In the modern age of shopping, it’s not always easy for small, local businesses to make their mark. As a Surrey-based furniture shop, you have a lot of big-name brands with even bigger budgets to compete with, and that can feel like an uphill battle. Luckily, though, there’s plenty you can do to fight back!
With some clever furniture marketing, your small business charm can earn you plenty of local customers and boost your revenue. It doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg, either. To help you get started, we’ve put together expert advice on marketing your shop to the local Surrey community, with plenty of free resources to give you a competitive edge.
1. Set Up Google Business Profile
Google Business Profile is an amazing free tool that can give small businesses a quick marketing boost. Designed to improve local searches for the Google audience, it works particularly well for increasing your business visibility in the nearby area.
So, how does it work?
You’ll start by setting up your business profile. Add as many details as you can, including your:
- Business address
- Opening hours
- A link to your website
- Images of your furniture
Once you’re all set up, Google will start displaying your business in the “Places” section right at the top of their search results. This is linked to Google Maps, making it easy for potential customers to see where you are and find directions, too.
As search engine optimisation (SEO) goes, this is one of the easiest ways to get to the top of the search results in Surrey. For SEO Surrey services, click here.
2. Generate More Local Reviews
A key aspect of Google Business Profile is its review feature. When your furniture store pops up on Places, customers can see your star rating and get a quick feel for which local shop is the best.
This isn’t just for Google Business Profile, either. Customers will check your reviews across platforms as well as on your website itself, using them to judge how reliable and trustworthy your business and products are.
If you’re not sure how all of this works, check out Magic’s ‘Ultimate Google Reviews Guide’. This free ebook is aimed at helping local business owners gain insights into reputation management.
Magic’s eBook shares tips on attracting more reviews, best practices for how to manage your customer comments, and free templates to make asking customers for their feedback a quick and easy process. As another free resource for your shop, it’s a no-brainer to give it a read-through.
3. Get Noticed on Surrey Lists
Lots of Surrey shoppers (especially those travelling into the county) use online lists to find the best places to go. If you can get your furniture shop onto one of these “best of” lists, you’re going to see a big boost in your visibility. Our recent post, on our favourite specialist stores is a prime example of how these pieces work and what they can do for local businesses.
We recommend getting in touch with local publications and inviting them to come and take a look at your shop. You can also find online blogs that allow guest posting, in which you write a well-written blog that incorporates your furniture shop and they publish it on their website. The blog is given a free piece of content and you’re given free marketing, making this a win-win!
4. Stock Furniture Online
In the digital age, a huge number of consumers shop online. In fact, a quarter of all UK shoppers say that they look for furniture and household items on the internet rather than in shops, making this a crucial way to reach your audience.
If you’re not selling your furniture via a website yet, then this is your sign to start!
You don’t have to sell nationwide if you hop online, either. For small Surrey shops that want to stay local, a website can help entice customers to visit your shop by showing what you have in stock. You could also offer local delivery as well as click-and-collect services, appealing to a wider audience without losing your local business charm.
To start building a website by yourself, we recommend a simple website builder like Wix, Squarespace, or WordPress. These don’t need any coding skills and come with plenty of pre-designed templates for a professional-looking website.
5. Jump on Social Media
Social media is a fantastic marketing tool for small businesses and can help you stand out in your local community. It’s free to create a profile, too, making it a cost-effective way to reach your Surrey-based audience.
As a furniture shop, we recommend setting up profiles on Facebook and Instagram. We’ve put together a quick look at how to market yourself on each, too, and the different ways these platforms can help boost your local business.
Marketing on Instagram
Instagram is an image-sharing platform that’s fantastic for marketing your furniture. Share photos of new products, post decor ideas for your pieces, and give your audience an overview of your aesthetic to hook them in.
We also recommend utilising the Story and Reels features on Instagram, where you can share videos and some behind-the-scenes content from your local shop.
If you haven’t used Instagram before, it’s worthwhile working with a social media manager to set up your profile. They’ll give you plenty of advice on how you can use the platform to your advantage as well as tips to create engaging content that’ll appeal to your audience.
Marketing on Facebook
One of the best advantages that Facebook brings to your business is the ability to join local groups.
In Surrey, there are plenty of groups you can join, including those that are specifically to advertise local businesses and others that are more general for the area. Once you’re in the groups, you can engage directly with locals living in Surrey, building up a notable brand presence and curating a helpful, friendly brand image.
You can also use your own profile to post important news and information related to your business. From sales to new-in products, keep customers updated with social media.
6. Create Loyalty and Referral Schemes
Local marketing isn’t just about reaching new customers; it’s about keeping those you already have, too.
A smart way to promote repeat business is with a loyalty programme and referral scheme. The concept is simple - you reward customers for shopping with you and for encouraging others to shop with you, too.
For example, you might give a customer 10% off their next order with you after an initial purchase, or a 20% discount when they’ve purchased 5 items over a certain value. Online customers can be given a code, too, that they can share with friends for a referral discount.
It’s a simple but smart way to ensure your customer base chooses you over a competitor. Build loyalty, encourage repeat business, and widen your reach with loyalty and referral programmes.
Final Words
Marketing your local Surrey furniture shop isn’t always easy, especially when you’re competing with local brands. Hopefully, though, these tips will give you plenty of ideas to help you stand out from the crowd and drum up more business.
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