Small retailers have lots of concerns this holiday season: A shorter than normal holiday shopping period, fallout from the government shutdown affecting consumers’ confidence and spending, and competition from big-box and online retailers with more sophisticated digital marketing tactics.
But there’s some good news that could potentially offset those difficulties: The 2013 Deluxe Annual Holiday Shopping Survey reports that consumers have a lot of goodwill toward small, local businesses and a great willingness to shop there.
More than one-third (35 percent) of consumers say they are going to shop at local, small businesses this year, an increase from the 27 percent who planned to last year. Of those, 57 percent are specifically doing so because they feel it is “important to support local businesses.†In addition to those who already plan to shop at small businesses, the vast majority (95 percent) of respondents say it’s important to support local independent businesses.
Offer Something They Can’t Get Anywhere Else
Clearly, prices are a concern for holiday shoppers, especially in these tough times. But only 25 percent say “good prices†are the reason they shop at small, local retailers. Instead, 49 percent say “unique merchandise†attracts them to small stores.
Rather than trying to beat Walmart at its own game, focus on finding and displaying unique, hard-to-find items. Play this up in your marketing. Consumers love being able to give unique gifts that suit the recipients’ personalities.
Serve It Up
Of course, service matters, with four in 10 shoppers who plan to buy from small retailers citing “personalized service†as a motivating factor. Start now getting your employees prepared. If you need additional help, tap into your networks of colleagues, friends and existing employees to find qualified workers.
Focus on hiring for attitude, not necessarily aptitude. You can teach someone how to work your cash register, but you can’t teach them to be warm and friendly. Make sure employees are educated on what you sell so they can help customers make choices (and keep them from whipping out their smartphones to look up information and buy online instead).
Tap Into Technology
Consumers increasingly use technology to plan and fulfill their holiday shopping needs, the survey notes. As a result, you need to leverage technology to attract customers and drive sales.
More than three-fourths (78 percent) of survey respondents plan to shop for holiday gifts online in 2013. But the good news is that one in four (28 percent) prefer a small business website. Since many consumers find gift ideas online, make sure your website is optimized for search engines so that it pops up in the first page of search results. (More than half of respondents say they never go past the first two pages of search results when looking for gift ideas online.)
Since many consumers use smartphones to find products or stores when they’re out and about, it’s also crucial to make sure your business is listed on local search directories and that your listing is current and optimized.
Last, but not least, review what people are saying about you on ratings and review sites like Yelp and try to fix any negative viewpoints.
Reward Your Customers
Now is the time to reward your regulars with appreciation gifts. Sure, you could send a card, but most consumers (47 percent) would rather get a discount on a future purchase. Sending an email or direct mail postcard with a discount is a great way to get shoppers headed in early.
Start Now
Just 15 percent of respondents say they’ll actually do most of their shopping on Black Friday or Cyber Monday. Instead, more than 40 percent plan to do most of their shopping earlier in November. If your business targets 18 to 34-year-olds, know that they’re the group most likely to do most of their shopping over Thanksgiving weekend (22 percent will do so).
Aiming at parents?
The 35 to 44-year-old group is most likely to wait until the last minute to finish their shopping (19 percent will do so).
Be a Part of Small Business Saturday
Small Business Saturday (November 30, 2013) taps into consumers’ desire to support small businesses in their communities by helping encourage people to shop at independent stores on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. Get involved, join a neighborhood circle and promote and prepare your marketing materials and website for the event.
Shopping Photo via Shutterstock