Independent hardware retailers face a challenge that continues to grow across the industry. Customer expectations are evolving, online information shapes purchasing decisions, and large retailers often have access to corporate marketing support that independent stores simply do not.
For many owners, the result is a slow but steady decline in store visits.
Farm City Supply, a locally owned hardware and farm supply store in Breckenridge, Minnesota, was experiencing exactly this trend. The store had a loyal customer base and strong roots in the community, but transactions had been gradually decreasing for several years.
Like many independent retailers, the team knew the store had value. What they needed was a hardware marketing strategy that could translate that value into consistent customer engagement and store traffic.
That is where we stepped in with our Hardware Retail Marketing.
The Challenge
A Strong Store Facing Declining Foot Traffic
Farm City Supply had been serving the Breckenridge community for decades. Customers relied on the store for tools, seasonal supplies, and expert advice that only a local retailer can provide.
But beginning in 2022, the store started seeing a familiar pattern in the hardware retail industry.
Year-over-year transactions were declining by approximately 5 percent annually.
This type of gradual decline is common among independent stores that rely primarily on word-of-mouth and traditional promotions. Without a structured hardware marketing system, it becomes difficult to consistently reach customers across digital platforms.
Farm City Supply faced three core challenges:
- Declining transaction volume year over year
- Limited ability to scale marketing and communication efforts
- No internal marketing staff to manage strategy or execution
The store had a strong reputation and community presence, but it lacked the infrastructure needed to translate that reputation into digital visibility and measurable growth.
The Strategy
Building a Local Hardware Marketing System
Mountain Mojo Group partnered with Farm City Supply to design a hardware marketing strategy focused on long-term growth and community engagement.
The goal was not simply to increase social media posts or run occasional advertisements. Instead, the strategy centered on building a full-funnel marketing system that could support the store year-round.
The plan focused on three key objectives:
- Stabilize declining store traffic
- Build a reachable and engaged local audience
- Turn digital marketing into real in-store visits
To achieve these goals, the marketing approach focused on several strategic pillars:
Brand Positioning and Messaging
The first step was defining the store’s mission, vision, and values in a way that could guide all communication.
Clear brand messaging helps ensure that marketing feels authentic and consistent across every channel, from social media posts to email newsletters and website content.
For Farm City Supply, this meant highlighting what made the store different: local expertise, community connection, and dependable service.
Community-Focused Marketing
Rather than relying on generic promotional messaging, the hardware marketing strategy focused on community storytelling.
Content highlighted:
- Local customers and staff
- Seasonal projects and home improvement ideas
- Community events and store initiatives
This approach positioned the store as a trusted local resource rather than just another retail location.
Consistent Multi-Channel Execution
A major part of the hardware marketing strategy involved coordinating multiple communication channels to work together.
These included:
- A redesigned website with locally optimized content
- Email marketing to build a direct customer communication channel
- Consistent social media posting
- Meta advertising campaigns targeting local audiences
- Seasonal promotions coordinated across online and offline marketing
Most importantly, this system allowed Farm City Supply to maintain consistent marketing activity without adding extra workload for the store’s staff.
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The Results
Correcting a Multi-Year Decline
The impact of the hardware marketing strategy became visible within the first year.
Historically, the store had been experiencing an average 5 percent annual decline in store visits.
By the end of 2025, that trend had improved significantly.
The decline in transactions was reduced to 2.95 percent for the year, indicating that the downward trajectory was beginning to stabilize.
Even more encouraging was the momentum seen in the second half of the year.
During that period, the average decline dropped to just 0.74 percent, bringing the store close to flat year-over-year performance.
For many retailers, reversing a multi-year decline is the most difficult step toward long-term growth.
Farm City Supply had reached that turning point.
Growing a Community Audience
An important component of the hardware marketing strategy focused on building direct relationships with customers.
Email Marketing
Farm City Supply launched a structured email program for the first time.
Through in-store signups and targeted outreach, the store built an audience of more than 150 engaged subscribers.
Email now serves as a direct communication channel for:
- Promotions and sales
- Store events
- Seasonal product updates
- Community news
Plans are already in place to double the email audience over the next two quarters.
Social Media Growth
Social media also became a stronger community platform for the store.
By maintaining a consistent posting cadence and highlighting local stories, Farm City Supply transformed its Facebook page into a community hub.
In 2025 alone, the store experienced:
389.9 percent follower growth
485 new followers added
Customers increasingly engage with the store online, creating a stronger relationship before they even step inside.
Turning Online Engagement Into Store Visits
While audience growth is valuable, the ultimate goal of hardware marketing is driving in-store activity.
Several initiatives helped bridge the gap between digital engagement and real-world visits.
Website Performance
A new website launched in summer 2025 with locally optimized content designed around common customer searches.
The results were immediate.
Monthly website users increased from approximately 700 to more than 1,200, with a long-term goal of reaching 1,800 monthly visitors by 2026.
Even more importantly, engaged sessions increased by more than 50 percent year over year.
Customers were arriving at the store already informed about products and services.
Local Social Advertising
Targeted Meta advertising campaigns supported awareness and website traffic.
Typical campaigns reached 6,000 to 10,000 local users and generated 250 to 500 clicks to the store’s website.
These campaigns focused on local education and store awareness rather than purely promotional messaging.
Omni-Channel Promotions
Promotions were also coordinated across direct mail, email marketing, social advertising, and in-store signage.
This alignment helped maximize campaign impact while allowing the store to track measurable outcomes such as coupon redemption and product sales.
What This Means for Other Hardware Retailers
Farm City Supply’s results demonstrate that effective hardware marketing does not require a large internal team or corporate marketing department.
Independent retailers can compete by building systems that connect community engagement, digital visibility, and in-store experiences.
For hardware store owners, the takeaway is simple.
Marketing works best when it is consistent, community-focused, and strategically coordinated across multiple channels.
With the right approach, even small stores can turn marketing into a reliable engine for long-term growth.
Ready to Build a Better Marketing Plan?
Book a discovery call, and let’s talk through your current marketing setup and how Mountain Mojo Group could take you to the next level.
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Grab a meeting with Rand, one of Mojo’s Founders!
What can I expect from a call with Rand? Expect a relaxed, no-pressure chat. Rand will get the quick scoop on your business, ask a few smart questions about leads, your website, and your CRM/follow-up, then help spot what’s really holding growth back. You’ll leave with clear, practical next steps, whether you work together or not.
Who's Rand?
Meet Rand, Founder of Mountain Mojo Group. He helps businesses grow through fractional CMO leadership, CRM integration, and digital marketing that actually moves the needle.
Rand’s journey started in restaurants, then took a sharp turn into MTV production in 2003, leading to 1,400+ concerts, festivals, and fundraisers. He co-founded Flagstaff’s Green Room venue, operated major outdoor events at the Pepsi Amphitheater, and ran three festivals before two successful exits led him to launch Mountain Mojo with partner Austin Leggett in 2015. Off the clock, he’s big on service, mentoring, and – most importantly – family time.
Want To Become A Hardware Innovator?
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