Marketing new shop

[Nell2222]

New flooring shop is open, we're in a prominent location in a large town. How do we let potential customers from the other towns know we are here?

So far we've had people in from local paper, radio, football club. We have a website with directions/details etc. Should we just wait for word of mouth to work, or pay to advertise? It seems like a lot of money, but on the other hand it could be a costly mistake not too ..... is it worth leafleting? Bus stop adverts? Billboards?

Posting here in the hope that others can share what has worked for them.

Many Thanks

 

[tyro1979]

Personally, I think you would do best printing a number of posters yourself, in varying sizes. Then spend time going round fish & chip shops, churches, newsagents, super markets, etc and see who will be willing to display them - you could offer 10% off vouchers to displayers. Next step I would recommend is Facebook. You could have a shop page supported by family, friends and employees with no money involved, only minimal timing updating select photo's of new lines, special offers, etc. All the best =D

 

New flooring shop is open, we're in a prominent location in a large town. How do we let potential customers from the other towns know we are here?

So far we've had people in from local paper, radio, football club. We have a website with directions/details etc. Should we just wait for word of mouth to work, or pay to advertise? It seems like a lot of money, but on the other hand it could be a costly mistake not too ..... is it worth leafleting? Bus stop adverts? Billboards?

Posting here in the hope that others can share what has worked for them.

Many Thanks

The first step in marketing is to decide who you are targetting - is it Jo Public, business, specifiers etc etc. (I know that thwey are all potential customers, but it is important to have a target in mind).

Secong step, define your USP in relation to that market. It sounds a bit Dragons' Den, but you need not to be just just another flooring shop.

Your USP, by the way, might initially be a short term proposition such as '10% discount on orders taken before the end of march' (Avoid making being cheap a long-term USP - it will trip you up).

Having concentrated on these you get to the question you wanted answered - how to deliver the message; this is all rather blunt-edged I'm afraid. There will be no shortgage of members on here who will tell you 'advertising doesn't work' leaflets are rubbish, I sent some out and got no reply' 'Yellow Pages is useless'. Sadly, these people will all prove themselves right, mainly by judging the marketing process by a single instance. Proctor & Gamble's UK advertising spend is £200 million - they seem to think it does work!

My suggestion would be:

- Targeted advertising (Parish mags, local press etc)
- Leafleting - as many as 4 times in each target area.
- Strategic media coverage (try to involve something interesting - sponsorship of a local event, sporting feat of a key person etc, become news not advertorial.

Monitor results over a period of time, not just beat-by-beat. Deal tracking is an interesting exercise (If, like me, you don't have a life) and will show many actons you have written off will produce long term results.

Long winded, sorry, but the point is not just to fling mud....

 

[urban33ltd]

I would recommend Facebook to, opening a fan page costs nothing and gets the name out there. Once open on there get around other fan pages on there for your local area and shout about your business.

Also check on the net for local forum boards you could comment on.

Then maybe look at other businesses in your area that you could work with to help promote each other? Say furniture shops maybe?

Leaflets through doors always help to!

Push the fact that you are local and indpendant to!

Hope that helps

Stuart

 

[yankee candleman]

Leaflets, definitely.

Local Trade Associations.
Local Chamber of Trade & Commerce.
Networking events etc.

Do as much free advertising as you can.

I have over 1700 people on Facebook and get 2 or 3 orders a day in my inbox, costs me nothing and brilliant way of keeping in touch with your customers.

 

[tyro1979]

Have you considered targetting Tradesmen? It would be easy with the use of a directory; I'm presuming you offer trade accounts?

 

[Prestige-SEO]

I would reccomend Radio Advertising, Tradesmen always have there radios on. And you could get a few trade accounts from it & normal customers.

 

[KateCB]

Go into the town centre on market days with simple black and white A5 leaflets - you can print these in the office using a standard printer - have the USP (10% off with this leaflet/till the end of March etc.) and hand them to shoppers - remember to smile as you do it, one thing that annoys me with leafleters is that they look fed up and THRUST things at you - a nice smile and offering a leaflet will lead to more takers and users....

Be aware that you have to repeat it at least monthly, a one off is both forgotton and a waste of time and money - industry says that it takes 7 contacts to get a sale......

