A store owner told me recently, “I just need more customers.” It’s the most common thing I hear, and it’s usually the wrong starting question. Before spending another dollar trying to find strangers, it’s worth looking at the customers, data, and relationships you already have.
Start with a better question
The real question isn’t just “how do I get more customers.” It’s “do I actually need more customers, or do I need to do more with the ones I already have?” Every store needs new customers eventually. But you likely already have thousands of people who know your store, have shopped there, and trust you. Understanding whether they’re coming back, and how often, is worth doing before you put the whole budget toward finding people who’ve never heard of you.
Bringing in new customers
New customers still matter, but don’t advertise to “everyone.” Know your actual trade area: where your current customers live, where your best ones come from, and how far people will realistically travel for what you sell. An urban $2 million store and a rural $2 million store can have completely different trade areas, even at the same size.
Know who you’re actually trying to reach, too. Homeowners, DIYers, contractors, painters, landscapers, and property managers all need different things from you; “people who need hardware” isn’t a real strategy. And be visible when people need you. Most hardware purchases start with a problem: a broken key, a leaking pipe, a room that needs paint. Your Google Business Profile, reviews, and local search visibility determine whether that person finds you first.
Keeping the customers you already have
Marketing can get someone through the door once. The experience determines whether there’s a second visit, and this is where independent stores have a real edge. Your people answer questions, solve problems, and remember names in a way a big box can’t. That builds trust, and trust is what creates repeat customers.
This is also where your loyalty and POS data matter. A loyalty program isn’t valuable because customers carry a card; it’s valuable because of what you learn from it and what you actually do with that information. If you haven’t already, this pairs well with our piece on what to actually do with a loyalty program once you have one.
Getting existing customers to visit more often
Sometimes growth isn’t about finding another customer. It’s getting someone who already shops with you four times a year to make it five or six. Email, appropriately-consented texts, social media, and seasonal reminders all exist to keep the relationship alive between visits, not as disconnected marketing tasks. And don’t overlook customers who used to shop with you but haven’t in a while; reactivating someone who already knows your store is usually easier than winning over a stranger.
Earning more of what they already buy elsewhere
This is the piece store owners think about the least. A customer might already shop with you regularly, but for only a small slice of what they actually buy in categories you carry. A customer who buys dog food from you every month but has never rented your carpet cleaner tells you something: they have a dog, which means pet stains, odors, and yard cleanup are all problems you might already be positioned to solve. The same logic applies to a paint customer who never buys brushes, tape, or drop cloths from you, or a contractor who buys fasteners but never power tools. The question isn’t “what else can we sell them.” It’s “what problem does what they already buy tell us they have, and are we the ones solving it?”
Don’t forget your Pro customers
For some stores, the bigger opportunity isn’t more DIY foot traffic; it’s earning more business from a smaller group of contractors and property managers who already trust you. Who are your best Pro customers, what are they buying elsewhere, and what would make doing business with you easier for them?
Ask for reviews, and let the experience carry the rest
Happy customers can become your best advocates, so make it easy to ask for an honest Google review. Never offer anything in exchange for one. And remember that marketing can bring someone in the door, but it can’t make up for a bad experience once they’re inside; if the visit doesn’t deliver on what the marketing promised, no amount of advertising fixes that.
One thing to try this week
Pull your loyalty or POS data and ask one question: what percentage of our sales this month came from customers we actually know? That single number tells you more about where your next customer is really going to come from than almost anything else you could measure.
Thank you for reading! We hope this post inspires you to see new opportunities to strengthen your marketing strategy. At HSME, we’re here to support local hardware stores in navigating today’s marketing challenges and helping you connect with your community, both online and in-store. If you have any questions or want to learn more about how we can support your business, feel free to reach out to us in any one of our channels or send us a message.
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What’s your biggest takeaway from today’s post? Share your thoughts in the comments below. We’d love to hear from you!
About Renee C Gray and HSME
Renee C Gray is the founder of Hardware Store Marketing Experts (HSME) with over 25 years of experience helping local hardware stores thrive in the digital age. Dedicated to bridging the gap between tradition and technology, Renee understands the unique challenges of small business owners and provides practical, authentic marketing solutions that resonate with your community.