This summer, my family took a 4,500-mile road trip out west to visit where our ancestors lived in the mountains and check off a few bucket-list items. While I was on PTO, I couldn’t stop myself from exploring the local retail scene at each stop along our route. 

Our travels included larger cities along major interstate highways, towns that didn’t show up on the map along our scenic drives, and everything in between. Each town we visited had its own unique personality and mix of retailers. Our most memorable pit stops had a few things in common: great customer service, unique merchandise, and some form of marketing that made us stop and shop. 

Customer Service Above All
Maybe my Michigan accent gave me away; maybe it’s just a standard for good service, but in nearly every local business I visited, I was asked where I was coming from, how long I was in town for, and if I needed help finding anything in-store or around town. As a shopper who was unfamiliar with the area I was visiting, local suggestions were incredibly valuable. If the store I was shopping in didn’t have what I was looking for, the clerk was quick to recommend another store in town or nearby that might. I lucked out a few times based on these recommendations and found great local products to try. 
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Unique Merchandise Wins
While trending merchandise might get shoppers in the door, unique merchandise leaves an impression. Several of the shops we visited carried the same souvenirs–keychains, magnets, postcards, shirts, blankets, shot glasses, coffee mugs, and plush toys with a location printed on them. Some were more unique than others, but I could’ve purchased a silver teddy bear keychain with a different location on his belly at no less than a dozen stops on our trip. 

But it was the retailers with unique merchandise that were more memorable and won our business. A few stores had entire displays of products made by artisans in their town. Local coffees, teas, pastries, pottery, produce, art, and more made for great souvenirs and meals. The unique items that we couldn’t find at the other stores in town had us coming back for a second visit to stock up before we left the area. 

Marketing Certainly Helps
Throughout our trip, I found retailers through a variety of discovery methods. We used map apps to find destinations along our route for everything from gas, to food, to parks, to shopping. We looked at map listings with photos and read reviews before adding a stop.  

I browsed local travel blogs and listicals for recommendations. From those articles, I’d check out the business website or social media to see if it was open and worth a visit. We also saw billboards with great images and a clear website listed to learn more.

We picked up local travel guides with compelling ads and valuable coupons. We’d find discounts for destinations we’d considered after seeing them online, which incentivized us to prioritize a stop. Local chambers, DDAs, visitors bureaus, and business groups produced great printed resources for many of the towns we visited. 

Digital and physical presence matter. Showing up in a variety of places makes a significant difference for your business. Consider diversifying your marketing strategy in one new way for the coming season to see how it impacts foot traffic or online sales.