How to Use First-Party Data to Drive Local Store Visits

In the optics and audiology sectors, one of the biggest marketing challenges is bridging the gap between data and physical store footfall.

It’s one thing to know who your customer is. It’s another to get them off the sofa and into a Specsavers, Scrivens, or Optical Express store.

That’s where first-party data becomes your secret weapon.

What Is First-Party Data (and Why It’s So Valuable)?

First-party data is the information you collect directly from your customers or prospects such as:

• Age, location, and purchase history
• Preferences (e.g. glasses vs. contacts, hearing vs. eye tests)
• Communication channels they engage with (email, mail, SMS)
• Behavioural signals (clicked an ad, responded to a call, booked a home visit)

It’s permission-based, relevant, and actionable, especially for local activation.

Turning Data Into Store Visits

Here’s how smart marketers use it to drive local footfall:

1. Geo-Targeting by Distance to Store
   Segment your audience based on postcode distance from your physical store locations. Focus spend on those within a 5–10 mile radius of a branch.
2. Personalised Direct Mail or Email
   Use known preferences and local store info to send messages like:
   “We haven’t seen you in a while, pop into [High Street Branch] for a free check-up.”
3. Digital Ads With Local Relevance
   Serve Facebook or Google ads that show the closest store location with map info and a booking button.
4. Follow-Up by Phone or SMS
   Target lapsed customers who haven’t visited in 12+ months with a friendly nudge:
   “We’re now offering weekend slots at your local clinic. Want to book in?”

Results We’ve Seen In Campaigns

• Store-based appointment rates jump 25 – 40% when campaigns use geo-targeting with tailored creative
• Postcode-level modelling allows for smarter mailing and better ROI
• Triggering local messages after someone visits your website or engages with a campaign improves response rates significantly