Question

Topic: Advertising/PR

Increase Foot Traffic Off Main St. In Tourist Town

Posted by Anonymous on 7/7/2009 at 12:52 PM ET 250 Points
I recently relocated my upscale, resale women's clothing boutique to the downtown area of my small, but busy tourist town. My previous local customers have followed me and visit during the weekdays. But, the weekends are dead because the locals avoid downtown during that time. There are hundreds of tourists walking up and down Main Street, but very few venture from the main drag. I am just one block off Main Street. How do I get these tourists to turn off the street and visit my store? FYI, The town has a 2 year old directory that is out of date. They also have some strict rules about signs/sandwich boards. I'm checking to see if handing out coupons is even ok. I've put some cards/flyers at main street restaurants, hair salons, etc. BTW, everything is very expensive in this town...so I think my low prices/high quality would be very welcome by shoppers eventhough it's not typical tourist fare.
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RESPONSES

  • Posted on 7/7/2009 at 2:08 PM Author
    WMMA- good idea. I would guess most tourists are day-trippers, though, but it's worth a try.

    I'd love to hear more ideas!
  • Posted on 7/7/2009 at 3:44 PM Member
    Do something that drives people in to participate: a contest or a giveaway. Announce that you're donating 5% of proceeds for the month of July to charity.

    Encourage people to submit photos of themselves wearing your clothes (and accessorizing them), then post them in your window.

    Give out cards inviting people to bring friends (and both get 15% off).

    The idea is to do things that people can only get from your store, and to create a shared experience that people will tell their friends about.

    Jodi
  • Posted on 7/7/2009 at 4:44 PM Accepted
    If the people you're trying to target are day-trippers, chances are they'll never know about you unless they walk right by your store, which isn't happening.

    Your other problem is that people usually won't make the effort to venture off the main route just for one store. It's why competing businesses are often clustered - places to eat, car dealerships, etc.

    So you're left with trying to reach people who are newly arrived and leaving soon and you're trying to pull them away from what they came to see - the main drag that they're walking.

    There are three ways to do this:

    1. Make sure they know about you even though they're new to the area.
    You can do this with handouts, coupons and signs in other non-competing businesses on the main strip. Either you pay the other business to distribute info about you or you offer something valuable in return - like promoting their store.

    2. Make sure you're famous all by yourself.
    This strategy involves extensive publicity efforts so that your store becomes a known destination. What can you get known for? What is something you offer that people can't get in countless other clothing stores? If you say "High quality and low prices", you've lost - everyone else makes the same claim. What about you can truly get peoples attention?

    3. Make your own draw.
    Are there other businesses just off the main drag that will work with you to make your area a place that people will feel the need to come see? Again, people aren't likely to detour for just one business. If you could get together with businesses around you and create your own specially named "district", people would be willing to come see. It's not as hard as it sounds - email me if you want more info on this.

    Best of luck!
  • Posted by marketbase on 7/7/2009 at 9:08 PM Accepted
    Ideas:

    Be the burr beneath the saddle for the town to get that directory up to snuff.

    Since you're kind of working with other vendors, ask if you could put a poster/ad in their shop(s) with reciprocal offer of putting their info in yours.

    Most of the touristy towns I've been through have a small "guide" type of informative (newspaper-type) multiple page featuring ads (some w/coupons), maps of vicinity retail spots, restaurants, hotels, etc. Check with chamber of commerce, business development, etc in your town to see if they have one (or are interested in creating one). Champion a 'sidewalk sale' and see if the town would be interested in painting 'feet' (or shoeprints) throughout the shopping district. Advertise your shop as # steps from Main Street; just around the corner, etc.

    Get together with the other shops 'just around the corner' and beg, plead and request that an arrow(s) or other tasteful signage (a la "west" "North Pole" indicators) be installed pointing toward your niche.

    Best of luck
    jag
    MarketBase
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