The digital landscape for small businesses is ever evolving. And arguably, no industry has seen more change than the retail sector. With the rise of online commerce, brick-and-mortar retailers have had to get savvy and scrappy to stay alive.
While no one wants to see ghost towns and tumbleweeds where storefronts used to bustle, there is a need to stay relevant—and in today’s digital age, that means offering convenience in the form of online shopping.
Going “hybrid” (digitally speaking) offers the best of both worlds. You can still provide a curated, in-person shopping experience, while allowing folks with busy schedules to shop your selection “on-demand.”
If you own a brick-and-mortar or you’re thinking of starting one, here’s some advice from some of Downtown Fort Wayne’s finest marketers:
Olivia Fabian, One Lucky Guitar
Enhance Your Mobile Experience
Make purchasing online seamless, whether through your website or social selling platforms. Review your mobile site for barriers like slow loading times or cumbersome checkout forms, and prioritize features like mobile payments or one-click purchasing to boost conversions.
Build Connections, Not Transactions
Consumers want to connect with the brands they buy from. Add personal touches through storytelling, user-generated content, or behind-the-scenes glimpses to humanize your brand and foster loyalty.
Make It Fun
Your digital shopping experience should reflect the vibrancy of your physical store. Incorporate interactive elements like playful designs or virtual shopping assistants to keep customers engaged and delighted.
Isaac Geiger, Boyden & Youngblutt
It’s easy for brands to get caught in a cycle of over-focusing on their own message and assumptions about what their audience knows. One key piece of advice for 2025: never assume your target audience is already familiar with you. To truly stand out, brands must leverage social media not just for engagement, but as a powerful tool to increase awareness and boost frequency of their messaging.
Consistently staying top-of-mind and in front of their audience is important to build and continue the sales cycle. As the digital landscape continues to evolve, making sure the brand’s presence is consistent will be key.
Dustin Keeslar, Creative Cat Co.
For 2025 retailers following a hybrid sales model, my advice is to focus on building long-term relationships with your customers through automation and personalization. It’s easy for brands to overlook the need for personalization when they move to digital solutions.
Collect and showcase customer reviews—these will be key for search engine optimization (SEO) and trust. Bridge the in-store and online gap by using tools that allow multiple touchpoints: automated texts for timely updates, email nurture sequences for deeper engagement, social content scheduling to stay top of mind.
Offer an online shopping option to meet the market’s expectation of convenience, so customers can browse or buy at their own pace. Tie your eCommerce products into Google Shop, and make sure to optimize your Google My Business (GMB) profile. Automate abandoned cart reminders, personalized product recommendations, and follow-ups to create a seamless customer journey.
Add data-driven personalization to your strategy by segmenting audiences for hyper-targeted campaigns and exclusive offers. Build loyalty programs that reward repeat customers with discounts or perks to increase lifetime value. Increase the rewards based on how much they spend online or in-store.
Integrate your channels to give a cohesive brand experience across social media, email and in-store interactions. Use lead scoring to identify your most engaged customers and upsell or cross-sell with tailored suggestions.
Use your customer relationship management (CRM) system to collect customer feedback, refine your offerings, and drive future campaigns so you stay ahead of the competition. By doing these you will have a seamless digital presence that gives real value to your customers and your bottom line.
Going Digital Wrap Up:
1.) Stay true to your physical store’s personality online, and stay in people’s minds with strategic social media and storytelling.
2.) Make online shopping faster, easier, and more fun, using one-click purchasing, Google shop, and loyalty perks and rewards.
3.) Automate as much as you can using your CRM, from collecting customer feedback to reminding shoppers of items left in their carts.
Molly Conner is a Fort Wayne native and freelance writer. Having lived in Downtown Fort Wayne throughout her twenties, she loves watching her stomping grounds grow. With her love of storytelling and community in tow, she’s eager to tell Downtown Fort Wayne’s story piece-by-piece—exploring the people, spaces, and organizations that make it thrive.
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