The rent was a bargain. The visibility was…practically invisible. But you moved into the out-of-the-way retail space anyway, convinced that dedicated customers would find their way to your door. And then you woke up.

Sadly, this scenario is repeated daily by gung-ho storeowners who are convinced they can succeed in a less-than-desirable location. The good news is: It can be done. Here’s one example:

A three-store treadmill and fitness products retailer got tired of paying huge rents to be in regional malls. He sold the company assets and name, and then opened his own store in a semi-industrial area near a major freeway. It has even more showroom space than any of his mall stores, so customers can try a larger variety of treadmills before they buy. But finding the place was a challenge at first.

“The owner makes it a point to tell customers that because his rent is low, he can offer lower prices to those willing to drive a little further down the road.”

Since he had retained the rights to his customer database, the first thing he did was send email and postal mail announcements about the relocated store. He bought ads in nearby local newspapers for the same purpose. Then he invited everyone to an open house and sale over a weekend.

He included directions in the announcements and invitation, but that wasn’t enough. First he checked the local zoning laws regarding signage. Then he set out “Open House” directional signs and balloons at key intersections along the route to assure customers they were heading in the right direction. And to catch the attention of drivers on that freeway, he rented a giant inflatable strongman for his roof, holding an arrow sign that said simply “Next Exit.” When drivers reached the end of the off-ramp, they could see the “Open House” signs guiding them to the store.

Business is now brisk at the hard-to-find location. The owner makes it a point to tell customers that because his rent is low, he can offer lower prices to those willing to drive a little further down the road.

You can apply his ideas to your location-challenged retail space. Some tips:

• Use as much as signage as your landlord and local zoning laws permit.
• Let all current, previous and potential customers know about your location via email and postal mail.
• Stress that your new location helps you offer better prices thanks to lower overhead.
• Provide incentives such as prepaid gas cards, drawings for movie tickets and other good reasons for customers to find you.

Above all, don’t act like you’re a low-budget merchandiser just because you’re store isn’t in a mainstream location. Remind staff to treat each customer that comes through the door as a welcome guest rather than an easy mark. Even if you can’t have location, location, location, you can have profits, profit, profits.