How Come I'm Not Getting Customers in My Store, Shop or Office?
Welcome back to our series. Now, let’s recap the reasons again before we get to #3.
Why Many San Jacinto & Hemet Businesses Don’t Get Foot Traffic
The top three common reasons why locals aren’t walking through your doors here in the Hemet Valley are:
- They can’t find you in Google
- They can’t find enough info about you to connect with you
- When they pass by, nothing compels them to stop and shop
Welcome back to our series. Now, let’s get right to #3…
Why Don’t They Feel Compelled to Stop When They Pass By?
Now, what happens when they do find you in Google right here in our little valley, but they still never make it inside? What is stopping them from choosing to check out what you sell?
If the problem is word of mouth combined with bad customer service or low quality goods or services, you’ll have to fix that on your own. But if the problem is beyond that, here are some things you should look into.
Here are four common reasons why locals pass right by your San Jacinto or Hemet business without stopping by:
1. They can’t see your signage.
They can’t see your signage. If your sign is hard to see from the road, people driving by may never realize your business is there. It needs to be big enough, clear enough and visible enough for someone to see it while they’re driving past.
Get creative if you need to. Add one of those big banners that go over the doors, put out a sign that catches attention, or even hire a guy with a twirling sign. But do something to get their attention.
2. They think you’re out of business.
They think you’re closed down. Your storefront looks dark and dirty from the outside, like it has shut down for good. So, when we drive by, it looks like another abandoned local business.
This one may not be easy to fix, but the next time you invest in it, remember this… Liquor store owners make sure the word “liquor” is much larger than the name of the store.
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3. They can’t figure out what you sell.
Your signage doesn’t tell them what you sell. Your sign features your business name, so people driving by don’t know that you sell exactly what they’re looking for. A business name alone doesn’t tell a person what they can find inside.
I don’t want to over explain this one. I’ll just give you a prime example of what I mean.
What in the world does Agave mean? Before you Googled it, I bet you had no idea. When you drive by that big, plain, dark gray building, does the outside tell you what they sell?
Their sign is gorgeous. But maybe they should hire some talented local youngsters to create art on those side walls facing San Jacinto drivers in both directions. There’s no reason a fine dining Mexican restaurant that needs local foot traffic to survive should be that mysterious.
4. They saw those bad reviews.
People use reviews to learn how others feel about what you offer… not just your solutions, but other things you offer, like… customer service, timely service, quality service, etc…
Do you offer a smile? Or are you known as the town grump?
Feedback matters… good, bad or ugly. So, use constructive criticism to help you improve your service, operations and more.
Don’t just ignore them. Because if you rack up a bunch of negative reviews, locals will see them when they Google what you sell.
Long-Term Fixes: Compel Them to Stop & Shop
Of course, changing your signage is not a quick fix. But if it’s in the budget, fix it as soon as possible. Tilt it, or even brighten it up with lights to help people see it better.
And this time, make sure what you sell is the biggest highlight.
Don’t believe me? Pay closer attention to car washes, smoke shops, even donut shops!
You can also add one of those large announcement banners above your door that simply says what you sell or the problems you solve. Those capture attention, especially when they’re announcing things someone driving by is already looking for.
And liven the place up a bit. Make it look loved, appreciated and open for business.
Open the blinds and turn on some lights. Brighten the place up during business hours. Something as simple as a couple of lamps alone could help people passing by see someone in the window and know that you’re open.
And last, but definitely not least, pay attention to your reviews… good, bad and ugly. Even the bad reviews are helpful because they give you the chance to correct issues before they get out of control.
So, address them. Acknowledge them. And most of all, learn from them.
Valley Local Pages Is Here to Help Your HSJ Business
At the end of the day, getting more foot traffic isn’t always about doing more. Sometimes, it’s about fixing the things that are keeping people from finding you, trusting you, or stopping when they drive by.
And that’s what we’re here to help you do.
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