How can you turn your business into a location which encourages people to stay longer? When we’re in a rush it can be hard to completely immerse yourself or be aware of your surroundings. For a business this can create difficulty in trying to retain attention and communicate the story as well as reasons why someone should engage further.
Pubs and bars often use games, TVs and live entertainment to convert the passer by to the long stayer. Other physical sites/locations offer complimentary items or services including workshops and demonstrations to retain people long enough to fully absorb their surroundings and options available. Think hardware stores!
Case Study – Episode 10 – The Dog & Monocle
The Dog & Monocle have taken the approach of board games to create a warmer atmosphere where people aren’t felt to be rushed out and can enjoy the surroundings for a longer period of time. This might translate into more purchases while they are there but more importantly it will encourage return business. Carley and Tess also work closely with the Game Cave in Nowra who keep them updated with the latest games and come to the Dog & Monocle on Friday’s for dinner – A great local business connection!
There are also businesses who invest significantly in turning aspects of their business into a learning/information resource where people can get lost in the amount of things to learn. While you should always try to streamline your products/services to reduce the ‘paradox of choice’, free information and non-selling options could be endless.
The same concepts can be applied online as well where you can creative interactive communities or info hubs full of embedded content. Make your website/landing site a desirable digital destination for your community and an easy place for newcomers to instantly be wow’d and then comfortably experience a wide range of information and resources with ease.
Social media is an extension of your website and can be treated in the same way. Creating engaging content will increase the likelihood of people following what you do and engaging with what you are posting. You can also create your own video and audio (a podcast is always a good idea!) as a way to bring like-minded people together and interact for longer periods of time.
The longer people can hang around you and your business, the better the chances of further spending and return visits. It’s all about comfort, engagement and value to the individual. It’s what we all want.
Photo by Artem Bali on Unsplash