5 ways small business owners can reach new customers this year
Gear up your business with a portable payment system and reach new customers.
Sponsored by Tyro. Take your payments wherever you go with the Tyro Go EFTPOS reader*. Small enough to fit in your pocket, the Tyro Go is a fuss-free payments solution at an affordable price.
The traditional brick-and-mortar store is an important part of the business landscape.
But when you're cruising down the retail highway, you'll see that it's definitely not the only landmark to be spotted.
In 2023, there are other ways to reach out to customers, build loyalty and create sales. Let's take a look at how you can reach new customers this year.
1. Going on the road
Getting out on the road and working the market, festival or convention circuit can be a great way to get your company in front of a whole new section of customers.
It lets you connect directly with customers – even without a permanent storefront – and allows your business to spread via positive word of mouth too.
But while you're on the road, you need a payment system that can easily process payments. Your sales process should be convenient for your customers.
You also need the system you're using to be portable, which means dragging a full-sized desktop computer with a scanning system from town to town is out.
The good news is that portable payment systems tend to work with a range of devices such as smartphones and tablets.
To point to an example, the Tyro Go EFTPOS reader offers a simple tap and go style of payment for customers, along with chip payments for customers wanting to insert their card.
Tyro Go offers simple pairing via Bluetooth from your smart device to the free Tyro Go App which means you're able to take payments right from the palm of your hand and offer paperless e-receipts to your customers.
2. Online storefronts
Online shopfronts are mandatory for any business operating in 2023.
You don't need to have your complete range available online, but not having one at all is a rookie error.
If you're organising travel, pop-ups or other special events, it's also a great way to do some easy promotion.
But as with any other type of shopfront, you need to make sure you're offering customers as seamless an experience as possible.
Invest in a website that's easy to navigate, tracks your inventory accurately and has an effective payment backend.
Having a payment provider that accepts a wide variety of payment options is ideal. After all, enabling customers to pay the way they want is part of providing a positive customer experience.
Given the surge in popularity of digital wallets, it's worth looking for a payment provider that goes above and beyond the usual Visa and Mastercard options. Being able to accept providers such as Google Pay, Samsung Pay and Apple Pay helps give you an edge over your competitors.
3. Pop-up stalls
Pop-up stalls can help create buzz and a sense of exclusivity around your brand and products. If you've already got a brick-and-mortar shopfront, they can be an excellent means to introduce your brand to a new clientele.
And if you're online only, they can build good feedback around your brand, without the long-term rent and risk that can be associated with permanent storefronts.
Of course, all the usual rules of customer service apply when you're running a pop-up stall too. Make sure that you've got adequate staff to attend to customers. Everything should look tidy and on-brand and payments should be fast and easy.
Portable payment systems, such as those offered by Tyro Go, can be a handy tool in this setting.
It's easy to go the extra mile with presentation. Touches like a seamless payments experience can enhance the overall customer experience, which is essential when people are likely experiencing your brand for the first time.
4. Social media sales
Social media marketing has been a staple for businesses for at least a decade, if not longer.
After all, platforms like Instagram and Facebook effectively provide a database of potential customers with a pre-existing interest in your product. Not to mention those who sit adjacent to your core base too.
But it's really within the last couple of years that shopfronts have become more effectively integrated into social media platforms.
Customers are now able to purchase directly from you via social media without needing to leave their main browsing experience.
So if you haven't previously considered linking your online store to your socials, now might be the time.
5. Shared retail space
Whether you're an online seller looking to branch out into a physical location or a store owner looking to scale back on your existing square footage, a shared retail space can be a great option.
There are a number of advantages to this type of arrangement. Cheaper rent, less need for permanent fit-outs and more flexibility with lease terms are just some.
But from a branding and sales perspective, it also means better opportunities for shared customers.
Now, you obviously don't want to have a totally homogenous selection of stalls in your shared rental space – that would be redundant.
If you're able to connect with a group of like-minded business owners with clear customer overlap, shared retail space can be a great way to either establish your business or start taking it to the next level.
Of course, you need to have the right supporting tools in place. Portable payment systems are useful for a range of reasons in this situation.
You're not tethered to a central repository for payments. You'll be able to get your money as sales are made rather than needing to wait for it to be divvied up.
Additionally, you can help cut out queues and reduce in-store crowding by servicing customers from anywhere you want on the shop floor.
Learn more about Tyro Go
Sponsored by Tyro. Take your payments wherever you go with the Tyro Go EFTPOS reader*. Small enough to fit in your pocket, the Tyro Go is a fuss-free payments solution at an affordable price.
