By definition, boutiques are known for providing exclusive services to a niche group of customers.
However, the same online technologies that have helped to expand your customer base have also exploded the numbers of your competitors. Just how can you rise above your rivals to make your boutique shine?
1. Add your store in Google.
One of the best ways to attract clients to your in-person shop is by harnessing the power of the most powerful search engine on the internet. Be sure that you have added your business to Google My Business (Google Profile) and Google Maps and that your details are updated regularly.
Additionally, use analytics tools to determine what your customers are searching for so that you can tailor your advertising accordingly.
Your goal should be to rise as high in the Google search rankings as possible so that clients in your area see your business among the top results.
2. Get the right point of sale system.
The company who furnishes you with your merchant account should also be able to connect you with a POS system built for boutiques that will allow you to offer secure, fast payments while simultaneously streamlining your behind-the-scenes operations.
A good suite of hardware and software that focuses specifically on your particular industry can allow you to succeed at specialized tasks such as booking sessions or treatments, setting up subscription services/recurring billing, and scheduling regular maintenance – all with little effort on your part.
Additionally, the equipment can be configured to send out invoices and administer recurring payments, leaving you free to focus on other important duties — like growing your business.
Your boutique POS is also adept at inventory management. After a small initial process of inputting each product of your catalog into the POS database, you will be able to leave much of the day-to-day routine jobs to the software. It can even be set to let you know when you are running low on inventory so that you can re-order in plenty of time to avoid shortfalls.
3. Harness the power of social media.
No doubt, you have heard other business people rave about the impact of platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook. Maybe you haven’t joined in because you didn’t have the time to launch pages or keep them updated.
However, establishing your boutique’s presence on social media might just be the single most effective advertising tool out there. And, best of all, adoption is extremely affordable.
It's all about creating textual and visual content that piques visitors’ interest in your shop and the products and services you sell. Some of the articles, images, and testimonials can even be generated by your own customers.
Your job is to host and regularly update content that inspires the formation of a community interested in and loyal to your brand.
Social media is uniquely equipped to facilitate this goal. In just a few minutes, you can respond to questions, post a description and picture of a new product, or introduce an exciting contest or promotion that attracts customers to your shop.
It’s also easy to embed links to your ecommerce site that lead to increased traffic and higher profits.
When you are the owner of a busy boutique, rising above your competitors requires a multi-pronged approach. Combine a robust local presence in your community and on Google with a modern POS and an active presence on the most popular social media sites, and you have all the elements you need to succeed.
