In the past decade, grocery stores have been undergoing a major shift in customer demands. With more and more people seeking quality food at affordable prices, small business owners are challenged to keep up with trends that affect their bottom line. This article will help you understand how to meet these evolving needs by providing practical ways of improving your local grocery store ads campaign.
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Create a Grocery Website
One of the most significant ways to attract new customers is by having a website to rank on search engines. Google’s algorithm went through many changes since 2013, but it still relies on quality content and links from high authority sites to boost rankings. This means you need to optimize your site for keywords relevant to your potential grocery customer search queries. Keep in mind that consumers want to shop at brands they trust and brands that provide the best service. Showcasing your products, reviews of customers’ shopping experiences, and offering online coupon codes are great ways to build customer loyalty through an attractive digital presence.
Offer Competitive Prices
Customers are loyal to brands they trust, so offering competitive prices is an absolute must to keep your store in the game. A study done by LoyaltyOne shows that of all factors that drive customer loyalty (like credibility, pricing, quality products), the price had the most impact on brand retention.
Create a Loyalty Program
One of the fastest ways to gain new customers in your grocery is by offering them loyalty programs that reward their purchases and encourage repeat shopping so you can collect data on these shoppers’ purchase preferences, brand affinities, and demographics. Your data will help you craft personalized offers that attract new customers and keep existing ones coming back for more.
Offer Online Shopping Options
Most grocery shoppers want to buy their groceries online, so setting up this option is a great way to drive revenue in your local area. According to IBM research, 56% of consumers surveyed said they’d prefer supermarkets to offer online ordering and delivery. With a growing number of online grocery services, businesses need to take advantage of this shift in customer behavior.
Include Customer Reviews on Products
Customer reviews are one way you can be seen as “more credible” than your competitors because they offer real insight into the quality of your product that may not always come through in packaging and marketing materials. According to a 2015 study, more than half of consumers trust online reviews as much as they trust their friends’ recommendations. Consumers also spend an average of $20 extra when shopping at brands that allow customers to write product reviews on the website.
Offer In-Store Pickup Options
According to Market Force, 77% of grocery shoppers want to pick up their online orders in-store or at a drive-thru. This has led many stores, including Walmart, to open more locations to offer this option for customers who buy groceries online. If you don’t currently have many locations, consider partnering with another store in your area to provide this option for customers who prefer an easy pick-up experience.