If you throw a party without sending invitations, you shouldn’t be surprised if no one shows up.
Inviting shoppers into your supermarket works the same way.
To attract new shoppers and keep them coming back, you need an effective marketing plan. In this blog, we’ll explore seven supermarket marketing strategies that will help you connect with new and returning customers to ensure steady foot traffic and healthy sales trends.
Let’s get started.
Before we dive into the world of marketing, let’s make sure you have the right approach and tools.
A successful marketing plan starts with clear, measurable goals. For example, you might focus on attracting new shoppers, increasing customer retention, or encouraging customers to spend more during each visit to your supermarket.
Before implementing any new strategies, define your key performance indicators (KPIs) and establish a baseline. Here are a few common marketing KPIs to track:
Your point of sale (POS) system should make it easy to monitor these metrics and determine how your marketing efforts impact them.
You’ve set your marketing goals. Now, let’s cover how you can achieve them.
Here are seven tried-and-true marketing techniques to grow your customer base and boost your bottom line.
It’s a universal truth: Customers love to save money. That’s why regular promotions should be a core part of your supermarket marketing strategy.
An enticing discount can bring new customers through your door and encourage regular shoppers to add more products to their carts — increasing your foot traffic and average basket size.
The right promotional approach can also increase inventory turnover and reduce waste. You can strategically mark down seasonal items or products near their expiration dates to ensure customers purchase them before they become dead stock or spoilage.
Pro tip: The right supermarket POS system can help you spot near-expiry products and allow you to schedule, manage, and monitor discounts and promotions.
Loyalty programs are a classic supermarket marketing strategy — and for good reason.
They increase retention by rewarding repeat shoppers, and they encourage them to spend more during each visit to unlock exclusive rewards.
For example, if customers earn points for every dollar they spend that can be redeemed for special perks or discounts, they’ll be motivated to shop with you regularly to unlock new incentives.
The best way to set up a supermarket customer loyalty program is through your POS system. Look for one with a built-in loyalty tool that makes it easy to customize your rewards structure, sign up new members, and learn more about your most valuable customers.
Embracing the online grocery trend is another way to market your grocery store and make extra sales. Launching an online grocery store expands your online reach, helps you appeal to a new audience of tech-savvy shoppers, and gives customers a new reason to choose your supermarket over the competition.
Fortunately, you don’t have to be an e-commerce expert to take advantage of this supermarket marketing strategy. All you need is a grocery POS system with e-commerce integration.
This integration seamlessly syncs your inventory and sales records across your online and in-store operations and makes it a breeze to handle delivery and pickup orders.
Your customers are constantly scrolling through their social media feeds, which makes it a fantastic place to connect with them. Plus, social media marketing is one of the most affordable options for spreading the word about your supermarket.
Commit to a regular posting schedule and share regular updates about everything happening in your store, including new arrivals of seasonal products and current deals and discounts.
Don’t be afraid to get creative! Post recipes featuring your bestselling items, spotlight your team members, or share your small business story.
SMS and email marketing can keep your supermarket at the top of customers’ minds.
You can send updates about your latest inventory or upcoming deals right to their inboxes, encouraging them to stop what they’re doing and head to your grocery store.
To take advantage of this marketing technique, you need a supermarket POS system with email and SMS integration. From there, you can sync your customers’ contact information and purchase history to send personalized marketing messages.
Want to become your neighborhood’s favorite supermarket? Show that your business is a pillar of the community.
Sponsoring local events increases your supermarket’s brand visibility and builds trust with your potential customer base.
For example, you could provide financial support or donate drinks and snacks for local sporting events, charity runs, or school festivals.
Above all, providing an exceptional shopping experience is the best way to grow your supermarket’s loyal customer base.
Let’s look at a few ways you can go above and beyond to delight shoppers:
Following these tips will help you make a positive first impression on a new shopper, turning them into a lifelong customer.
Ready to start reaping the rewards of these supermarket marketing strategies? Then you need a powerful POS system to help you implement and track them.
IT Retail is an all-in-one POS solution specifically designed for grocers like you. With our software, you can easily launch a customer loyalty program, schedule promotions, send marketing messages, and sell groceries online.
Plus, our software’s quick checkout features, perishable inventory tracking, and advanced sales reporting and analytics can save you time and smooth out your operations.
See how IT Retail can help you manage, market, and grow your supermarket by scheduling your live demo today.