Vacant Retail, any ideas for marketing plan?

[westie]

I own and self managing about a dozen commercial propertys, mostly retail. My challenge at present is - one vacant retail shop.
While i have an arrangement with a local agent, who has acommercail focus, to show and let the place - i believe in being proactive....there is an agents sign in the window, add in the weekly paper, i keep the place clean, windows wiped... but feel i need to lift the act and create a more comprehensive marketing plan to find a good tenant. For other shops i have created a 'windows display' with good lighting - to inspire prospective tenants.
But have you ever had the feeling, you think you are doing all the right things, but the desired result has not arrived. Not trying hard enough? or no patience? My brother calls it - "hold the line". Open to all suggestions, advice and critique...

 

[Ahmad Azimi]

Find out who will be you're most likely tenants. Narrow it down to a few and then target them rather than putting an ad in the paper and hoping someone will call up.

Why dont you read "Triggers" by Joe Sugarman on getting some tips on copywriting. If you can write a great ad and catch people's attention then maybe that's all you need. Just google it and you should be able to find a free ebook version.

 

[westie]

thanks Ahmed, your feedback sat with me for a week or so... and i realised your are right - best marketing, is target marketing. So i went and took a note of all the retailers/entities on the stip, punched it into excel (isn't that a wonderfull program) and counted 82 total. Now going over that list to see; a) what's the trend (very much health/medical/professional strip) and
b) what niche of business is absent and could do well, have about a dozen i can think of, so yes, i will now target the marketing to those entities, within the region, and as start ups.
Again, thanks for the spark Ahmed.