Small Retail Marketing

Some recent enthusiasm for help with marketing strategy from local independent retailers prompted us to speak to a wider selection of such businesses. Our findings have been interesting... here's some thoughts as a result.

For a long time, the smaller retailer has feared the larger corporates muscling in on their territory. While the public at large will gaze in sadness as yet another supermarket demolishes a whole string of smaller shops, we'll happily pass patronage to the new, convenient outlet. Fickle lot, the public en masse.

In the past few years the online retailer has also emerged, and has grown strength upon strength. Now the independents often see no way of responding. Online purchases are cheaper, more convenient, easier... you don't even need a 5p shopping bag.

Our view is that while both the physical and the online competition is real, they are in essence no different - they're both still competition. And how do we compete? By being better at some things... and by using the same tools which the "big boys" use.

Why shouldn't the small retailer have the same arsenal of tools that the large corporates take for granted? Why wouldn't a local shop develop their own online service? Why can't the small shop reach out beyond the people walking past their window? No reason.

Ok, so you may not have the expertise or the time to do these things, but there are cost-effective ways of achieving them without having to hire a full-time marketer.

At the end of the day, you need to make it easy for people to do business with you - and today, that means expanding horizons beyond the front door.