What, you ask? Don’t I need local retailer websites? Think of your favorite local retailers in town. Sally’s Doughnut Shop, Harry’s Dry Cleaning Service, Don’s Tire Place.
Do your favorite local retailers have a website? Does Sally write a weekly blog post on hers? Is Harry, whose been in dry cleaning for 40 years, the biggest supporter of cleaning forums on his? Does Don have photos of all his tires on his website?
Probably not. And the research proves it. 47% of all small businesses–especially local retailers in the U.S.– don’t have a traditional website.
Why not? Well, here’s a quiz. Think about each question and write true or false on your computer screen with an erasable marker. (O.k., you can use a notepad instead.)
Local Retailer Websites Quiz
- Sally, Harry, and Don are simply behind the times; they don’t realize they need a website
- Customers, they think, just walk in the door for donuts, dry cleaning, and tires when they need them.
- Local coupons and ads in the Pennysaver, BBB membership and the annual Retail Appreciation Week are enough
- No one has ever shown them how a mobile or desktop website can boost business and stay in touch with customers
So, how many questions did you get right? If you answered “true” to #1 and #4, go to the head of the classroom and get a free donut from Brian. If you’re a website geek who answered the same way, you probably don’t like technophobes and own two iPhones. But…you get the free doughnut anyway.
If you jumped for joy and said FALSE for #4 (you don’t understand mobile websites), you get to hear a brilliant podcast about local retailers and mobile marketing with Bryce Marshall. Plus you get a donut too.
Local Retailer Websites Turning to Mobile Responsive and Adaptive Designs
In the past several years, most retailers have chosen to use mobile responsive or adaptive websites that adjust to the screen sizes of smartphones, tablets, and other mobile devices. Why? Because retailers only need one website and consumers increasingly use mobile devices to view them.
So local retailer websites are necessary and easier than ever to build using a responsive or adaptive approach. You’ll find WordPress-based site themes ready to go out of the box these days.
Just remember that your retail consumers need to have a positive experience on their mobile phones and tablets when viewing your website. That’s first. Desktop, which is also important, will dazzle your customers when they’re using personal computers.
