Whether you are operating a brick-and-mortar store or an eCommerce retail store, one thing is for sure. One of your biggest goals will be to get more returns, as your business and customer base grow. However, this is not always a walk in the park!

With competition on both fronts becoming stiff by the day, you must come up with business strategies that will set you apart from the rest.

Closing sales is simply not enough in such a competitive market space. And after all, your sales and returns will depend on how many customers buy from you and come back for more.

On this note, here are some hacks and tricks you can use to make customers fall in love with your venture online and on-site.

1. Online Stores

The internet has become the first place consumers visit when searching for products and services. Starting an online business is worth every penny. You’ll have more room for growth depending on how much you’d wish to invest, and the strategies you put in place to appeal to your customers.

Below are some pointers you could use to help make your business more appealing to your online audience.

Create a Responsive Business Website

If you are running an online website and in dire need to improve your ROI (Return on Investment), curating a responsive website can greatly help. The number of people surfing the internet is increasing by the minute.

Among the benefits of investing in a responsive website include improved SEO ranking, improved traffic, and lower site maintenance costs.

It also means investing in the right web hosting services, which ensure faster loading speeds for your website pages. This helps optimize your customers’ online shopping experience, thus increasing the likelihood that they’ll come back for more.

Other solutions to help improve website responsiveness include:

• Ensure that your website adapts to screens of all sizes
• Make good use of fluid grids
• Adopt a flexible layout
• Ensure that your web design is touch responsive
• Boost your website’s loading speed
• Use colorful pictures and videos in your ads

Appreciate Your Customers

Nothing quite convinces a customer to come back to your online store (or on-site shop) better than feeling appreciated, right from the first interaction.

Such a customer is even more likely to spread the word and share the experience with the people around them, and this probably means more business, better brand awareness, and even more loyal customers.

Appreciating customers may be as simple as saying thank you, offering discounts, or sending them a gift on their special day. Gifts could be anything from a branded welcome gift package to a shopping voucher, or some fragrant, colorful blooms.

If you ask the folks from the Bouqs, peonies can make a great gift on various occasions. You can send them to someone during a wedding anniversary, graduation, or even as a condolence gift depending on the petal color and arrangement you choose.

All in all, appreciating your customers regularly can actually help make it more appealing to them, both offline and online!

Be Responsive To Customer Requests and Complaints

It’s most likely that some customers will have queries in regards to the products and services offered. It’s critical to have a platform where they can get in touch with you.

Customer feedback can help you create a great brand experience and improve customer relations as you identify areas that may need improving to boost sales.

On this note, adding live chat support to your website is among the most powerful ways to boost customer experience these days. It ensures the provision of 24/7 customer support and helps you build a good rapport with them.

Don’t forget to keep your customers engaged on other online platforms, including social media channels, email, and review sites.

Set Up an Easy Payment Option

You are bound to accept online payments if you are operating an online business. To help your customers, it’s paramount that you set up an easy-to-use online payment system. Easy online payment systems encourage transactions and boost sales.

Among the benefits of adopting such a system in your business include:

• Instant payments even while on the go
• It’s a convenient way to transact
• It encourages return customers

Update Your Content

If you are looking to maintain your online presence when running a business website, it’s of the utmost importance that you keep updating the content. This helps to increase brand awareness, increase brand exposure, and boost your SEO (Search Engine Optimization).

2. On-Site Businesses

When running a brick-and-mortar store, you’ll not only need to be attractive to customers but also to your future employees. There are so many moving parts associated with a brick onsite store.

Regardless, they still have high chances of success when properly managed. Here’s how to make yours stand out.

Create an Easy-to-Remember Logo

It is critical to have a simple logo that you use consistently in all marketing materials. Make your business name easy to remember and pronounce because first impressions count.

If you are operating a brick-and-mortar store, the same should also reflect in your business logo.

Brand recognizability is key to converting potential customers to return customers, and this can be ensured by a brand name and logo that your target audience can easily remember and associate with.

When creating your brand logo, you need to find a balance between uniqueness and functionality. Consider using the right colors, illustrations (if needed), and typography).

Ensure Authenticity in Customer Interactions

When communicating with your customers, you want to use a language that they can understand. Avoid the use of “business language” because not all of your clients will be in your line of business. People are usually skeptical about anything new.

You could be serving consumers who’d be sensitive to your approaches because they’ll always sense when they are being downplayed, and it’s most likely that they’ll take their money elsewhere. Humanizing your interactions can help you build a successful business.

Design Quality Business Cards

A well-designed business card has to contain your business logo, contact information, and a brief description of what you offer. Additionally, this might help make it easy for people to find you.

Remember, you are not the only business in town. You have competitors who if given the chance, could take over your business.

Provide Self-Service Options For Your Customers

This may not always apply to all businesses given the complex nature of some entities. But if you feel like this is what you should do, go right ahead. This also helps to increase efficiency.

You’ll get first-hand insights concerning your customers’ needs, it saves a lot of resources particularly enrolling more staff, and most importantly, increases your ROI.

While on the same note, make it easier for customers to find products at your store. The more time they spend at our store, the more difficult it becomes for you to serve others.

Pay Attention to What Other Successful Businesses Are Doing

This is a no-brainer. Consider aligning your goals and objectives with similar businesses that have been doing it for a long time. This might just provide you with a different perspective. They might also provide you with innovative business ideas to help you serve your customers better.

It takes time to build a name in the business world. Understanding the stakes and rewards is among the ways that can prepare you for the inevitable. To make your business stand out requires that you make a few changes, adopt better trading methods, and most importantly, study the market.