In the digital age of consumerism, having a retail organization that relies heavily on foot traffic for success presents challenges. Embracing the power of marketing is necessary to get more customers into your store. It is vital to develop a strategy to make your store a memorable experience in the minds of your customers. Among the day-to-day operations, developing a sound and targeted marketing plan optimizing your digital presence, loyalty rewards, and continued convenience will add foot traffic and profitability.
Setting Goals in C-Store Marketing
With any undertaking, objectives must be set to reach success. When mapping out your marketing strategy, concentrate on establishing goals with the following objectives:
- A clear focus
- Measurability
- Achievable outcomes
- Relevance
- Timely turnaround
Understanding your Market
C-stores have multiple variables that contribute to their target audience, including location, neighborhoods, and demographics. The visibility of your store (especially if you reside in a less populated location) remains a primary focus to gain more customers. Before devising your marketing strategy, you must understand the market and identify where to increase visibility.
- Collect demographic data within your area.
- Review and focus on sales in your store—what products are selling and what does the data show your customers prefer.
- Talk to your customers—ask questions. Find out if they are on their commute to work, passing through town, or what they like about your store.
- Look for purchasing patterns from your most loyal customers (AKA, the “regulars”).
Increase Visibility, Sales, and Customers
Thankfully, there are many marketing tools that you can use to close the gap between your brick-and-mortar location and potential customers. Digital tools (AI, Canva designs, SEO optimization, & email campaigns), online presence, and smart phone apps are ways to push your marketing message easily, and to the benefit of the customer. Additionally, mailers and updated signage are non-digital methods toward increasing your visibility.
Marketing Methods to Consider:
- Invest in a well-designed and easy-to-use website. Begin pushing your brand with a dynamic and eye-catching website. Your website can interface with a loyalty app or program, provide product and location information, display positive reviews, and allow for customer feedback.
- Advertise on social media. Draw customers in with strategic social media advertisements, reaching people from near and far. Paid social media ads can be customized to reach a specific target audience, helping to reach all facets of your customer base. Additionally, you can use social media to link back to your newly enhanced website and encourage customers to participate in loyalty programs, sales, and other promotions.
- Email & mobile marketing. Email marketing has evolved and has recently become a more cost-effective and popular method of marketing to your customers. Customizing emails to reach either new, existing, or dormant customers, moves past the generic mass email messaging. Additionally, the use of mobile marketing is a terrific way to target your customers with mobile offers, coupons, and chances to win a free drink or snack.
- Build engagement with a loyalty program. The most utilized and successful tool for c-stores, the loyalty program, truly reaches the individual through customized loyalty rewards based on past purchases, frequency, and purchasing patterns. These programs are typically used via smartphone apps and can be integrated with your system to provide the best quality rewards to your most loyal customers.
- Optimize signage and in-store marketing. Updated signage designs with bright colors that draw the customer in allow for brand awareness and product placement to increase sales. This includes advertisements at the pump that encourages gas consumers to enter the store, pushing promotions, having weekly sales, and highlighting specific amenities, such as merchandise or services. The accumulation of these marketing strategies all incentivizes customers to grow their basket size.
Learn More
Staying on top of current purchasing trends by examining inventory is vital to keeping up with your marketing messaging in real time. Knowing what is flying off the shelves helps target customers, introduce loyalty deals, and other promotional ideas. Quantum Services specializes in the c-store inventory management, taking the guess work out of what you should be marketing next. With customized inventory reporting, our auditors perform accurate and detailed counts of products so that you can connect more with shoppers. Another win-win when partnering with Quantum Services!
On March 6th-7th, Quantum Services will be attending the 2004 SE Petro Food and Marketing Expo in Myrtle Beach, SC and would love to connect with you on how we can help set your store up for success! Visit our website to learn more about our services or to reach out for more information.