Running a gift shop or a specialty retail store in Brisbane is tough right now. Between the rising rents in areas like Paddington or Bulimba and the constant threat of big department stores, it can feel like you're fighting a losing battle.
I’ve sat down with dozens of local shop owners who tell me the same thing: "I have beautiful products, but the street is quiet, and when people do come in, they just look and leave."
Most marketing advice you read online is written for massive tech companies. You don’t need to worry about "brand equity" or "omnichannel funnels." You need people to walk through your front door with their wallets out.
Here is the plain-English guide on how to actually grow your shop’s sales without wasting thousands on fancy ads that don't work.
1. Stop Being Invisible on Google
If someone in your suburb types "birthday gift near me" or "baby shower presents" into their phone, and you don't show up, you are literally giving money to your competitors.
Google is the modern-day Yellow Pages, but better. Most shop owners think they need a massive, expensive website to show up. You don't. What you need is a properly set up Google Business Profile. This is the little map listing that shows your shop's name, photos, and opening hours.
I see so many shops in Brisbane that haven't updated their hours or, worse, have terrible photos. If your shop looks dark and cluttered in your Google photos, nobody is going to drive 15 minutes to visit you.
What to do first: Take five high-quality photos of your best-selling items and your shopfront. Ask every happy customer to leave you a review. Google loves reviews. The shop with 50 five-star reviews will always beat the shop with three. Ensure your opening hours are 100% accurate. Nothing kills a customer's trust faster than driving to your shop only to find the door locked.
If you want a step-by-step on how to dominate these local searches, check out our shop owner's Google guide to start seeing more people walk through your door.
2. Your Window is Your Best Salesperson
I walk past shops in the Valley or West End all the time where the window display hasn't changed in three months. If your window stays the same, locals start to treat it like wallpaper—they stop seeing it entirely.
Your window display isn't just about looking pretty; it’s about stopping someone who is busy and distracted and giving them a reason to walk inside.
The Golden Rule: Don't just show products. Show a solution. Instead of a pile of candles, set up a "Relaxation Station" with a robe, a book, and a candle. Instead of random toys, set up a "Perfect 5-Year-Old's Birthday" display.
If you find that people are pausing at your window but not stepping inside, you need to look at why people walk into your shop and fix the barriers that are keeping them on the footpath.
3. Beat the Online Giants with Service
Let’s be honest: you can’t compete with Amazon on price. If you try, you’ll go broke. You compete by offering the one thing they can't: a human connection and an experience.
In a specialty gift shop, you aren't selling an object; you're selling the feeling of giving a great gift.
Gift Wrapping: Offer it for free or a small fee. It saves the customer a job and makes the purchase feel premium. Knowledge: Your staff should know the story behind the products. "This ceramic mug was made by a potter in Ipswich" is a much better sales pitch than "It's $25." The Vibe: Does your shop smell good? Is the music right? If your shop feels like a sanctuary, people will stay longer. The longer they stay, the more they buy.
Small stores have a massive advantage here. You can learn how your boutique can beat online giants by focusing on these local strengths that a website can never replicate.
4. Stop Ignoring the Customers You Already Have
Most shop owners spend all their time and money trying to find new customers. This is the most expensive way to run a business.
It is five times cheaper to get an old customer to come back than it is to find a brand new one. If you aren't collecting email addresses or phone numbers at the counter, you are throwing money away.
Imagine it’s a slow Tuesday. If you have a list of 500 locals who have bought from you before, you can send one quick message: "New local handmade jewelry just arrived! Mention this text for a free gift wrap this week."
Suddenly, your slow Tuesday is a busy one.
How much does this cost? Collecting names and emails is free. Sending a monthly email costs next to nothing. This is the highest return on investment you will ever get in marketing.
5. What’s a Waste of Money?
I’m going to be blunt here because I hate seeing small business owners get ripped off.
Radio Ads: Unless you have a massive budget and are running ads for months, radio is usually a black hole for your money. Local Newspaper Ads: In most Brisbane suburbs, these go straight from the driveway into the recycling bin. Vague "Brand" Advertising: If an ad doesn't have a clear reason for someone to visit your shop today, don't pay for it. Buying Social Media Followers: These are robots. Robots don't buy birthday presents. Focus on the 200 real locals who follow you, not 5,000 fake accounts from overseas.
6. How Long Until You See Results?
Marketing isn't magic, but it shouldn't take years either.
Google Business Profile: You can see more phone calls and map directions within 2–4 weeks of cleaning up your profile. Window Displays: You’ll see the result the same day. More heads turning, more people stopping.
- Email/SMS Marketing: You see the results within hours of hitting "send."
What Should You Do First?
If you’re overwhelmed, do these three things this week:
1. Claim your Google Business Profile. Upload 5 fresh photos and reply to your latest reviews. 2. Change your front window. Make it bold, bright, and focused on one specific type of gift. 3. Start a "VIP List." Put a physical notebook or a tablet at your counter and ask people if they want to be notified when new stock arrives. Give them a small incentive to join, like 10% off their next visit.
Running a shop is hard work, but you don't have to do it alone. At Local Marketing Group, we specialise in helping Brisbane retailers get more customers without the fluff. We focus on what actually puts money in your till.
If you want someone to take the marketing off your plate so you can focus on running your shop, get in touch with us here. We’ll have a straight-talk conversation about what your business actually needs to grow.