Spring 2020 Strategies

OPERATIONS

Captivating Your Customers 3 Reasons to Have an Online Presence

E ven in small communities, today’s consumers have a broad range of experiences and interests. In order to differentiate your operation from online retailers and other local competition, you need to understand how to appeal to the diverse audience in your trading area.

base who you may not be reaching if you’re not online. Read on to learn about the benefits of having a basic online presence and the steps to help you get started so you can expand your reach to this diverse, valuable customer segment. Give Them What They Want According to a recent survey by The Farnsworth Group, a leading industry research organization, 38 percent of consumers reported researching or shopping for home improvement products more than once a month. If you aren’t online, you may miss out on the opportunity to convert those

There is one thing that gives retailers an advantage when it comes to reaching a broad demographic and appealing to the next generation of consumers: having an online presence. Setting up and maintaining a handful of social media accounts or a website may seem like a complicated project that doesn’t offer much return. However, even posting a few times a week on a Facebook or Instagram account can increase the awareness of your brand, give customers information they’re looking for online and grow your sales. While your regular customers who come in every Tuesday for a chat, a cup of coffee and a walk through the aisles may not be your core web audience, there are people outside that customer

24 Spring 2020 • Hardlines Strategies