It does work, I have done it.....do the same thing on small industrial parks - the ones that have small units where tradespeople work from (joiners, decorators, plumbers etc)

Have fun!

 

[jamieclick]

Could I ask what your web address is please?

Thanks,

Jamie

 

[patientlady]

This may sound pretty basic, but you need to get people through the door. I realise that is what you are asking, how!
I have lived in my town for over twenty years and there are shops there that I have never been in and probably some I dont know even exist. After seeing your post I wondered why I hadnt been into some of them. So for some odd reason these shops have not appealed to me!

Flooring do I need it? When I do, where would i go? The answer to both of these questions is 'I dont know'!

As mentioned above flyers etc can be useful but what will you say on them? If you approach contractors can you or will you be able to offer them credit?

I do not understand retail but do know that the large multiples spend millions getting people through the doors. What do the others do? Do people walk in, browse and just walk out again? How can you keep them in there to have an informal chat once in. What enticed them in the first place, perhaps ask them. Massive posters seem to work for Carpetright and the like. A different offer every week maybe!
Or maybe your products are more suited to the larger expensive houses in the area. Perhaps inviting these people in for a glass of wine and nibbles one evening. As said above, what is your USP. Before opening you would have had a business plan, go back to this. Good luck, with lots of hard work it will all work out

 

[Nell2222]

Thank you everyone for your ideas, and sorry I haven't been back sooner. I did pop back and read some of the repliesand have implemented some.

I'm not allowed to post links as I'm a fairly new member here, but if you're looking for the website just google: elephant flooring kilmarnock

All opinions are welcome, there's a link on there to our facebook also (thanks for that idea).

So far we have:

1. Set up the facebook page, not much action so far, but it is there.

2. Sponsored a prize in the local pub pool tournament. No sales from it so far, but raised awareness and cost £16!

3. Put a 6m vinyl banner outside. Seems to bring people in!

4. Put out 70-80 A3 correx signs across the county. Best result so far with multiple sales from them.

5. Local paper next week.

6. Local Radio (they have a 48% listener share) last week march/first week April, same the following month.

Leafleting - not done this yet, but read an interesting post on here tonight about ensuring leaflets get delivered with trackers. Definite consideration.

Trade accounts - We do get trade in, however a defaulting account at the minute would be very costly, also we are not VAT registered yet as we haven't reached threshold. We do offer a discount, just not credit.

As always time is an issue.

All opinions welcome.

 

[newfashiongroup]

if i open a flooring,i will go to radio advertising,i also print a lot of advertising paper and distribute to most of people in the crowd street

 

[HFE Signs]

Banners and pavement signs..? Works for most folk..

 

[Jiajia]

New flooring shop is open, we're in a prominent location in a large town. How do we let potential customers from the other towns know we are here?

So far we've had people in from local paper, radio, football club. We have a website with directions/details etc. Should we just wait for word of mouth to work, or pay to advertise? It seems like a lot of money, but on the other hand it could be a costly mistake not too ..... is it worth leafleting? Bus stop adverts? Billboards?

Posting here in the hope that others can share what has worked for them.

Many Thanks

I think you should keep on advertizing for your shop ,you knowe,it is very difficult for you to let everyone know your shops.

 

[marketingquotes]

Hi there Neil,

The main thing you want to do, is to let the local people know you are there and also attract passers by.

For this, you need local advertising (as opposed to web or social media).

Radio and newspapers is good - which you have done, but stick close to these guys.

Another option is local billboard advertising (on bus shelters etc.) - which will cause locals to become accustomed with you.

Regrads,

Marketing Quotes Support

 

[sphynx]

Thank you everyone for your ideas, and sorry I haven't been back sooner. I did pop back and read some of the repliesand have implemented some.

I'm not allowed to post links as I'm a fairly new member here, but if you're looking for the website just google: elephant flooring kilmarnock

All opinions are welcome, there's a link on there to our facebook also (thanks for that idea).

So far we have:

1. Set up the facebook page, not much action so far, but it is there.

2. Sponsored a prize in the local pub pool tournament. No sales from it so far, but raised awareness and cost £16!

3. Put a 6m vinyl banner outside. Seems to bring people in!

4. Put out 70-80 A3 correx signs across the county. Best result so far with multiple sales from them.

5. Local paper next week.

6. Local Radio (they have a 48% listener share) last week march/first week April, same the following month.

Leafleting - not done this yet, but read an interesting post on here tonight about ensuring leaflets get delivered with trackers. Definite consideration.

