Know-How Exchange : Advertising/PR

What is your message in the ValPak? If it is just awareness, why not consider offering a special incentive to come to YOUR store. Look for what differentiates you from your competition and play on that -- personal service? fresh produce? lower prices? convenience? You might create a limited time offer to draw folks in -- stop by between x date and x date and receive 10% off with this coupon ... or buy one get one free. Another idea might be to have your repeat customers sign up for a "preferred customer" list and work on creating a value-added incentive around that. GOOD LUCK!

First, what are you trying to accomplish, to drive a greater number of single-contact transactions or to get the customers you are attracting to enter into a long term relationship – I would focus more on the latter.

You mentioned that business was good until the economy changed. So what adjustments has the store made if any? Have you done a price comparison lately to see if you are still competitive, does the mix of products offered need to change to reflect consumers’ more conservative tastes (big chains are great at using computers to do this), Have you talked to these one-time customers to find out what is missing from the experience.

The methods you use to market are important to drive new business, but the customer experience is important in retaining and expanding the relationship. I know I didn’t answer your question directly, but I hope you find this helpful.

Cheers, John

Start an online campaign through Facebook, Myspace and Twitter about shopping Local and not through big gas station chains. Do a coffee punch card, but 5 cups, get 6th free. Maybe even a gas points card...buy 100 gallons of gass get 10 free. Good luck!

Dear fireflymrktg,

Your billboard idea? Don't do it. Unless you can create a compelling offer in eight words or fewer, you'll be wasting your in-law's money.

Your location on a main road mid-way between two towns in a small village with no other grocery/gas might be an ideal way to generate interest from passing traffic. But in order to do this, you need to grab attention and local planning rules permitting, one way to do this might be to echo the famous Burma shave signs from days now, long gone.

You can read more about the company AND the signs here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burma-Shave

and you can read some of their many slogans here:
https://www.fiftiesweb.com/burma1.htm

The key to success is going to be in REPEAT customers, both from regulars, and from passing traffic that might otherwise pass you by. But the key here is frequent change.

With changing signs—and signs that make people chuckle or think about some issue in an off the wall way, you'll get people not only looking for you, but ANTICIPATING your new signs.

Now, this will take a bit of work, and probably some cooperation from local land owners. But you WILL need to comply with county planning regulations and if you get the green light to do this, these kinds of signs have the potential to generate not only attention but also word of mouth, and, if you're lucky, some media attention.

I hope this helps, or at the least, that it sparks other ideas. No, THIS idea is not a billboard, it's an EVENT, or it could be if it's done and done well.

Good luck to you.

Gary Bloomer
Wilmington, DE, USA

Have you identified local blue collar worksites in your area, and targeted them for lunch deliveries?

Not a big believer in valpak/mr coupon but there are some great people here who are.

Are there any larger employers on the route who would be willing to leave your coupons in their lunch rooms?

Any other businesses you could co-op with?

Michael

There are only three ways to increase store revenues:

1. Get more customers to visit.
2. Increase spend per head per visit
3. Increase visit frequency (same customer coming back more often).

Everyone has focused so far on getting more people into the store, but one area that deserves discussion is making sure you maximise the amount spent per customer visit.

What can you do to increase impulse purchases?

Can you bundle offers so if someone buys say a tank of gas, they can get something else at a discounted price?

Do you have any form of loyalty scheme to get customers to keep coming back - maybe more often, or sooner?