Retailers and other small business owners have so many factors that determine whether their business is successful each season. The economy, local trends, supply and staffing issues, even the weather. On a good day, success can be tenuous. Now what happens if you throw the dreaded "C" word into the mix?
The "C" word? Construction.
Whether the road in front of your business is closed, or a vital public transportation option has been diverted, business is much more of a challenge if your customers can't get to you. While there's no way to solve the problem completely, we've put together some steps you can take to lessen the blow.
How to cope
1) Inform your customersIf construction has made it more difficult to get to your business - or even if people might only have the perception that getting to you will be harder - you will run the risk of fewer customers making it to your store / restaurant / office.
Nip it in the bud. The key is to let your customers know as soon as possible that there will be construction in the area, that you will remain open, and other ways they can get there.
We saw a good example of this while traveling this summer. For anyone who has spent time in the midwest, you've likely at least driven by the Mars Cheese Castle off I-94 in Kenosha, WI. Rarely do we make the trip from Chicago to Milwaukee without a stop to pick up some cheese curds or some found-only-in-Wisconsin beer. It's usually a quick and painless hop off the highway, and the parking lot is typically full of other like-minded travelers.
But this year, construction on I-94 meant exit closures, and that meant the easy on-off access to the Cheese Castle wasn't so easy anymore.
But we knew that MILES before even reaching the store. Why? Well first, they bought billboards miles on either side of the exit, announcing that there was a detour to get to the store. Detailed instructions of alternate exits, and then homemade signs pointing the way made it impossible to lose your way on the new route. And the website prominently displayed detour information and alternate directions.
By being proactive and informing customers as in-advance as possible, we, and countless others, were able to make our regular visit without inconvenience.
So if you're in a place where you can post signage, do so. Let people know in advance on your website. Send out email blasts to your existing customer list.
Get the word out that yes, you're still open, and let people know how they can get to you. Is there an alternate route? Another form of transportation? Off-site parking / shuttle service? You've added a bike rack for bicyclists? Whatever it may be, let people know.
2) Take your show on the road
If you run a restaurant, now would be a good time to think about and / or ramp up delivery (and the marketing of it). Do you offer services in an office (insurance agencies, financial planners, etc.)? Find a friend who has a conference room to spare for client meetings. Or offer, in some cases, to make house / office calls to your customers. Do you own a retail store? If delivery could work for you, let people know how it works and try to maintain your business and your relationship with your customers throughout.
3) Specials & Events
You don't want to panic and declare every day as half-price day just to get people into your business. That will only hurt you in the long run. But offering strategic discounts to the customers who may need enticing could keep your cash register ringing. Holding events that add value beyond just your products and services may provide the incentive necessary to get your customers to brave the construction. Are you pretty sure younger diners may have the energy to brave the construction to try your restaurant? Offer a half-price wine night. Own a boutique that relies on foot traffic for sales? Organize a few events where you bring in stylists to offer free consultations, provide snacks, and have people make an afternoon of it.
"Stopping by" may be a bit more difficult with the construction, but most people will go out of their way for destination-type goods and services if they're appealing to them.
4) Been wanting to take on your own construction project?
While this won't be feasible to many businesses, if you're one of the few who was planning on doing some remodeling of your own, and were considering closing during construction, why not piggyback it with the road work? Of course this will all depend on permits in your municipality, but using the prospect of reduced sales during this time might give you a great window for getting that long-awaited project done without as much impact to the bottom line as it otherwise would have.
5) Celebrate the end
Just as important as letting your customers know in advance that the construction is going on, you'll want them to be aware when it's over, too. Invite your customers to enjoy the newly paved road / great new park benches / faster traffic flow / more convenient pedestrian areas / etc. that the construction promised in the first place. This lets you take advantage of those improvements while getting back on top of mind with your customers who now will know they can get to your business unimpeded.
What other ideas have you used to battle through a business-disrupting construction project on your street? We'd love to hear what you've done.
For more marketing tips, check us out: SilverGrass Local Marketing Tips
