Let’s face it, the world has seen some drastic changes in the last few years and we are heading into a much more competitive digital environment. This situation seems to be making things harder for mom and pop shops that are trying to stay relevant and visible when competing against large retail business ventures.
Today, we are going to share 5 ways in which mom and pop shops can compete for retail business in 2020 and beyond.
1-Be a customer service master
This is extremely important both online and offline, but many business owners seem to neglect this aspect of running a shop. Keep in mind that a small mom and pop store is always going to have an appeal with locals, so keep them happy and make sure to ask them if you can do anything to improve your service.
2-Emphasize the things that make your shop unique
Maybe your shop sells any particular product that is not easily found anywhere else, or perhaps you offer a free cup of coffee to your buyers. Whatever the case may be, you need to make sure that the things you do differently from your competitors can stand out when people visit your shop offline and online.
3-Focus your efforts on quality digital marketing
Digital marketing is the way to go even when you are looking to target local customers. Keep in mind that tools such as Google My Business are now being used by people to find local options, so it is important to make sure that your digital marketing efforts are substantial.
If you feel that this is not something you have time to do, you can always hire someone to help you. Marketing experts are not as expensive as they used to be and you can find many freelancers offering this type of service.
4-Keep your prices competitive
Keeping things balanced when it comes to your prices is always going to prove to be optimal. This means that you have to avoid going too low in hopes that this will attract more people, or too high expecting to earn more from a smaller number of shoppers. Somewhere between both ranges is always going to be ideal.
5-Optimize the checkout process offline and online
People want to be able to buy items with ease both online and offline. If you have no eCommerce setup. We suggest that you consider creating a system for people to order online and just pick up their groceries.
This is going to be very useful in times of social distancing, but the good news is that the online shopping habit will remain relevant even after the pandemic ends.
Final thoughts
Running a small business can be a great advantage due to the low maintenance costs and the smaller workforce, but you need to make sure that your business is optimized. This is going to help you continue to grow even when larger competitors are constantly expanding and adding new features.