OPEN YOUR DOORS wide. That’s what I learned from researching the Big Story this month, about how to “find customers hiding in plain sight.” But I guess I already knew the answer, and you do, too.
All along, I’ve heard from you that your business is all about relationships, about hospitality, about welcoming guests into your store as if it were your home. So, when we asked Brain Squad members how they reach out to new groups of customers, what struck me was the simplicity of it: Open your doors.
Opening up your doors via e-commerce, for example, brings your business to customers already comfortable shopping online. Translating your website and in-store signage into Spanish can open your door to whole segments of your community you may have overlooked. Getting the word out that you do not discriminate against any couple planning a wedding eliminates threshold resistance in the LGBT market.
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Then think about what kind of hospitality you offer. Frustrated that they weren’t set up to host special events easily, Karen and Rob Hollis of K Hollis Jewelers in Batavia, IL, devoted part of their store to a wine bar. It turns out a huge cross-section of their community is interested in wine and also needs a private place to meet. Every week, the Hollises meet people who have never even been to their store before.
Finally, get out into the community and knock on other doors. Join networking groups and take the time to pursue your own interests.
Then, when people you’ve met need jewelry, they’ll think about you, the person they know and trust.
And just like magic, they’ll walk right through your doors.