To grow sales, there are two routes a retailer can take: grow the customer base or grow the basket value. The advantage of first focusing on customer base is that it creates a more resilient shop and multiplies the impact of any efforts to grow basket spend at a later point.

Despite the importance of reaching new shoppers, it’s all too easy for shops to stick to who and what they already know. Anything that gets your store into people’s consciousness should be considered. But retailers also need to think about their local demographics – as well as others that would come to them from further afield – and find out what they want and how to tell them you’ve got it.

“It’s about raising awareness and giving people a reason to come to your store,” says Harris Aslam, who runs Greens stores in several locations in Scotland. “There are 101 forms of external media, but you need to understand your local market to get the best results. If I put the same image on every store’s social media, it won’t have the same impact as tailored content. You’ve got to give them a reason to come to your store. It’s about making sure you’re not flooding them with information, but you’re also not just posting once in a blue moon.”

Retailers can use local news, so-cial media and even word of mouth to get their store in the public eye. Highlight products that make your store stand out, whether that’s the latest shipment of Prime energy drinks, a strong food-to-go offer or a range of locally produced items that link customers to their community.

“We have exceptional bakery partners who are fifth generation and sell them to customers exactly as they are: a double royal-warranted, family owned award-wininng craft bakery that hand-makes their products,” says Aslam.