The grocery store industry is undergoing a lot of changes with online ordering, home deliveries, and an increase in the grab and go market. All of these changes contribute to fewer shoppers coming in to supermarkets and spending time there. So, it’s no surprise that according to Statistics Canada, supermarket and grocery store sales have recently decreased as much as 3.1 per cent in one month.
One of the biggest conundrums posing grocers is: How do you get shoppers in the door and keep them coming back? Here are some tips from industry leaders on how to elevate grocery store marketing:
1. In-Store Tasting Events
Everybody loves free food, and the enthusiasm for in-store tastings continues. Hosting in-store tasting events allows grocers to take advantage of this while showing off their newest items. It provides customers with a unique shopping experience that they couldn’t have online, and helps stores stand out from brick-and-mortar competitors, too. Ideally, tastings should be scheduled at regular times so customers can schedule their shopping trips around them.
2. Demos
Similar to in-store tastings, demos provide customers with a unique experience and help your store stand out from the competition. Most importantly, they provide value to customers by showing them new cooking techniques and gives them new ideas for combining ingredients in the kitchen.
3. Local, Farm-Fresh Ingredients
Many shoppers will go out of their way to shop at farmer’s markets. Bringing local products in-store is a very attractive option for busy consumers!
4. Social Media
Social media is a powerful marketing tool. A well-developed social media profile helps followers build trust in a brand and allows users to connect with a company. Some social media platforms are better suited to a specific purpose than others. Here are a few suggestions on how grocery stores can leverage social media.
- Facebook
Facebook is a great platform for grocery stores because of its visual and light-hearted nature. You can get creative with the type of content you share and post recipes, promote sales and create event calendars for your in-store tastings and demos. - Instagram
Instagram can be used in many of the same ways as Facebook due to its heavy emphasis on visuals. Create eye-catching and engaging photos and videos to catch your followers’ attention. You can also leverage Instagram Stories to show fun, in-the-moment snapshots of what’s going on at your store.
Encourage Customers to Buy More
Of course, any retailer’s goal is to encourage their customers to buy more of their products. For grocery stores, encouraging consumers to buy more on any given shopping trip is invaluable in increasing sales. This can be done effectively by using promotional price points. For example, using a two-for-$5 price, compared to listing each item as $2.50, will encourage most shoppers to buy multiple items on a single shopping trip.
Digitized Coupons
Many grocery shoppers primarily base purchasing decisions on price. If you already provide coupons, make them available to shoppers online, through an app or via email. Anything that makes the shopping experience at your store more convenient will help to attract customers.
As consumers’ busy lifestyles continue to influence grocery shopping trends, it’s increasingly important for grocery stores and supermarkets to find ways to stand out. Giving customers a unique and convenient shopping experience is the best way to get shoppers in the door and ensure they keep coming back.
Check out how we can help provide you with more unique and effective grocery solutions.
For more tips check out this great article by the Balance Small Business.