The US has over 10,000 vape shops open for business, so any store that wants customers to call it the best has plenty of rivals. Getting there takes hard work and smart outreach. Find a pitch that lands with your customers, build a reputation on it, and your shop climbs toward the top of online search results. These 4 habits do most of the lifting.
Reward the customers who keep coming back
A loyalty program is the most reliable way to bring people back repeatedly. A simple version awards a point per dollar spent and hands over a free item once a customer reaches a set level. Let people save their points for longer in exchange for better rewards and sales begin to rise. Customers enjoy a free item, and they enjoy having a relationship with their vape shop just as much.
Get those customers to review you
Loyal customers attract more loyal customers, but only if newcomers can see that loyalty somewhere online. Ask your regulars to rate the shop on Facebook, Yelp or whichever site your customers use most. Their reviews are your strongest tool for winning new business. Search engines also pick up on a large body of positive reviews and place the shop higher when someone looks for a vape shop online.
Answer every question and comment
Regulars will leave questions and comments on your social media profiles. Replying quickly is how you show you care. Aim to answer each piece of feedback in under 12 hours, so that current and prospective customers can tell a real person sits behind the screen.
Treat negative comments as a chance to improve. A gracious, careful reply can draw in new customers who notice the positive attitude.
Run promotions
Promotions win new customers because people like deals. Exclusive offers and markdowns on older products both tell customers you want them happy.
To spread the word you can build an email list, collect phone numbers at checkout or send ordinary postal mail. The channel matters less than the deal. Tie your promotions to an informative blog and the blog builds your reputation at the same time.
Staying on top is ongoing work
Reaching the top rating is not the end of it. A shop in that position has to defend it constantly: keeping customers happy, dealing with complaints and finding new ways to innovate. The effort never stops, but it should be hugely rewarding.