Whether due to the need to expand your business or merely a hike in rental rates, when the time comes to move to a new storefront, you may be concerned about whether your customers will follow. How can you ensure your move doesn't cut into your bottom line or even impede your ability to expand further? Read on to learn more about the best ways to move your business without causing a significant dip in your profits.
How can you ensure your customers will follow you to your new location?
In many cases, your move may be designed (in part) to improve your customers' experience -- whether you're heading to a building in a more central location, with better parking facilities, or even access to public transportation. However, the force of habit is a difficult one to break, and when customers head to your old storefront to find a "closed" sign, they may simply head to a nearby business rather than take the effort to seek you out. As a result, it's crucial to inform your customers at multiple stages of the process so that they're ready to rejoin you in your new location as soon as your move is complete.
If you already send out periodic email bulletins to customers or post on your business's social media page, you've already got a good framework in place to provide regular reminders of your old location's last day and your new location's grand opening. You may even want to offer coupons or discounts during the first week or two of operation to help attract new customers and encourage existing customers to check out your new store.
It's also important to make sure all public listings of your business include accurate address information. You'll want to make these changes on any online websites or search engines, as well as changing your address and filling out a mail-forwarding form with the U.S. Postal Service. This will not only ensure that your customers are easily able to locate you, it should go a long way toward preventing misdelivered mail.
What should you do to streamline your move?
While you may be reluctant to pay professional movers to handle your transition, trying the DIY method can often be a penny-wise and pound-foolish decision. The longer you (and your business) are out of commission because of the move, the more likely your customers are to simply find a new place to shop or seek services.
As a result, investing in professional packing and moving services can be a cost-effective proposition. You may even be able to get the ball rolling on this process while your business is still open to customers, with movers packing and loading inventory and fixtures outside the public's sight. Once you've closed for the evening (or weekend), your movers will be able to quickly and efficiently pack the rest of your business's belongings, transport them to your new location, and unpack them at your direction.
Because professional movers (particularly those specializing in large-scale business moves) have extensive experience when it comes to packing and shipping, they're usually able to perform these tasks much faster than you or your employees. They also have access to heavy-duty moving equipment (from thick corrugated cardboard boxes to forklifts and dollies) that can make the process less labor-intensive. Contact a company like Associated Paper & Supply for more information.
This equipment and expertise means that professional movers are less likely to cause damage to delicate machinery or other equipment -- and if breakage does happen, it should be covered by the moving company's insurance, rather than requiring you to pay out of pocket for repair or replacement.
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