Shopping is online, stores will now rely on digital communication
Joshua Andrews For the past months, we’ve seen our favourite shops, boutiques and local hairdressers shut down due to the Covid-19 crisis. During the almost 3 month lockdown, many stores and brands were forced to turn to digital solutions to survive. Some built a Shopify site overnight, Deliveroo saw a rise on demand and business owners found that making sure they had strong communication channels with their customers during lockdown was vital.
Even though governments are now allowing many of these shops to gradually reopen to the public, many predict stores won’t be seeing the normal visitor numbers we’re all used to seeing on a Saturday evening.
Strong, bite-size information is a game-changer for shops right now which is why we thought we’d share some useful Interactive stories ideas to help local businesses share information, create anticipation with waiting lists and even launch a sales strategy to bring customers back safely to the stores.
Shop flow
Share your store’s safety regulations to assure customers they can shop safely on their visit.
How do I share this with my customers?
If your regular customers live nearby, placing an attention-grabbing poster on your shop will surely make them stop and read. Think of adding a QR code to your poster that will take them straight to your story, filled with all the information they need.
Survey your regular customers
Find out how your customers feel about visiting your store.
How do I entice my customers back into my store?
Think of creating excitement by offering a code to get a special discount or a small gift with their first purchase back. Not only will they be encouraged to visit your shop, but you can gather newsletter signups from the email capture widget!
Get ahead with waitlists
If your business has no specific reopening date, you can still gather interest from your regular customers or even capture brand new ones! This is a great strategy for businesses that have lots of customers eager to make use of your services like hairdressers or gyms.
How do I let them know there’s a waiting list?
Your loyal customer base will very likely follow you on social media, just share your custom-made URL that will send them directly to your email capture story.
You or your customers are not on social media? No worries! Here’s a list of places where you can share your waitlist:
- Whatsapp groups
- SMS
- QR codes on your store windows
Showcase your most popular products
Do you have beautiful products that have been sitting on a shelf? Show them off! Use stories to showcase what your customers can expect to find on your store.
Where can I share this story?
Instagram stories are a great place to show off products. But don’t forget about your off-social media audience. Translate those Instagram stories into Interactive stories and share them through a link.
Need extra help gathering newsletters signups or feedback from your customers? We want to help! We’re a friendly bunch here at Tapkit, contact us at hello@tapkit.com to get an introduction!