a success.

In-store measures include the percentage of passersby who stop, the number of people entering the store, and the length of time they stay. If you want to create a topic, consider the number of posts and mentions. When it comes to repeat visit measures, we focus on repeat visit rates and member occupancy rates. In either case, it is impossible to compare unless you keep the numbers before the implementation, so it is important to keep records for one to two weeks before the implementation.

Conspicuous measures such as robots tend to be evaluated based on impressions. That's why we recommend deciding on indicators in advance.