Trade accounts - We do get trade in, however a defaulting account at the minute would be very costly, also we are not VAT registered yet as we haven't reached threshold. We do offer a discount, just not credit.

As always time is an issue.

All opinions welcome.

Nell, sounds like you've done well so far, we find Google Adwords works well for us within a wider radius than our store if the keywords are targeted, e.g "flooring neighbouring town"

 

[commercialtransfer1]

You say you are in a large town so first off I would concentrate on your home town before spreading yourself too thin to encompass other towns.
Door to door leafleting is relatively inexpensive and does help to create local awareness. It is as suggested good to have an offer or reason why people should come and look around but it does need to be repeated.

 

[LetterBox Angels]

you should consider a promotional destribution service................

 

[surgery_cards]

As someone who is currently looking for new flooring this is the route I have taken so far

Yell
Google - I wanted to see photos of peoples work
Local press

There isn't one local flooring business that sprung to my mind so your USP has got to be good

Another idea might be getting in contact with your local Kitchen/Bathroom showrooms. As part of our new kitchen we need a new floor but the Kitchen company don't supply floor coverings. Ideally opportunity for them to supply your details to us.

If you are interested we can promote your business in your local Health Centre. Feel free to contact us.

 

[peepleschmeeple]

I have one comment not related to marketing but important from a customer standpoint. In my opinion you should extend your opening hours and close no earlier than 5:30 p.m. on weekdays with late-night opening until 7 or 8 p.m. on a Thursday. Until recently I was working full-time and would tend to call into shops like yours after work. I detest shopping at the weekend.

Aside from that I like your website although your Facebook link doesn't work and there's a spelling mistake on the "About us" page (should be "complement") plus some inappropriate capitalisation of words (a personal bugbear). You have a memorable business name and matching logo and seem to stock a good-quality product.

I wish you every success.

 

[Gwekids]

Form alliances. It's the equivalent of trade mouth to moth recommendation...and mouth to mouth has always been one of the best ways to getting business. If your business has a residential focus, find out when people a more likely to get a new floor. Is it when they a new kitchen? Is it when they move? Then look for example, at forming an alliance with a kitchen furniture supplier or a local estate agent. Perhaps if the finer offers a referral you could offer a commission if it converts to a sale? Perhaps the latter you might advertise on their own leaflets/pamphlets? If you sell more commercially, again, who to and when? Repeat the process....

 

[jimmybusiness]

If its a flooring company I'd go out and get lay flooring in prime locations town!

Or at least get big life size stickers that look like flooring and a company logo or an arrow pointing to the store. Stick them all over the floor where there is a lot of foot traffic. I'd say they'd last a week before the council took them away and came and had a word. Well worth it on launch week!

If the town floor is stone, use a wood floor sticker. If its a marble floor -use a slate or tile sticker.

You'd get a slap on the wrist but the word of mouth and memorable method of avdertising would be worth it. It might even make the local papers!

Be bold!

 

[ecommerce84]

Maybe get some leaflets printed out and get them in your local Hardware stores. People DIYing and decorating may be considering a new floor, so it's an ideal oppurtunity.

Any local builders merchants would be good too. I expect many builders merchants send out monthly statements to account customers. It might be worth seeing if you could pay them to get your leaflets in those envelopes. Even a wodge of leaflets on the counter would be good.

Are the Tile Shops still next door to you? Get some leaflets in there as well. You could maybe team up with one of them, and if a customer buys tiles from them, they get 10% off any Linoleum for their kitchen or something similar and get the Tile Shop to promote this - it's a good selling point for both of you. You could do the same for them.

I know of a carpet shop that always has a 'January Sale' and sells a few rolls off for a pound, and a few others for a tenner, probably just end of liners but she always has a queue on the day and there is always a piece in the local paper before the event and afterwards with the 'lucky' purchaser.

 

[Loyalty Pro UK]

I would agree with other posters: Social media and search engines are a big factor in getting your business heard of. You need to get people to talk about you & also make yourself easy to find on the internet.