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How To Compete Against Big-Box Retailers
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Article 4: Beat The Big Boys With Smart Advertising Strategies
What huge advertising budgets the big-box stores have! Imagine the tens of thousands of dollars they spend on color newspaper inserts and TV and radio spots.
How can your independent store possibly go up against that kind of campaign?
“Advertising poses a tough challenge to independent retailers,” acknowledges Sarah White, an advertising consultant in Madison, Wis., and author of “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Marketing Basics” (Alpha, 1997.) “The big box stores have a corporate office with a dedicated marketing staff and budget – you don’t.”
What you do have, she adds, is knowledge of your local market and the ability to team up with others in the same boat.
“Capitalize on your small/local advantage in your community,” says White. She suggests these three techniques:
- Technique 1. Advertise in your community’s alternative newsweekly. These tend to cover local events and stories from an editorial perspective that “stands up for the little guy.” Many carry entertainment listings that increase the number of times their pages are opened – and the number of times your ad may be seen.
“The alternative papers are bargains compared to other local advertising options,” points out White. “And they’re a good fit philosophically with your position as the local ‘alternative’ to big-box stores.”
- Technique 2. Pick a locally-owned radio station and make them your promotions partner.
“Don’t just advertise on the radio, partner with the station for a weekly contest promotion that gets samples of your merchandise to different potential customers every week,” suggests White. “Like the alternative newsweekly, a locally-owned station is a good fit philosophically with your position as a local alternative.”
- Technique 3. Team up with other independent retailers and promote your “buy local” ethic. Work together! Plan joint campaigns and advertising promotions just as the malls do. Plan and produce a street festival or other retail event for each season. Maybe even work toward the historic “Main Street” designation for your business district – the program brings serious marketing assistance and great public relations along with other advantages for merchant groups.
These three ideas really work for independent retailers going up against the warehouse chains, enthuses White. “They take some investment in time, but they are worth it. If you want your business to succeed against big competitors, get serious about the investment you’ll need to make in advertising.”
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