Shopping might be a hobby for some, a chore for many, and a source of therapy for countless people. As such, high street stores are in an enviable position to offer what might be seen as a public service for profit. OK, I'm being a little tongue in cheek here...

But getting more sales in retail is a common challenge for many store owners or managers.

It will come as no surprise to anyone in retail to hear that the high street is more competitive than it's ever been. Wherever you are in the world, brick and mortar stores face an ever growing challenge from internet shopping, the ongoing cost of living crisis and rising costs associated with almost everything.

So having some kind of retail sales strategy, or understanding how to resonate with your audience and basically know how to get customers to buy more can be the difference between a struggling retail store and a booming business.

In this guide, we're going to look at some general retail sales tips. And we'll also be looking specifically at using modern tools such as digital signage to expand your visibility and improve the in store experience.

The headlines often scream about poor performance and the high street decline, and there has definitely been a slow down across high street retail around the world. And the emphasis is much more on the word 'slow' than 'decline' - as there has still been consistent growth since the COVID shutdowns of 2020 - albeit less stratospheric than many might have hoped.

For example, US retail growth has been slow to recover post-2020, with around 4% growth annually.

This also correlates with the global retail predictions of around 5% growth annual.

There is no question that the high street experience around the world is changing. People no longer need to go shopping to buy essential items, or get their retail fix.

After all, why head to an out of town retail center in traffic to walk around looking for deals, when you could just as easily find that same deal online and have it delivered to you?

And perhaps this is a big factor in how retail business owners and managers can realign their understanding of the shopping experience. Increasing retail sales is no longer just about the best price, or even your store position - but many other factors that attract both new customers and keep loyal customers coming back.

More than ever the customer experience in your store is critical. According to a report by PWC, 73% of consumers point to customer experience as an important factor in their purchasing decisions.

But what makes that experience will depend on factors as diverse as your own product and industry, your location and your target audience.

This can include everything from the greeting customers receive and the store's ambiance, to the checkout experience and after-sales support.

Customers have come to expect a certain level of technological convenience and accessibility to help them in their retail experience. This can include:

Many of these technological systems can be used to modernize the shopping experience, improve service speed, and reduce friction points. For example, the Nike Live by Melrose store in L.A uses local data to stock shelves based on what the community wants.

While we might not have access to this level of technology yet, we can make it easier for customers to find exactly what they want by using easily accessible display screens. This brings the ease of online sales to the in store experience and gives people the option to try before they buy.

Personalization can increase sales by as much as 10% as per a study by McKinsey & Company.

This might seem tricky within the actual store environment. But there are tools such as tailored email marketing and personalized offers which can significantly lift sales, as well as some unique ways to offer a personalized service.

The most obvious method is to offer loyalty programs, or to offer discounts on repeat purchases. This could work well to encourage customers to come back and get a discount off their next in store purchase.

A unique way to maximize sales and help customers could also be to offer a free personal shopping assistant. For people who are busy or need something specific, this can really be one of the best marketing strategies and a unique form of customer engagement.

As this might mean offering a member of the sales team within the store's peak hours, you do need to carefully consider this option though, and perhaps offer it as a service that can be booked.

Or, instead of using a real person, you can also use a personalized customer service tool such as an app, or in-store digital signage.

The physical layout of your store plays an essential role in sales. And this encompasses many things from your lighting and width of aisles, to the way your products are displayed.

There is a reason why high end stores such as luxury brands have a lot of space and just a few products on rails. This uncluttered store design helps to draw the eye to more appealing products, and reduces that feeling of clutter which can be off-putting for shoppers.

Known as 'visual merchandising', the idea is to make shopping a pleasant experience, which in turn can result in more sales.

Some simple tips are to keep high-demand goods at eye level, and with minimal distractions around them.

It's also a good idea to deploy the “decompression zone” — the space just inside the store's entrance — to showcase new and exciting products.

Adding in digital displays for certain sections, or to highlight specific products can also help with the overall design of a store.

Your sales reps are one of the most important and visible parts of any retail business. But the key to good sales associates is a mixture of being available but unobtrusive, as well as being knowledgeable about the product.

As such, well-informed and enthusiastic staff can dramatically enhance customer satisfaction and boost sales. Consistent training ensures that employees are up-to-date with the latest product knowledge and sales techniques, while regular engagement with your team can flag up any issues such as job dissatisfaction.

Any strategy to drive sales in retail should include your shop floor team - as they're the ones in there day after day.

