If you have a traditional store as well as an online store, you may be wondering how ecommerce marketing can provide a seamless shopping experience for customers. Click and mortar stores are stores that have an online and offline presence. Unlike stores that operate solely online and stores that operate solely in a traditional retail environment, these stores have unique requirements when it comes to marketing.
One of the biggest challenges is finding a cohesive way to target online and offline customers while meeting the needs of each type of shopper. It can be all too easy to put all of your focus on your retail store while treating your online store as after-thought. Likewise, it can be easy to see both of your selling points as operating completely stand-alone without considering how to use them together to drive more sales. This is where ecommerce comes in to help.
Ecommerce Marketing for Online and Offline Stores
There are a few ways to use ecommerce marketing for your online and offline stores. These include the following:
1. Embrace local marketing
Local marketing is an exceptionally effective strategy for those with online and offline stores. When searching for stores, Google will typically show potential customers options within their radius – whether the stores or online or not. Making use of Google My Business, geo-fencing, localised paid ads, localised social media marketing, and other local marketing strategies will help your store get found by those in your city.
2. Get creative with promotions
There are many creative ways to use promotions across both of your stores. You can offer exclusive discounts for in-person shoppers, that can be claimed online using codes or links available only to those using the discount. You can offer a special gift or giveaway to those visiting your physical store and promote it online across your social channels and store. Think out of the box and consider how you can get customers to your physical and online stores.
3. Expand delivery options
Many stores provide customers with an option to click and collect, allowing customers to order and pay online and collect at their nearest store. Some stores use another variation, allowing customers to order and pay for their products and have it shipped at a reduced rate by visiting your site and entering their delivery details. This is a great option for those wanting to save on shipping costs, adding convenience as well. It also gets customers to visit you in person and visit you online.
4. Grow your presence
There are a few channels that cross over between physical and online stores. One such channel is email marketing. Encouraging customers to save paper and have their invoice sent via email, offering a discount or special offer will get physical store customers onto your mailing list in a similar way to online shoppers. You can then use emails to showcase new products launched in your physical store, exclusive online deals, showcased brands, and other relevant useful information that adds value to customers.
Reach More Customers with Ecommerce Marketing
Attracting customers does not have to mean choosing one type of store over another. Used as part of an omnichannel strategy, ecommerce marketing has the power to grow your presence online and offline.
