If you run a corner shop, trying to keep your social media content as fresh as your products isn’t always easy.
Unlike the big chains, you don’t have a dedicated marketing team to keep the wheels in motion. However, you have an advantage these big brands will never have – convenience. As the little guy, you’re a member of your local community. Residents will walk past your store every day but might not be coming through your doors.
So how can you connect with your neighbours? Through the power of social media.
Below, we’ve put together social media post ideas for your corner shop.
Share in the holiday spirit
Piggybacking on big holidays is an excellent way to get customers through the door and spending some money.
The holidays you choose are up to you. It could be Christmas, New Year, Easter, Halloween, St Patrick’s Day, Eid – there’s so many to choose from! However don’t limit yourself to holidays, consider big events such as sporting finals or even local festivals.
We recommend decorating your store and sharing the photos online with appropriate festive hashtags.
Even you have as little as 1000 followers, you’ll be able to share in the holiday cheer. If you let your followers know you’re having a last-minute sale on Halloween sweets or decorations the night before, you’re bound to have some people come in stock up on supplies!
Offer Exclusive Specials
Give something back to your followers with an extra incentive to come and shop with you!
There are a few ways you can do this:
- Offer a limited discount to any new followers or those who share your page with others. This will not only drive your followers up, but when people have a discount, they tend to spend more as they’re getting a saving.
- Share a phrase or word that can be quoted in store for a small discount. If you share this on social media, it gives an incentive for your followers to come in and shop.
- Share limited discounts you have in general. If you share any promotions in-store or on your shop front, you will have limited exposure. In addition to flyers, sharing these offers on social media gives you a wider audience.
Competitions and Give Aways
This is your chance to get creative.
Around holidays, you could run costume contests where those who come in the store will get a prize.
You could also run raffles or prize draws and announce the winners on your channels. This will encourage participants, new followers and shoppers alike!
Be sure to utilize effective hashtags like #win, #prize, #freebies and #giveaway. You can also run adverts to reach those who aren’t already following your pages.
Local Heroes
As a member of your local community, why not champion your neighbours doing good in your area by sharing it on your social channels?
This could be someone raising money for a charity, or someone trying to raise awareness about a particular issue, a local sports team success or promoting an upcoming event.
You could even go as far as promoting other independent businesses nearby like cafes and restaurants. Who knows, they may return the favour!
Community News and Events
Another idea is to share local news and events. This helps to keep you relevant with your followers and also builds trust.
You can add your local newspaper to your favourites or follow them on Twitter, and set up Google Alerts for your local area so you can keep up to date on everything that’s going on. You can also share your news such as changes to opening hours and closures.
When people see you and your store, they will know that you are part of the community they live in. This connection will bring shoppers through your doors as people like to support their neighbours!
Closing Time
There are so many strategies you can try, but the most important thing is consistency. If you aren’t posting quality content consistently, you’ll disappear from people’s feeds and interests.
If you’re too busy stocking shelves and scanning products though, don’t worry; we can help.
At 99social we offer cheap social media management from as little as £99 per month.
Get in touch today to find out more, and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter for social media news, tips and advice.