When it comes to competing with online, why make it harder for yourself? Having an online presence, and ensuring it is regularly updated, can be one of the most important parts of retail sales.

Omni-channel retailing basically means using different tools to reach your audience. This might mean having an Amazon store, as well as a retail store. Or listing products on Depop, as well as having your own app.

This has the multi-faceted benefits of expanding your customer reach, as well as giving your existing customers more ways to find what they want with your brand. And if they're already familiar with your brand in one channel, they are more likely to engage with it in another.

In fact, a Harvard Business Review study found that customers who use 4 or more channels spend 9% more in the store.

Some useful tools for this could be to offer interactive kiosks or tablets in-store which connect to your catalog, allowing customers to find and buy exactly what they need.

Or, giving people the option to buy in store and have it delivered to them the same next day, or vice versa.

More retail stores are adopting digital signage, and there is a good reason for this. Studies have shown that using digital signage in store can increase retail sales by almost 30%.

And there are many ways to use digital displays:

Entice customers with dynamic promotional video

Display user generated content such as reviews and testimonials

Try in-store gamification and challenges (quizzes, questionnaires etc)

Offer useful information such as the time, news updates and more

Use signage to promote your upcoming events

Considering the potential return on investment, setting up a digital signage network might be more affordable and simple than you think.

For starters, it's possible to use consumer grade technology, such as smart TVs and Android tablets. You then need to simply connect these to digital signage software such as ScreenCloud, and you're away.

Read more: The benefits of retail digital signage.

One fun way to increase retail sales is to host events. This can be anything from a product launch, to a workshop or just simply a party to mark the new season or a sale. Add in some fun elements such as product demonstrations, celebrity appearances, or DIY workshops and you could see a thriving and buzzing shop floor.

Of course, there is a whole strategy of promoting the event and ensuring it goes smoothly.

Done right, an event can be used not just for increasing sales, but to get your brand in the local press and online, building your visibility within your target market.

Similar to an event, running exclusive in-store promotions can drive foot traffic and boost immediate sales. And while you can certainly shout about it online and on your socials, making sure people know they need to get into your stores can be a great way of driving retail sales in store.

This exclusive promotion could include free samples, money off a popular line, or unique money off codes for signing up for your newsletter.

Limited-time offers create a sense of urgency, encouraging customers to make purchases on the spot. But, of course, this needs to be used sparingly as relying on regular promotions for your sales strategy can be detrimental in the long run. After all, if they know there is a 25% flash sale every month, why would they buy any other time?

To make this a big success, make sure to run your promotional details on your in-store signage too. This should help to maximize foot traffic on the day...

10. Leverage User Generated Content (UGC)

Trust is one of the best ways to attract new customers, and one of the best ways of building trust is to share things such as reviews, positive comments and even social mentions.

User generated content is a hot buzzword at the moment. And one of the reasons for this is because people are increasingly likely to seek out online reviews before they commit to a purchase - especially for a brand they aren't familiar with.

The type of content that falls under the term UGC could be:

Reviews from sites such as TikTok, Instagram or YouTube

Social media engagement through hashtags etc

If you're already building social media channels for your brand, which any retail business owner should definitely be, then using your engagement in store can be a great way to get more customers and see more sales.

Displaying your Google reviews rating is a simple way to do this. But you can also stream content on in-store signage to highlight mentions online. And if you've had any successful partnerships with influencers, share them!

Branding is one of the most important parts of modern business, especially in retail. Having a strong and cohesive brand can increase retail sales due to the familiarity of a brand, and the associated trust that you are (hopefully) fostering.

Think about any successful brand, and you'll realize that their strong and often recognizable branding is what made them stand out.

Everything from your logo, store theme, and brand colors, to staff uniforms should communicate your branding, as well as your values and appeal to your target demographic.

Make sure to keep your branding consistent between your online presence and your sales floor.

It's one thing to build your social media accounts. But if you really want to drive those retail sales to the sky, make sure to engage with your target audience on your chosen platforms.

Whether you're on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and/or Pinterest, make sure to be consistent and responsive. This means, post engaging content, respond to queries quickly, and use these platforms for exclusive announcements and offers.

Remember also that exceptional customer service these days does mean being active on your socials, and responding to queries, @ tags and comments.

Look to other brands in your niche to see what they do to attract potential customers.

The retail industry is seeing many challenges. So knowing how to get more sales and attract more customers to your retail store is a key to business success.

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How to Make More Retail Store Sales

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