Spring 2020 Strategies

ONLINE TRAFFIC

What Is Your Online Presence? Hint: You Could Be Missing Out on Sales

A website or Facebook page can be an excellent first step toward building an online presence. But it’s not enough lost customers, lost sales and dollars out of your pocket. B uilding an online presence drives how and where you can be found online, but what does maintaining it actually mean for your small business? Missing out on website traffic can translate into

to simply have a website or store page. Are you using tools like Pointy to generate traffic and interest? (Learn more about Pointy on Page 24.) How can you attract a real audience of potential customers to your store? To achieve online success that translates into real customers, follow these two rules of thumb: take advantage of social media to help you promote your business—it’s free and effective—and use your local advantage. Your Social Media Toolkit Social media is a great way to drive traffic to your small business. But it can be tough to get started—you have a business to run, and promoting a small business using social media is different from the way you may already use Facebook to stay in touch with family and friends. Luckily, the North American Retail Hardware Association (NRHA) developed a

Data from an NRHA consumer poll shows that more than

30% of respondents follow businesses on social media platforms. Source: 2016 Social Media Usage Study, NRHA

Social Media Toolkit to help you with your social media strategy and posts. Access it at nrha.org/toolkit.

10 Spring 2020 • Hardlines Strategies