The traditional yard supply store has now found itself in a competitive market. Over recent years huge companies like Homedepot.ca and Canadiantire.ca have, in some aspects, cornered the yard equipment market share. It can be challenging for small to medium size businesses to compete with these giant retailers. However, with a good marketing strategy these challenges can be overcome. This article will take a look at both traditional and modern marketing methods that work for yard supply stores.
For the regular person working on a yard project, knowledge and customer service are vital. These types of customers often do not have a working knowledge of the tools or products needed to get their projects done. This is when a good staff team comes into play. With qualified and knowledgeable staff, customers will come into the store for help on their latest yard project and then subsequently to buy what they need.
It is important to encourage new customers and return customers for your yard supply store with sales and promotions. Promoting your store with giveaways, coupons and customer loyalty programs are time proven ways to build customer loyalty. For example, perhaps when a customer buys a big-ticket item, like a lawn mower, the store can offer a complimentary item for free. This creates an incentive to shop at your store over the big name stores.
The range of product is also an important factor in competing with big chain stores. When it comes to yard equipment, some customers prefer well-known or popular brands. By means of reviewing sales statistics, a store manager can make sure that brands that sell well are promoted and are always in stock. It is also important to offer products for both ends of the market: customers with a smaller budget looking for economical options and clients that have the money to pay more for higher quality products.
As much as yard equipment seems unrelated to computer and Internet technology, there is a strong connection with the two in the marketing world. Before making any purchase many people search online to find the most reasonable prices or the yard supply stores with the best reputation. This is why it is important for even a hardware store to have a website that is visible on the top search engines, for example, Google and Bing. How is this achieved? After developing a website, it is possible to perform Search Engine Optimization (SEO) on the site to “appear” higher on the search engine listings. Appearing on the first page on a search engine can introduce you to many new customers.
Let’s take a look at an example of how SEO can work for you. If you are a store that sells lawn mowers, you could potentially have a page dedicated to the lawn mowers that you carry in stock. This page can be optimized by a consultant to appear higher on a search engine when somebody searches for lawn mowers in your local area. This works extremely well when you are trying to attract local clients. For example, you could optimize a page with the title: Lawn Mower Sale, Vancouver BC. Now potential customers looking for a lawn mower in Vancouver can easily be directed to your site.
Marketing your store online also has other benefits. Many search engines now feature a local listing. For example, it is a good idea to list your business with Google MY business. This allows you to be visible to local search engine users who live or work close to your store. A web site can also be a good vehicle to advertise current deals and discounts. This can be a cheaper option than some traditional marketing techniques. An SEO consultant may also be able to help you with other forms of Internet marketing. For example, it can be a powerful tool to utilize paid advertising like Google Adwords or BingAds. This can also extend your online visibility and give you an edge over competitors.
Navigating the waters of Search Engine Optimization can be a little tricky for some business owners on their own. You may want to consider the services of a Vancouver SEO consultant. Local consultants typically have a good insight into the local marketplace and can physically visit your store to gain even more understanding. It can also be a good idea to meet with your SEO consultant face-to-face so as to build a trustful working relationship.
Although the marketplace can be tough for a local run yard supply store, it is still possible for these businesses to compete by means of traditional and online marketing campaigns.
Sometimes the difference between an easy job and a hard job can be the tools that you are using. For example, think about the time difference between collecting leaves by hand and using a rake. When you take into consideration that most tools are relatively inexpensive and generally last for years, it can be worth the investment in a basic tool collection.
