You mastered one of the major hurdles when you began your brick-and-mortar business. Taking that initial step in business is one of the toughest. You have invested time and big bucks to kick start your business. You have the merchandise or service. You’ve had some achievements, and you have managed to get some customers.

Your business is off to a great start, but you may be wondering what you can do to move your brick-and-mortar business above and beyond where it is currently.

Now what?

We are going to share some ways to grow your brick-and-mortar business.

If you have a successful brick-and-mortar business, one initial option that you might think of is opening an additional location. An additional location sounds magnificent, but it requires a lot of investment that you might not have. An additional location also puts a lot more hassle on you, because suddenly you have twice the strain in your life. You can grow your brick-and-mortar business in numerous ways, without opening an additional location:

• If you want to sell more, you must stand out more. Be eager to work firmer and be more imaginative than your competition.
• Most brick-and-mortar businesses compete with online shops. Do what online shops can’t do; pay attention to the touch and feel of your products and highlight your individual attention to the customer.
• Create events that draw more people to your business.
• Design a diverse customer experience; make the shopping experience more exclusive than competing stores.

Another alternative to an additional location is to offer your business as a franchise opportunity. This means that other people can purchase a branch of your business as their own, while you remain the proprietor of the brand. Many people seek the franchise option over starting a business from scratch because they want a working system; basically, a franchise business is an already-working system. It is a win-win for the franchiser and the franchisee.

You might ask yourself: Should I franchise my business?

Here are the most common reasons that entrepreneurs franchise:

• Lack of funds – When you franchise your business, you can grow your brand with minimal financial risk. It isn’t you, but the franchisee who signs the lease on the new location, hires the employees, and buys equipment, etc.
• Employees – Hiring the right individuals is tough, and retaining them is even harder. The franchisee is a co-owner in the business. The ownership in the business is an awesome cheerleader.
• Time– Starting a business is very laborious. When you franchise your business, you don’t have to spend time finding your next location or hiring new staff. It’s all completed by the franchisee.

Companies that are finding success and wanting to grow quickly should consider the franchise option. It’s a very viable option. Once you put the system in place, the franchise can sprint with it.

Your brick-and-mortar business could really soar with online marketing.

There are various online marketing possibilities for your business, here are some of the most common:

• Local SEO – You can regulate your area if you step-up your local SEO.
• Get your customers to review your business online, in places like Yelp. Good reviews not only benefit you, but will direct new customers to your business. Bad reviews help you, because they give you a chance to reply to them and improve your business.
• Use free marketplaces like Craigslist, where more than 60 million individuals engage in about 50 billion page -views per month.
• Develop your email list. Chain restaurants do an outstanding job of getting their customers to sign up for their email alerts. They offer coupons, discounts, and other incentives that inspire customers to sign up. The best time to get people to sign up is at the point of sale.
• List your business in niche directories.
• Create local landing pages. If you serve multiple locales, have a separate landing page for each location.
• Create Facebook offers, which are different from Facebook ads, and are more like coupons.
• Make videos of your products, or how your customers use your products, then create your own YouTube channel.

If you need help with online marketing we’re here for you! Click below.