Retail is one of the most competitive and innovative sectors in the world. It’s a tough environment with shopping malls struggling to keep up with constantly changing consumer behaviour. Success in retail certainly doesn’t come easy and an increasing number of malls are closing their doors. So how do you get customers to visit your shopping mall instead of your rivals?
Whether footfall is down or you’re looking to boost performance in the coming months, you’ve come to the right place. Discover how to increase footfall in your shopping mall and transform it into a profitable location with our best 15 ideas.
15 proven ways to increase footfall
1. Run in-store-only promotions
Recent research shows that more than a quarter of UK shoppers only buy goods when they’re on promotion. Everyone loves a bargain, so use this to your advantage to increase footfall traffic in your shopping mall. Encourage retailers to run in-store-only promotions then leverage all your marketing channels to ensure they’re well-advertised.
When running promotions ensure the marketing materials are consistent across your online and offline channels. Aligning all your assets strengthens brand recognition and reinforces the messaging, seriously boosting the overall results of the promotion.
2. Mail out discounts
Mailshot discounts are another way to appeal to price-conscious shoppers eager for a bargain. Create an enticing email or direct mail campaign with an exclusive discount that can only be redeemed in-store. Complement this with an amazing in-store experience to help transform visitors into loyal customers who keep coming back, time and time again.
A word of caution though – be wary of overdoing it. You’ll need to find the right balance. Promotions are a powerful footfall driver but too many discounts can damage your brand value. Instead of letting your promotional activity spiral out of control use strategic planning to focus your efforts for best results.
3. Host footfall-driving events
Events are a fantastic way to ramp up footfall in your shopping mall. In a world where online interactions dominate, events provide a tangible way to connect with customers and create memorable experiences. You can maximise footfall by strategically scheduling events during off-peak hours or slower retail seasons.
Here are some ideas for events:
- Grand openings – Mark the launch of a new store with a celebratory event to create a buzz among potential customers. The grand opening of Sephora at Eldon Square saw hundreds of shoppers queuing overnight to be the first inside the new store. As a result of the opening, footfall for the mall was up by 14% compared to the same date the previous year.
- Seasonal events – Capitalise on the holidays with special-themed events and transform your shopping mall with seasonal decorations.
- Workshops and classes – Engage with your audience with educational workshops and classes such as Christmas wreath making, cooking classes, and makeup masterclasses.
- Fashion events – Lure fashion enthusiasts with fashion shows, meet the designer, stylist sessions, and new collection previews.
- Culinary events – Attract foodies with culinary events such as guest chef demonstrations, restaurant pop-ups, and wine pairing events.
- Collaborative events – Partner with other businesses and organisations to co-host events and expand your customer reach.
4. Make your shopping mall Instagrammable
We know in-store shopping is all about the experience, so make sure it’s share-worthy! Inspire people to snap a photo and share it online by creating photo opportunities throughout your mall such as feature walls and photo booths.
Take it further by working directly with influencers to create a buzz and expand your audience reach. For example, you could invite them to special influencer events and ask them to promote your shopping mall via sponsored content on their social channels.
5. Create a family-friendly shopping experience
Shopping with kids is no easy feat. Take the pressure off by creating a family-friendly shopping experience. From family events to parent and child parking bays, dedicated play areas, and parent and baby rooms, there are many ways you can make your shopping mall more family-friendly.
Parents are a powerful marketing asset. They often share information with each other and recommend places with family-friendly facilities. There’s no better form of marketing than ‘word of mouth’ so don’t miss out on an opportunity to turn your loyal customers into brand advocates.
6. Think outside-the-box
Introduce quirky additions to your shopping mall – something customers wouldn’t expect, and your competitors haven’t thought of. Thinking outside the box will get people talking about your shopping mall and set you apart from your competitors. Let your imagination run wild and grab that competitive advantage.
Here’s some inspiration to help get you started:
- Dial-a-story
- Piano
- Art installations
- VIP experiences
- Rooftop garden
- Massage chairs
Leverage innovative technology
Innovative technology enables you to enhance the customer experience, differentiate your brand, and boost footfall traffic. With new technology constantly emerging, you must adapt and innovate quickly to stay ahead of the game.
Here are some examples:
Interactive digital displays – The era of static advertising displays is long gone. Interactive digital signage engages shoppers with immersive content, personalised recommendations, and real-time promotions.  The 3D hologram at Kings Cross Station in London is a great example of pushing the boundaries of digital advertising with new and innovative technologies.
Smart parking systems – Smart parking systems use sensors and mobile apps to provide real-time information on space availability. This makes it quicker and easier for shoppers to find spots in your busy car park.
Indoor navigation apps — An indoor navigation app makes it easier for shoppers to find their way around your shopping mall. These apps offer handy tools like turn-by-turn directions, interactive maps, and location-based services.
