While supermarkets have always been in the business of selling food, today they must also be in the business of marketing products. Customers have more choices than ever before, so in order to stay competitive, supermarkets must market products to shoppers while those shoppers are in the store. The good news is that when this is done well, customers enjoy their shopping experience more, and there are a number of creative and innovative ways to sell customers on your product as they shop. Some of the best ways to market supermarket products include:
? Point of sale- The check stand is your last chance to make an impression on customers, which is why marketing at a point of sale location can be very successful. The choice range from printed coupons or advertisements, ads displayed on the check stand surfaces themselves, and even ads on grocery bags.
? Online- A growing number of customers report that they often purchase products they learn about online or research different products online before they shop. Online advertising on your own site or on food-related sites makes customers more aware of your brand before they ever leave home. The use of online coupons is growing steadily also, so offering a printable coupon is a smart tactic.
? Shelf Talkers- These gadgets are among the newest- and most exciting- ways to advertise products to shoppers. Options include machines that talk, dispense coupons, or even show short video clips. Customers who are considering multiple products report that they are often influenced to buy a product after learning about it through a shelf talker.
? Coupons- Customers are becoming increasingly conscious of their shopping budgets, and are looking for ways to feed their families for less. Offering coupons in store as part of product packaging, at point of sale printouts, or in shelf mounted displays can encourage impulse buys of a new product or can help customers choose one product over another. Coupons offered online, via mobile applications, or through traditional newspaper circulars are also effective.
? Brochures- Shoppers have so many options that information has become one of the best ways to attract buyers. Offering a brochure that tells customers more about your product can help raise sales. If you include recipes that use your product in the brochure, you can attract even more buyers.
? Outdoor- Outdoor advertising ranges from large billboards to ads displayed outside of supermarkets on nearly any surface. Catching the eye of shoppers before they enter the store will keep your product on the minds of customers who will then look for your goods on the supermarket shelves.
While some shoppers will enter the store with the intent to purchase one or two items on a list, a large number of shoppers still make impulse purchases. The right advertising campaign begins outside of the store, with messages seen by customers online and even in the parking lot, and continues with in-store marketing through the point of sale. Research shows that in-store advertising remains effective because it influences customers while their minds are most open to marketing efforts. Take advantage of in-store advertising to build your brand and find new customers.
