The idea of a mom-and-pop shop in today’s modern world seems quaint, but these family-owned businesses rely on technology like landline texting as much as other small businesses and large corporations. In fact, they may need it more because they lack the resources to compete on a larger platform. Retail shops with a single location, non-chain restaurants, and tiny boutiques can level the playing field on a local level with business texting for marketing, everyday operations, and customer service.
What Is a Mom-and-Pop Shop?
It does not matter if the small business is owned and operated by a couple to get this designation. The colloquialism mom-and-pop shop refers to family-owned businesses. They usually have one location only, employ a limited number of workers, and serve a specific community instead of a wider audience. In many cases, the employees are family members, too.
Although many have suffered during the Covid-19 pandemic, and more have closed their doors, the popularity of small, local businesses has actually grown according to most metrics. People in especially the younger generations are interested in supporting small and medium-sized businesses run by their friends and neighbors.
Younger Markets Love Business Texting
Everyone texts these days from the kid next door to grannies in retirement communities. Consumer surveys clearly indicate an overwhelming desire to get texts from businesses. A full 58% think business texting is the best way to get information. In younger demographics, the numbers skyrocket. Generation X, which includes people in their 20s who have disposable income to spend on their own behalf, states that they want texts from companies at an amazing 76% of people surveyed.
Combine a growing interest in mom-and-pop, local businesses and a focus on text communication, and small, family-owned companies have the perfect recipe for growth.
How to Use Landline Texting to Survive and Thrive
Consumers want business texts. Interest in mom-and-pop shops is increasing. Multiple threats and challenges still exist for family-owned firms without the capital to launch a massive marketing campaign. Text My Main Number offers solutions in the form of affordable, convenient, and effective landline texting services.
Making use of this unique technology is one thing, knowing how to connect to your audience effectively is another.
Landline Texting Helps You Compete in a Digital World
Your mom-and-pop business’s curb appeal still matters, especially if you have a choice location in a walkable town. The signs outside and the display in your window let passersby know what you have to offer. Foot traffic, however, is no way to ensure the success of your family-owned company for very long. This is especially true during the Covid-related restrictions.
People search for local businesses online, and a full 72% of consumers end up stopping in at a store in a five-mile radius. Getting initial attention may rely on local SEO and other marketing efforts, but creating repeat visitors relies on communication. Landline texting that provides value to the people who found your business online goes a long way toward keeping their attention and establishing trust.
The moment you have their contact information and permission to send business texts, you have the power to keep them from searching for alternatives.
Create a Community Feel With Business Texting
Why do people want to buy things from mom-and-pop shops? Consumer trends turn away from big corporations these days, and many want to support neighbors in their community. Even though business texting may seem like the least personal communication style possible, it actually provides an amazing opportunity to build community focused on your success.
What kinds of things can you share with your customers to build a sense of community? The most important thing to remember is to avoid marketing to them was every message. You aren’t a barker at a fair calling out for attention. Instead, you should develop a friendly get professional relationship with people interested in your products or services.
- Share local news and events of interest.
- Recommend other non-competing businesses in the area.
- Tell recipients about how you give back to the community.
- Tell the story of your mom-and-pop shop.
Have a Conversation With Your Customers
Text messages are quite short, so the above suggestions will happen on a limited basis. Go for impact instead of explanations. Most of all, use landline texting services to create a conversation with your customers or clients. The Text My Main Number features like friendly emojis, group contact management, chat, and survey texting help with these efforts.
What kinds of things should you ask your customers through landline texting to improve your business?
- What is your favorite product or service that we offer?
- What do you wish we offered but don’t?
- How can we make our customer service process better?
- What is your favorite local event or community project?
- Would you recommend us to your neighbors? Why or why not?
The power of business texting allows you to send quick questions that get responses more often than not. People want to give their money to high-quality, reputable mom-and-pop shops that help their neighborhood succeed. When you show your intention to provide what they want, they are more likely to give you their business.
Think Long-term Strategies With Short-term Results
One of the most beneficial characteristics of landline texting is its immediacy. You send a text and no right away if it reached its target and if they received it in a positive way. Asking for responses makes its efficacy even easier to track. You can do this as simply as asking a question or inserting a quick yes/no poll in one of the texts.
These immediate answers help you plan how to market the mom-and-pop shop for the long-term, too. Family-owned brick-and-mortar businesses do not have the power to conduct extensive market research or product testing. Instead, you need to rely on direct feedback from the local audience to know what you should do next to keep their interest.
Text My Main Number provides an amazing opportunity for engagement and growth of even the smallest mom-and-pop shop focused on community business. Landline texting offers an affordable way to give consumers what they want and get the type of powerful results you need to succeed in these difficult times.