Research shows that increasingly higher percentage of millenials prefers to shop online over going to a physical store. Almost two third of young people choose to save their time and energy by shopping on online marketplace. However, it must be noted that brick-and-mortar stores are still important, particularly when you target local customers. Then, you can benefit from the storefront as marketing machine. Yes, it can be a good tool to gain new customers and retain them without breaking your bank accounts.

The physical store is an effective marketing tool as long as you understand how to use it. As you know, even the largest online marketplace like Amazon has a physical retail store to build and strengthen its connection to customers. The same case applies for Portland Gear, which is based in Portland.

How to Make Your Storefront as Marketing Machine

The following are some ways to make your storefront as marketing machine in a less expensive way. Instead of spending much for ads, you can explore the store front to get new customers and build a stronger relationship with the existing ones. The following tips will use Portland Gear as an example in any case.

Use Your Space Creatively

You can use the store location in a creative way to connect with people personally. The store can function as a social setting, in which you can introduce the local people with the retail location. For example, Portland Gear provides a ping pong table, which the local people can use to socialize, at the store front. The company attracts young people and creates a sense of community by hosting a regular event.

Of course, not all the participants in the events are the customers. However, the company positively uses it to extend the brand. It is also able to engage and collaborate with local small businesses, local community, and local athletes.

Conduct Events that Need Real-Time Shopping

Besides giving a room for ping-pong competition, Portland Gear conducts a regular soccer competition, which requires real-time shopping. The Timber game days bring the participants in the door. The company has a soccer team and use social media event to support it team members.

The real-time shopping is related to the game apparel, which is closely related to its franchise. By using social media, the company channels and encourages call-to-action. It requires the participants to get the game gear and apparel.

Build Partnerships with Local Businesses

Hosting sport events helps Portland Gear in building partnership with local businesses, building brand recognition, leveraging social media channels, and strengthening community relationships. PG recognizes that Portland people have a great coffee culture. Therefore, it builds a partnership with Water Avenue Coffee as a cross-marketing strategy. Both companies allow each other to gain benefits.

Bring Online Influencers Offline

Using social media is a good way to maximize your online marketing efforts and to grow traffic. Allocate your time to communicate with online influencers, host talks or a celebrity-meeting event. PG once hosted a fans meeting with Blazers basketball team and get the team members to sign autographs. The event successfully increase interests with PG brand.

Amidst the fast-growing online business, many retailers overlook the role of brick-and-mortar stores.  As showed by Portland Gear that uses its storefront as marketing machine, even online store still needs a physical store. As you deal with community, make sure the customers can reach you.