As a camera store, you are one of many options, especially in an online retail market. You must do everything possible to stand out from your competition and draw shoppers to your store.
This article explores practical and effective marketing ideas for your camera store that you can implement today. Read on to learn more.
Offer Test-Run Options
Buying a camera, especially a high-end one, is a significant investment for many shoppers. And while most individuals considering a camera purchase will conduct extensive online research, there’s nothing like holding and using a camera to inform the purchase decision.
Consider offering test-run options for specific models in your store. Letting shoppers hold, use, and evaluate a camera can cultivate confidence in their purchase decision, helping you earn a sale.
Test-running a camera can be as simple as setting up a small shooting studio in the back of your store. You can also offer take-home options to allow shoppers to use the camera on their own time.
Most of today’s retail happens online, and consumers don’t have the option to hold –– much less shoot with –– cameras in their hands before making a purchase. By offering a free trial option, your camera store provides a unique service and marketing strategy that online-only retailers cannot.
Provide Classes In-Store
Many of your shoppers will be new to their cameras and need help making the most of their purchases. You empower your customers to utilize their cameras fully by providing classes in your camera store.
Offering classes –– whether complimentary or paid –– brings people into your store and sets you apart from your competition. Online retailers can’t provide the hands-on instruction of an in-person class. Your staff can answer questions, troubleshoot, and problem-solve for customers. Not only do these interactions deliver a service to your shoppers, but they also foster a connection. Personal relationships built through classes build customer loyalty and increase your shoppers’ LTV – lifetime value.
Offering classes in-store provides a helpful service to shoppers while incentivizing people to enter your store, establishing credibility that will benefit your business in the long term.
Offer Perks for High-Value Spending
Most cameras, accessories, and equipment require a significant financial investment. Draw shoppers to your camera store with rewards for their high-value spending.
You can incentivize shoppers to purchase from your business with perks based on the value of their order. For example, for every $100 spent, offer $10 off their next purchase. Or if they spend $300 in-store, they receive 10 percent off their purchase. You can structure rewards however you’d like, building them around your customers and inventory.
Financial incentives are an effective way to get shoppers into your store and help with customer retention. If you can earn the first sale from a new customer, future sales come easier. Offering shopping perks encourages consumers to spend more on their initial purchase and return to you for future camera and accessory needs.
Create Tutorials and How-To Content
Camera users constantly need and search for how-to content. Whether they’ve just purchased a camera or want to explore the ins and outs of their camera, they look online to find answers to their questions.
Creating tutorials and how-to content allows you to meet local and global customer needs while building brand awareness and affinity. The following channels enable you to deliver content while bolstering your marketing efforts:
YouTube
YouTube allows users to post long-form video content to a global audience. It’s the ideal channel for you to deliver in-depth tutorials to users.
You can create a business profile for your camera store on Instagram, publishing images and videos. You can provide helpful information, proactively answer questions, and conduct live, interactive Q and As.
In addition to utilizing Instagram for educational purposes, it’s the perfect channel for cultivating your brand story and building engagement.
TikTok
This channel was once exclusively for short-form entertainment content. But with its recent #LearnOnTikTok initiative, the channel supports and highlights educational content. For camera store owners, this means you have yet another channel –– and audience –– to tap into.
Host a Podcast
According to Statista, roughly 120 million Americans listen to podcasts, which is projected to increase by 20 million yearly. Podcast topics cover everything one could imagine, including cameras, camera accessories, and their uses.
Hosting a podcast allows you to expand your marketing arm, positioning yourself –– and your brand –– as a thought leader in the camera industry. Podcasting allows you to discuss news, information, technology, and other topics relevant to your camera store. It enables you to reach potential customers globally, providing helpful, engaging content that helps you market your store and business.
Provide Camera Financing Options
As we discussed above, cameras and accessory equipment can be costly. For some shoppers, upfront payment isn’t a problem. But for many consumers, especially those relying on their month-to-month income to cover bills, those without a credit card, or those without cash to pay the total cost at the time of purchase, access to new cameras or camera equipment can seem impossible.
But when your camera store offers financing options to shoppers, you make purchases simple, accessible, and affordable. Consumer financing plans through United Consumer Financial Services allow individuals to choose the products they want and bring them home the same day, using low monthly payments for a set period, perhaps 12, 18, or 24 months.
Advertising your financing options attracts consumers that would otherwise not consider shopping in your camera store. Installment loans make purchases possible when shoppers don’t have the resources to pay in full at the time of the transaction. Through scheduled, affordable monthly installments, your shoppers can confidently make a purchase and enjoy that purchase now.
Partnering with UCFS for camera store financing is simple. Once approved for merchant status, you present the online financing application to your customers. They apply and receive notice of approval quickly –– usually within seconds. With financing options, shoppers can choose the cameras and accessories they want.
Providing consumer financing provides many benefits for camera stores:
- Offers quick approval so customers can proceed with shopping and purchase on-the-spot
- Increases average order values
- It makes big-ticket purchases possible for shoppers
- Allows you to offer additional payment methods
- Provides access to an easy auto-pay service and customer support
Marketing Ideas that Work
We’ve explored many marketing ideas for your camera store. If you choose to implement one or all, remember that every marketing decision you make should drive traffic to your store and provide value to your customers. Contact the team at UCFS today to learn how our camera store financing options can help you serve your customers and grow your business!