How Do You Keep Customers Coming Back to Your Grocery Store?

As we enter year 3 of COVID-19, many companies are trying to find new and inventive ways in order to adapt to the new normal. Lockdowns, vaccine mandates, curfews, and vaccine passports are still the norm in many parts of the world.

Trying to get people interested enough to enter your store is a great challenge in and of itself. Getting them to actually purchase items is yet another challenge. 

The end goal, however, is to provide an incredible customer service experience so that prospects are not only converted into customers, but loyal lifelong customers as well. When customers return to your store repeatedly, you are generating a recurring revenue stream that can help keep your business afloat.

Happy customers will also tell their family members, friends, and colleagues to visit your store, thus serving as free and highly effective advertising for your store. Here, then, our focus will be on how you can keep your customers coming back to your grocery store.

Offer Discounts to Your Customers

If you want to quickly and effectively pique the interest of prospective customers, then you need to offer them multiple discounts on popular items. 

Determine what your customers require, and then tailor your marketing towards meeting their needs in a quick, convenient, and affordable manner. Discounts allow prospects to learn more about the products and services that you are providing.

The customer will be able to kill two birds with one stone by buying what they need while also saving quite a bit of money in the process. Discounts can be time-based or provided to first-time customers only in order to get them in the door.

For example, you can provide a 30% discount for a first-time online purchase. Or, you can provide free delivery for the first 2 or 3 orders that a customer makes. Discounts can also be holiday or seasonal-based.

For example, you can provide massive discounts during Black Friday or Boxing Day, or you can offer discounts during strategic parts of the year in order to get rid of outdated items or products that need to be liquidated immediately.

Reward Their Loyalty

If you want your customers to keep coming back for more, you need to reward their loyalty. Customers want to feel like they are VIPs that are getting unique benefits for their patronage. A loyalty points programme can therefore encourage them to make multiple purchases in order to save money or receive certain free items in the future.

For example, you can provide them with a 50% discount on a product of their choosing if they reach, say, 1,000 reward points. Or, you can provide them with free delivery or eliminate sales tax on their order if they reach a certain number of points.

A points-based system is simple and easy to implement. You can even provide them with a brand-based card that they can take with them. A stylish card can make your customers feel special, and they may even show it to their friends, which may attract even more customers to your store.

Display Products in Glass Doors

Merchandisers should be used in order to display products. Showcase your best items to encourage people to enter your store and make a few purchases. For example, you can display your best products in a glass door freezer or cooler.

Modern glass door freezers and coolers are beautiful and stylish, thus helping pique the interest of people who walk by your store. Cooler screens will help display vital information and showcase your best products for all to see. They will also provide your grocery store with an additional revenue stream.

Use Social Media to Promote Yourself

Social media is used by billions of people every day. Most platforms are also entirely free, so you can reach new audiences without having to pay a dime. Having a great and friendly social media persona will help generate buzz about you and your establishment.

You can notify customers about new sales, discounts, and events, and even host contests and other fun activities. The goal is to keep customers intrigued and interested about your store and its products so that they will follow you on multiple social media platforms.

Marketing Matters

You need to create an enjoyable and memorable experience for your customers so that they will look forward to their next visit. Attracting new customers to your store is challenging, but not impossible. 

Avoid using derivative marketing tactics and try to use your unique personality and the specialty products that you sell in order to stand out amongst a glut of competitors. Once someone makes a purchase at your store, you need to provide them with customer service that goes above and beyond the call of duty to make them feel like they are your number one customer.