8. Transform vacant spaces into pop-ups
Temporary pop-ups are a great way to utilise empty space to increase footfall traffic. The pop-ups don’t need to be traditional retail. Think outside the box and create a unique shopping experience that can’t be found elsewhere. For example, you could host art exhibitions, local artisan shops, seasonal must-haves, local celebrity shops, and speciality food shops.
9. Provide loyalty perks
A customer loyalty programme is an effective way to bring people back time and time again. Exclusive perks for frequent visits make customers feel valued, give them a compelling reason to return and help turn them into brand advocates.
A popular way to implement a loyalty programme is via a mobile app. This enables the shopping mall to capture valuable customer data that it can use to tailor promotions, events, and marketing strategies to shopper preferences. On top of that the mobile app can help enhance the shopping experience with handy features such as interactive navigation tools and a reservation booking system for restaurants or events.
10. Create leisure and entertainment spaces
Today’s consumers crave unique and engaging experiences, so your mall needs to look beyond traditional retail to survive and thrive. Curating a dynamic mix of leisure and entertainment experiences is a great way to transform your mall into a vibrant attraction. For example, you could integrate a fitness centre, indoor cinema, virtual reality gaming centre, soft play or a multi-use performance stage for live music, comedy shows and family events. Providing more than just retail gives people a new reason to visit your shopping mall, helping drive footfall traffic.
11. Introduce WiFi hotspots
Turn your mall into a go-to destination for the growing remote workforce by installing WiFi hotspots. Providing comfortable areas where they can use the internet and take advantage of the facilities ensures a steady stream of customers on a daily basis. Additionally, you can monetise on it by strategically placing the hotspots near food and beverage outlets.
12. Become a community hub
Local customers are your bread and butter so show your appreciation by giving back to your community. Transform vacant spaces into dynamic community hubs for local meetups and events. Offering space to local community groups and not-for-profit organisations ensures your mall remains at the heart of the community and helps drive footfall all year round.
13. Buy online and pickup in-store
‘Buy Online, Pick Up In-Store’ (BOPIS) is an effective footfall driver that entices customers back to brick-and-mortar stores. BOPIS creates a seamless shopping experience that connects online and in-store shopping to offer the best of both worlds. Customers can enjoy the convenience of online shopping while not missing out on the in-store experience.
Be more than a collection point. Leverage BOPIS to your full advantage and use high-impact advertising to encourage spontaneous in-store purchases. Integrating BOPIS into your shopping mall strategy helps meet evolving consumer expectations and increase footfall traffic.
14. Improve your design and aesthetics
The design and aesthetics of a shopping mall play a pivotal role in the visitor experience. A clean, modern, attractive space creates an enjoyable experience and encourages repeat visits. Incorporating greenery, seating areas, and natural light can help elevate the atmosphere. This makes the mall feel more welcoming and offers a space where visitors can linger. Investing in aesthetic appeal and functional design is essential to the long-term success of any retail space.
15. Incorporate green spaces
Incorporating green spaces further improves the mall’s aesthetic appeal and resonates with today’s environmentally conscious consumers. Features like indoor gardens, rooftop gardens, and eco-friendly outdoor seating areas provide tranquil areas where shoppers can relax away from the hustle and bustle. This promotes sustainability and wellbeing while enhancing the appeal of the shopping mall.
Analyse, optimise and repeat
Footfall analytics is the secret ingredient that can help deliver higher footfall. Continually monitoring footfall lets you keep your finger on the pulse and further drive performance. By following the analyse, optimise, and repeat process you’re always improving your strategy to maximise footfall and deliver strong returns.
Footfall analytics software, like Retail Report, is a great tool for monitoring footfall and making sure you get the most out of your data. Retail Report seamlessly integrates with leading footfall systems to collect and analyse footfall data alongside other key metrics such as sales figures. This gives you a clear and accurate performance overview, enabling a comprehensive footfall analysis.
It’s also packed with innovative tools to help you analyse performance, understand trends, and identify potential problems. This provides invaluable insights to help you make better strategic decisions to increase footfall traffic.
Analyse your data with Retail Report:
- Use built-in heatmaps to pinpoint the areas driving the most traffic within your mall
- Identify your shopping mall’s busiest and quietest times
- Compare current footfall data with previous periods
- See the impact of weather and in-store events on footfall traffic
- Benchmark your footfall figures against national and regional trends
Are you ready to unleash the power of footfall analytics?
Increasing footfall demands a strategic blend of creativity, engagement, and data-driven decision-making. By implementing our best 15 ideas you can attract and retain customers to ensure sustained success. We’ve highlighted the importance of meeting customer preferences, giving them new reasons to visit, and turning them into brand advocates.
Set yourself up for success with Retail Report. Our retail analytics software enables you to continually optimise your shopping mall strategy to maximise footfall traffic and secure profitable growth. Schedule a free demo today to find out how to increase footfall in a shopping mall with retail analytics.
