Have you noticed that you are missing out on some foot traffic? Attracting more customers and increasing your footfall is key to helping your business succeed, period.

Whether you’ve always struggled with getting people in the door, or you’re trying to recover from COVID losses, you can get your sales back on track by focusing on how your store is perceived from the outside. When customers feel welcomed, then they are more likely to drop in and perceive your brand in a positive light when they do.

Here are nine ways to make your retail store more inviting to draw more customers inside.

1. Pole and Monument Signs

Some businesses struggle with footfall because they are in a location with poor visibility. When customers can’t see you, they aren’t reminded of your presence. Even when they are actively looking for your store, they may struggle to find it. You can change that with pole and monument signs, both of which greet customers before they can see your storefront, which can help encourage them to make their way in.

Pole signs are best for those in busy plazas, that need to stand out from other businesses. Monument signs are best for those who are far back from the road, who need a presence at the road in order to draw people in.

2. Exterior Remodeling

If you have an outdated or ugly storefront, the best way to appeal to people may simply be to change it. You can make a big difference by just adding more modern materials, with better colors and textures, on your exterior walls. You can save a bit of money by simply adding a veneer of new material over your old storefront. Or, you can completely remodel the front of the building.

Businesses that are leasing their space may need to do a bit of negotiating to get permission to change the exterior of the building. Although, many property owners will agree to even major changes, so long as you’re not adding too much of your branding. You’ll have to explore your lease agreement to find out what you can do.

3. Better Doors

Doors are an especially important part of your business’ curb appeal. Broken, slow, and unappealing doors can dissuade customers from entering your business at all. Customers have high expectations for doors, but if you can exceed those expectations, you can make a great impression. Assess your doors. Are they clean, unbroken, fast, and accessible for those with disabilities? If not, consider new crisp doors that can make it easier for customers to enter your business.

4. Plant Life & Landscaping

Storefronts that seem dead and dry can be significantly improved with plant life or new landscaping. Greenery makes spaces feel more welcoming and livelier. Those businesses that are in locations where there isn’t much going on can make their space seem much more engaging and alive with plants.

If you have garden beds or lawn space, consider adding low-maintenance perennials with long bloom times. This helps you maximize the beauty of the space, without adding too much maintenance work. If you don’t have any lawn, soil, or a suitable spot for a garden, you can always add potted plants instead.

5. Window Quality & Displays

Windows are another important element of the image your business presents to the world. Dirty, broken, or old windows can contribute to an overall bad impression of your property that might dissuade people from entering your store. Clean and fix windows to get them up to scruff and then consider what kind of display you can create to invite even more customers in. Vinyl window graphics are a good option to make your window stand out from the crowd, especially because expensive displays full of your products can sometimes attract theft.

6. Welcoming Staff

How do your staff make your customers feel when they walk through the door? Of course, that doesn’t affect whether or not they’ll enter your business this time, but it does affect whether or not they’ll come back. Your staff need to be welcoming, but not too pushy. Blank stares and aggressive pitches about your sales may both make your customers uncomfortable. Of course, the right balance depends on your customer base and what they want from their shopping experience. It might be time to brush up on training for how your staff greets your customers.

7. Clean Environment

It’s safe to say that dirt and trash repel people. You may have a handle on how clean the inside of your property is, but what about the parking lot and the entryway? People start making an impression of your business as soon as they pull into the parking lot, so making sure that space is clean, and welcoming is a wise idea. You may also want to incorporate regular cleaning of your glass doors and windows into your parking lot cleaning routine, so your whole exterior is spotless.

8. Signs that Use Movement

While pylon and monument signs are useful, there are other sign types that may also make your entrance more inviting and more eye-catching for customers. In particular, signs that take advantage of movement can help draw new attention to old storefronts. Consider flags, banners and other signs that move in the wind. Or, consider a digital sign that can change and move without wind. These signs are also useful to display more information, for example, about your amenities. Just be sure to check on local laws first to make sure that animated signs are allowed in your area.

9. Amenities

Sometimes you need a bit of extra incentive to encourage people to walk in your store. Many businesses, especially those that want customers to stay for a long time, offer amenities that can help draw people in. Consider offering WiFi, charging stations, refreshments, or other amenities. Ideally, you’d match your offering to your business, so that it’s something your ideal customers would really appreciate. If you sell tea, for example, offering free samples of it can bring customers in with the smell alone.