Simple Question: Can potential customers find you?
As part of our daily routine in Localmint, we spend a lot of time on retailer’s websites checking details and following up on user requests from our database. This means we see A LOT of retail websites each week. One thing that never ceases to amaze us is that many retailers have not provided any easy way for their users to find them.
Negative impact of footfall
This can be a real turn off for many consumers. Even the slightest amount of uncertainty about where the store or business is located may be enough to persuade that precious customer that they should do some more online research (i.e. look for another retailer).
The rise of the smartphone has magnified the problem
This problem was serious enough 5 years ago, but now, in a world where mobile browsing is rapidly becoming the predominant way people use the internet, not having an active location map on your website is the equivalent of throwing a digital camouflage tarpaulin over your store. More and more people are using smartphones to guide them on their daily journeys, so it is acutely important that you provide an accurate geo location for your business premises, so that your customers can take advantage of the location based technology available on their smartphone.
What is it that customer’s need
At Localmint we have determined that opening hours and location details are the key pieces of information that consumers want to know in a retail context. Basically “where is it and is it open?” No great revelation there, but yet the issue is not addressed by so many businesses.
Our apps and mobile website allow consumers to search by store category or brand name from their current location. Around 70% of our 1 million monthly users are already doing this each month. Once they select the store that meets their needs and click into the store details page, they are quickly presented with the opening hours and a location map. One further click and they are all set to drive or walk to the nearest store using our directions functionality.
Technology start-ups the world over are trying to reduce friction in existing services, but every business needs to think about the friction or bottle necks in their own business, that reduce efficiency and ultimately profits. Putting your customers in a position where they have to stop on the side of the road to ask a complete stranger where your store is located, is friction of Velcro magnitude that is going to cost you money.
How can Localmint help? 100 Free Consultations
We would like to reach out to some of the retailers for whom this article may have struck a chord. Localmint is offering 100 retail outlets, on a first come first served basis, a free consultation on how to link their website to their Localmint profile page via a simple “Find us on Localmint” button. All you have to do to apply is upload your business details on Localmint via the following link:
http://www.localmint.com/home/addbusiness
Then send the link to your business with your personal contact details to the following email address: info@localmint.com .
We will then contact you and guide you through the process of adding the link to your site.
