Well, often if you can't compete on price, you have to offer something else. You already to the bottle deposits, but making it feel more personal with the customers you do have would be a good start. Get to know your customers, their name, what is going on with them. If they feel a personal connection, they will keep coming back, and you will get some word of mouth. Another thing you can do is to set up a steady deal. Like the first Tuesday of the month sell a popular product at such a discount you lose money. The idea being you attract new customers, who hopefully become regular, and the regulars will buy other stuff when they are there too so that you make up the loss in other ways. It is a little crummy, but a smart business decision to time it when people get paid (standard paychecks or unemployment, etc). Lotto is a good money maker too. Selling loosies, or other small services that they aren't going to get at the big store could help them choose you. You have to think of what people are going to want to get with their liquor, that they won't be willing to make two trips by going to the other store and somewhere else, when they can get both there. Let local artists sell their cd's there, or find some way to bridge the gap with your community. Participate in neighborhood activities so your name is out there, and you appear to care.
hint hint, get out of the liquor part of your biz. Go into
energy drinks and natural made doctor recommended
drinks to fix the body; not goo it up.
The biz your family is in has been outdated for 30 yrs.
check out my bio
I work in a family owned liquor store in Detroit and I've been wondering if there's anything we can do to attract more customers from a competitor who's on the Main Street that makes 40,000 a week. They sell all of their beer cheap but they don't take back the bottle deposits. I was wondering if there's anyone here experienced with business who can help me out here on what to do to make some more profit and attract more customers while dealing with a million dollar store down the street.
