Gaming stores, whether for board games, video games, or tabletop games, still play an essential role in nerd and geek culture. These retail stores aren’t just for hardcore gamers either, as various gaming hobbies have become increasingly mainstream.
During COVID, storefronts, especially local shops, struggled to stay open. Those companies that made it through have a vested interest in working on their marketing approach. The competition against online or big box stores can be intense, but there are ways for smaller businesses to remain successful and provide crucial community spaces.
If you’re looking for marketing tips for your gaming store, this guide has some useful tips.
Keep reading for ideas on improving or adjusting your marketing strategy.
Cater To A Niche (And A Broad Audience)
While that might not sound like useful advice, it’s critical for many smaller gaming stores to understand and utilize. When operating a regional or local shop, you need to have loyal customers that come back and again and again. Still, you also need broad enough appeal to get more casual clientele.
So, finding a way to market and cater to the hardcore gamers (whether video games or otherwise), while still getting enough business from the general public.
You could do this by hosting weekly game nights or other events. You’ll get repeat customers in your target audience this way, but you can also host beginner events or offer enough inventory to get walk-in customers.
Don’t Neglect Your Online Presence
Online marketing is vital for most companies, even local storefronts. While you may mainly rely on word-of-mouth or physical marketing, online is still necessary. You need to have a functional website and some basic social media profiles. This way, potential clients can find you.
While you likely already have a Google presence that includes a business phone number and address, keeping your websites and social media platforms active is worth the effort.
You don’t need to have business profiles on all social media platforms. Instead, determine your target audience. If your core audience is younger, ensure you use instagram and TikTok. If they skew older, Instagram and Facebook are a better bet.
Partner With Professionals
Marketing is an entire skill set people devote their careers and education to. So if you’re not a small business marketing expert, it makes sense you would want assistance from the pros.
It’s a lot of work and time to run a business, but you may not be an expert in every element of entrepreneurship.
Instead of doing all the marketing for your store on your own, consider hiring an agency. Many marketing companies specialize in small businesses; you can even find local companies that understand your area and the competition.
Offer Something Unique
While gaming-related stores might not be as popular as restaurants or clothing shops, they are becoming more popular. So, offering a unique value proposition to stand out from the competition is necessary.
You may want to fill an open niche in the market. For example, you may offer books alongside games. Or you could add a coffee shop to encourage more customers to stop. There’s no right answer, but you need to make your business stand out.
Adjust As You Go
Marketing isn’t a stagnant thing. You’ll need to change as your business grows and your audience changes. Because of this, learning marketing basics and keeping up with trends and best practices is wise.
With these tips in mind, you can sustain and grow your gaming shop or store.