“Make new friends, but keep the old – one is silver, and the other gold.”  These lyrics, from one of my favorite Girl Scout campfire songs, are a good reminder that although we value our existing customers, it’s also important to constantly cultivate new ones.

New Friends and Old Friends is actually a 19th century poem that includes the chilling lines “Old friends, alas, may die; new friends must their place supply.”  And while we hope that mortality is not the reason, part of our customer base is constantly going to be leaving as they age out of active shopping, move away, or develop needs or interests that our product selection doesn’t serve. We are undoubtedly also losing customers to online competition or other stores.

It’s easy to slip into the habit of directing most of your marketing efforts to existing customers.  Permission-based emails and social media posts are great for keeping in touch with them, but not necessarily effective in recruiting new ones.  Here are a few ideas you might try:

1. Cooperate with your neighboring businesses to encourage their shoppers to come into your store. You could do joint events, or offer a coupon for them to give out.
2. Encourage your customers to vote for you in award and popularity polls. Who wouldn’t want to check out the store chosen as the “Best of ___”?
3. Participate in efforts to welcome newcomers to your community, perhaps through local realty companies.
4. Use a tag line in your promotions to make it clear what you sell. You want those who are not familiar with your store to be intrigued and want to learn more.
5. Provide a tempting glimpse of your shop and its inventory on your website for those who check you out online first.
6. Give gift cards to every local charity you want to support. You could even give them to any potential customer – this idea is explained by Bill Negen of WhizBang Training in a video for the Gift and Home Channel back in 2011. (Just substitute the word gift card whenever he says gift certificate.)
7. Boost your social media posts/reels, or use paid ads, so that your Facebook and Instagram promotions reach those who don’t already follow you.
8. Nothing beats word of mouth! Your existing customers are your best ambassadors. You can reward customers who bring a friend with a charity donation, or a free gift or gift card.  Check out this article in the Raffle Press Blog for more ideas on this topic.

In order to turn a new customers into loyal shoppers, you need to make sure they have a great experience.  Ask your staff to make everyone coming into your shop feel welcome, and to sincerely thank them if they make a purchase. 

Happy retailing, 

Carol “Orange” Schroeder