Winters are getting more and more mild, despite extreme weather events. According to The BBC, in the UK, a milder winter will see 2023 fuel costs drop. That makes the outdoors more accessible than ever before. A silver lining to this is the increased rate of footfall for businesses; with winter streets safer and easier to access, consumers are more likely to get out and get shopping. For businesses, that means adapting to a wider business season, and getting their premises ready for more action. First impressions are everything, as is customer safety, and a good place to start is cleaning.
Making First Impressions Count
It’s a long established business principle that first impressions are crucial. According to Forbes, businesses have just 7 seconds to make an impression that will last with shoppers – and that’s true for every interaction. As a result, the front of the shop must be impeccable. Undertaking thorough professional cleaning, with pressure washing, will ensure that the outer facade is completely ready for any visitors, and is looking in tip-top condition prior to the start of the sales season. It’ll also remove hazards from the shop front, ensuring the safety of any visitors.
Making the Most
More and more people are shopping online and so there needs to be a good reason for coming to a brick-and-mortar shop. Think of ways that you’ll benefit customers by having them visit the store – are there exclusive in-store offers you can make? Is the in-store experience right for customers, and something they’ll actively enjoy? Can you use in-person contact to design products and services in a more personalised way? Tailoring the experience of each customer to their individual visit will create a loyal customer base.
Embracing Your Branding
It’s also crucially important to have consistent branding and livery. This builds up familiarity with customers and ensures that they feel they can trust your business. As Adobe highlights, research shows that 7 of 10 people prefer brands they can trust. Building livery in the business that reflects digital operations and is consistent is crucial.
Bringing all of that together – safety, a good experience, and consistent branding – will reinforce the benefits of your physical business. That, in turn, will allow you to make the most of the warm winters, and create a lot of growth throughout 2023.
