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What real world retailers can learn online

If you work on the high street, you won’t need reminding that traditional, bricks and mortar retail is in big trouble. In these turbulent economic times, barely a week goes by without breaking news of another major high street multiple facing catastrophic failure. Sadly, the final death throes of the many small and independent retailers joining them in bankruptcy, goes largely unreported. It’s a depressing thought, and one that not only impacts on those who work in the industry but potentially damages the quality of life of each and every one of us, as our towns and city centres slowly come apart at the seams.

You can blame the Internet. You can blame the economy. You can blame parking restrictions, out-of-town shopping centres and the big supermarkets. The fact is, you can blame whoever you want but playing the blame game won’t solve any problems as you potentially edge closer to the abyss.

It is obvious to many retailers that the high street is facing the perfect storm and as such, you might be wondering just how well prepared you are to weather it?

But this blog post isn’t just about surviving. It’s about thriving in turbulent times.

4 Online Tips to Drive Real World Customer Engagement

1. Email Marketing: You don’t need a website to engage your customers via email marketing. Be aggressive in your approach to collecting customer data. An online trader would never let a customer walk away without collecting customer data. Why should real world retail be any different? Check out this great guide from iContact offering a crash course in email marketing.
2. Social Media: Keep your customers engaged with your brand by encouraging them to follow your business via social media sites like Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest. Remember to keep you posts engaging, relevant and timely to encourage shares.
3. Events: Free workshops or shows are a great way to get new and existing customers through your door. Online tools like Eventbrite can help promote and distribute tickets for your event without the need for a website.
4. Join the eCommerce Revolution: If you cannot beat them, join them. Selling online is easier than you think. You can dip your toe in the water first by experimenting on eBay or Amazon. As you become more experienced you can look into building your own website. Tools like SellerExpress make it easy to manage your stock across multiple online marketplaces.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by John W. Hayes .