How Can We Increase Sales?

If you’re asking yourself, “How can we increase sales in our retail store?”, this is your ultimate guide.

In the next few minutes, I’ll share the exact strategies I’ve used to help shop owners increase revenue by thousands each month, even in slow economies.

I'm Samuel Chapman, UK Retail Business Coach, Author of Sell Smarter, Not Harder, and Host of The Abundant Business Podcast

I help independent brick-and-mortar store owners attract more customers, boost sales, and build confident teams without relying on endless discounts or guesswork.

Want a tailored plan for your store?
Book your free discovery call today and let’s map out your fastest route to more customers and higher sales.

Why Increasing Retail Sales Feels Hard Right Now

If you’re a store owner, you’ve likely felt the pinch:

• Footfall is down.

• Customers browse but don’t buy.

• Social media posts get little engagement.

• Online competition feels impossible to match.

But here’s the truth, you can increase sales without discounting or hoping for a miracle footfall boost. The key is focusing on the right levers that drive sales growth consistently.

Let’s break down the 5 core areas every retailer should focus on to maximise revenue.

1. Attract More Footfall to Your Store

Increasing sales starts with increasing the right kind of traffic, footfall from people who are most likely to buy.

Quick Wins to Try:

• Optimise Your Google Business Profile: Add weekly posts, answer FAQs, upload fresh images, and use keywords like “gift shop Manchester” or “women’s fashion in York”.

• Partner with Local Businesses: Cross-promote with nearby cafés, gyms, or boutiques that target a similar audience to the ones you want. This helps to build on the trust they have built with their audience and in turn will help you to build trust faster with their audience too. 

• Host Events: Workshops, product demos, or VIP shopping nights give people a reason to come in, ask questions and understand what you are about. Don't forget todays shopper is looking for an experience that they cant get online, so you need to understand how you can create that magic. 

• Local PR: Send press releases to local media for any new product line, event, or charity involvement.

Why it works: Studies show 70% of in-store purchases are influenced by local searches online. If your store isn’t optimised for local discovery, you’re invisible to ready-to-buy customers.

Related: How to Increase Footfall to Your Retail Store

2. Boost Your Average Order Value (AOV), Turn One Sale into Many

Selling to customers who are already in your store is cheaper and faster than finding new ones. Every extra £5–£10 you add to a transaction multiplies profit without increasing your overheads.

AOV-Boosting Strategies for Independent Retailers:

• “Buy More, Save More” Ladder – Use visible signage: Spend £50, get 10% off; Spend £75, get 15% off; Spend £100, get 20% off. This encourages shoppers to add “just one more thing” to qualify for the next tier. And instead of discounting, you could add gifts instead as long as they are items that your customers would genuinely want, need or desire. 

• Strategic Product Placement – Put impulse-buy items like accessories, snacks, or small homeware near the till, include enticing signage. Retailers who do this see up to a 30% lift in basket size.

• Premium Add-On Option – For every mid-range product, have a higher-end “deluxe” version nearby. Staff can say: “If you want something that lasts longer / feels more luxurious, this is worth considering.”

• Complete-the-Set Merchandising – If you sell fashion, show the whole outfit together. If you sell homeware, style it in a room set. Remember that many people have very little imagination so shoppers often buy the “look” rather than just the individual item.

  Advanced Tip: Track your average transaction value weekly. Set staff challenges to increase it by 5% and reward them for hitting the target.

 Related: 3 Retail Pricing Strategies to Increase Profits

3. Increase Your Conversion Rate & Turn Browsers into Buyers

It’s frustrating when foot traffic is decent, but sales are low. That’s a conversion issue, not a marketing one.

Conversion-Boosting Tactics for Retailers:

• Tactile Product Experience – Encourage customers to touch, try, and interact with products. The “endowment effect” means people are more likely to buy something they’ve handled.

• Three-Level Pricing Displays – Have a budget-friendly, mid-range, and premium option grouped together. This helps customers self-select without feeling pressured.

• Hotspot Merchandising – Identify your “power zones” (areas customers naturally gravitate to) and place high-margin or new products there.

• Sales-Driving Signage – Use large, visible “Why This is Great” tags that highlight benefits and social proof (e.g., “Bestseller — 500 sold this month!”).

