As a grocer or convenience store owner, you know the importance of connecting with your local community to boost sales and foster customer loyalty. However, marketing efforts can be costly, especially for small businesses with limited budgets. But fear not! Here are six low-cost and highly effective ways to market your store to your community that will help you enhance brand visibility, attract new customers, and create a strong sense of community around your store.
Although convenience stores, lovingly referred to as c-stores, have been around for over a century, keeping up with consumer trends and demands is still a full-time job today. Especially for the smaller c-store owners, faced with the dilemma of choosing what to stock and what not to stock, the decisions can be deadly.
Here are 7 things NOT to do when stocking your c-store this year:
- Ignoring the Health Movement: Our world is in the midst of a health craze right now, which means if you want to appeal to the dieters, the fitness gurus, and the entire millennial population, you want to consider a few healthy items to throw in-between the junk food and fast food.
- Secondhand Freshness: Shipping capabilities are the best they’ve ever been today, which means consumers are accustomed to freshness in their produce and ready-made products. Make sure you guarantee freshness in the perishable items available at your c-store.
- Lackluster Coffee Selection: Thanks to the glorification of coffee and café products on social media, the coffee craze is as aggressive as ever. Put a little effort into the coffee selection at your c-store this year.
- Reduced Tobacco: Yes, although there is more anti-smoking commercials and advertisements than ever before today, tobacco is still the #1 selling product at convenient stores. You don’t need to blatantly advertise your tobacco selection, but you do want to invest in it regardless.
- Minimal Beer Options: After tobacco, beer is the second-most purchased item at convenience stores. People equate c-stores with grab-and-go beer selections today, which means the more effort you put into the variety you carry, the happier your patrons will be.
- Amateur Packaged Beverages: After the adult consumption items comes everyone’s favorite packaged beverages, whether it’s water, Gatorade, soft drinks, or energy drinks. C-stores are where we go to fuel up, and even more important than food are the beverages we consume every day. Be sure to carry all major packaged beverage brands.
- Axed Toiletries: Lastly, despite what you might think, carrying items like toiletries can make or break a convenient store, giving you the truly “convenient” title if you are able to provide toilet paper, shampoo, diapers, and deodorant. As common sense items that everyday people need, toiletries are essential to our custom of living. For your patrons, they’d rather run into your store than deal with the hassle of a big grocery store.
Optimized C-Stores
Although you may have your personal preferences, it’s in your best interest, no matter how small your c-store is, to consider tobacco, beer, bottled beverages, coffee, health products, fresh products, and toiletries for your patrons today. As a way to complement your growing operation, here at goEBT, we offer EBT card processing without the difficulty or the confusion – making your job a whole lot easier. Consider our support when ordering your c-store’s latest stock next time.
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