Convenience stores, groceries, and bodegas are known for snack stops. Whether your store attracts road trip snackers or city dwellers looking for a late-night snack from your bodega or grocery store, snacking is a key category for business. Even more so the last couple of years with consumer snacking being on the rise.
By Maggie Paulk
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3 Ways Business Owners Can Overcome a Post-Holidays Sales Slump
For c-store owners, grocers, and other specialty retailer the holidays usually bring in more customers, more sales, and an overall busier store. November and December are often notably busy times of year. C-store owners see an increase in travel which means more people stopping in for fuel or a quick snack and grocers have a boost in customers looking for items to make their favorite holiday meal. The months that follow might bring about some challenges for store owners like less foot traffic, decreased sales, etc.
Experiencing a post-holiday slump? Learn 3 ways to overcome the drop in sales…
1. Build a relationship with your customers
Building a relationship with your customers is a great way to encourage them to visit your store again. When you offer friendly, quick, and reliable service in your business, you will likely see more regular faces come around. People like sticking to things they know and like. Regular customers are more likely to visit your store more frequently as well as spend more than the average customer since they know & trust your store, according to Business News. So, building a relationship with your customers and encouraging them to return is a great way to fight the post-holiday sales slump.
2. Continue to promote your business
Continue to promote your business to your community. Whether that be through social media, print advertising, or other methods, be sure to continue to let people know that you are open and ready to meet their post-holiday needs. You can also promote sale items or post a weekly ad so that you can encourage more customers to visit your store, since 74% of customers look for the best deal. Another idea is to offer special coupons. For example, spend $100, get a $10 coupon, then have the $10 coupon kick in in late January to encourage more people to come back. Promoting your business and your business’ deals/specials is another great way to continue to bring in a steady flow of customers after the holiday rush.
3. Encourage impulse purchases
According to invesp, 84% of customers have made an impulse purchase. Additionally, 54% of customers spend $50 or more on an impulse purchase. This means that encouraging impulse purchases could bring more sales to your business. A great way to do this is by revamping your displays. Offer enticing merchandise on your display tables and have them at the front of your store. You can also add in themed display tables throughout different sections of your stores to encourage shoppers to pick up a few extra fun items – like baked goods, specialty snacks, seasonal produce, nice candles, etc. Learn more about the benefits of seasonal produce and how to promote it in your store in this goEBT blog.
While the post-holiday slump can be concerning for store owners, the right strategies can help bring in more customers and combat the decrease in sales. Be sure to try a few different strategies out to see what works best for your store and your community!
Need more tips for promoting your business? Learn 4 ways to market your business to your community.