• Simplified Checkout – If customers queue for too long, you lose them. Have mobile payment options or express tills during busy times.

Advanced Tip: Track your in-store conversion rate by counting visitors vs. sales. Even a 5% improvement can transform your bottom line.

 Related: How to Get Shoppers That Actually Spend

4. Improve Your Repeat Customer Rate & Keep Them Coming Back

Acquiring a new customer can cost 5–7x more than keeping an existing one. Repeat buyers also tend to spend more per visit.

Repeat-Customer Growth Strategies:

• Tiered Loyalty Programs – Offer perks that increase over time. For example:

  • Level 1: Free gift on your 3rd visit

  • Level 2: Exclusive shopping nights

  • Level 3: VIP early access to sales/new ranges

• Seasonal Outreach – Reach out before special dates (birthdays, anniversaries, holidays) with tailored product suggestions.

• Private Events – Invite your best customers to “first look” nights where they get an exclusive preview of new stock.

• Thank-You Follow-Ups – A handwritten card after a first purchase can lead to a 30% increase in return visits.

Advanced Tip: Segment your customer list into top spenders, regulars, and lapsed customers. Each group should get a different marketing approach.

Related: How to Build a Customer Loyalty Program

5. Maximise Staff Performance & Build a Sales-First Culture

Your team are your best sales asset, or your biggest missed opportunity. Well-trained staff convert more sales and leave customers eager to return.

Staff Sales Performance Enhancers:

• Host Monthly Sales Psychology Training – Teach techniques like upselling, cross-selling, and using scarcity to increase urgency.

• Empower Staff with Product Knowledge – Shoppers trust confident recommendations. A staff member who can say, “I use this at home and here’s why it’s brilliant,” builds instant credibility.

• Mystery Shop Your Store – Identify gaps in service. Are staff greeting customers? Are they helping without hovering?

• Set and Celebrate Targets – Create small, daily goals like “Sell 3 premium items” and celebrate wins at the end of the day.

• Create a ‘Host’ Mindset – Encourage staff to treat shoppers like guests. Greeting by name, remembering past purchases, and making tailored suggestions creates loyalty that lasts years.

Advanced Tip: Measure each staff member’s average transaction value and conversion rate. Train to improve, and reward progress, not just results.

 Related: How to Build a High Performing Retail Team

Sales Psychology Tips for Retailers

These are subtle but powerful ways to influence buying decisions in your store:

1. The Scarcity Principle – Display “Only 3 left” or “Limited Edition” on bestsellers.

2. Social Proof – Highlight staff picks, customer reviews, or photos of happy customers using your products.

3. The Decoy Effect – Offer a middle-priced option that makes your premium option look like better value.

4. Anchoring – Display higher-priced items next to standard products to make the standard seem affordable.

5. The Endowment Effect – Let customers touch, try, or sample products to increase emotional ownership.

    Related: Sales Psychology For Independent Retailers

Your Retail Sales Growth Action Plan

This Week:

• Optimise your Google Business profile.

• Create one product bundle.

• Update signage with clear pricing and social proof.

• Set up a simple loyalty program.

• Train staff on one sales psychology technique.

Want a tailored plan for your store?

You don’t have to guess at how to increase sales, I can walk into your business (virtually or in-person), identify your hidden sales leaks, and give you a proven, step-by-step strategy.

🎯 Book a free discovery call with me here

And start attracting more customers, boosting your sales, and building a business you love running.

FAQ's You Might Still Be Wondering

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How to Gain Customers Fast

How to be Better at Retail Sales

Why Are my Retail Sales so Low? & What to Fix

Why Choose Samuel Chapman Retail Coach?

With over a decade of hands-on experience growing small businesses, I’ve helped shop owners go from overlooked and underpaid to profitable, confident, and in control.

Whether you run a boutique, lifestyle store, gift shop or something in between, I know what it’s like to feel stuck despite working hard.

My methods are built around strategy, not guesswork and I’ve worked with over 100 retail business owners to:

✔️ Attract more footfall without relying on discounts
✔️ Increase return customers and average order value
✔️ Clarify their store’s message and improve customer experience
✔️ Feel proud of the business they’ve built again

If you’re ready to transform the way your store performs, it starts with a conversation.

How Samuel Can Help You