6 Tips to Drive Sales:

• Make it mean something. Encourage your shoppers to relax and stay awhile by creating a shopping experience. Simply putting up product displays is not enough to engage today′s busy and overwhelmed shopper. Make your displays “interact” with shoppers by creating a theme incorporating multi-categories or offering “solutions” for your customers. (Progressive Grocer, May 2007 & PROMO Magazine, July 2008)
• Know your shoppers. Create promotions specifically targeted to certain demographics—young families, seniors, college students. A “one-size-fits-all” mentality no longer works. (PROMO Magazine, July 2008)
• Stay on top of consumer trends. Be aware of what′s hot and what′s not to satisfy shifting consumer demands and capture your share of shoppers. Timing is everything – retailers need to know what is going on with consumers quarterly and respond quickly. (Information Resources Feb. 2008)
• Go native. Consumers are looking for more locally grown foods that support a healthier environment and lifestyle. One-third of surveyed consumers said they wished they could purchase “local foods” at their primary grocery store—in fact, eating locally is and will continue to be one of the biggest food trends. Look for ways to bring this experience in-store. Recent trends show, for example, shoppers are attracted to the ambiance of a farmer’s market. If you are taking this approach, be sure to make the experience as authentic as possible. (NutraUSA, August 2007, Supermarket News, June 2008 & WebMD, January 2008)
• Do the “green thing.” Shoppers are looking for retailers who are actively implementing a recycling and sustainability program. How are you communicating what you are doing for the environment to your consumers? Going green doesn’t have to be complicated, it just has to be communicated. About half of 22,000 U.S. consumers surveyed consider at least one sustainability factor when selecting stores to shop. (NutraUSA, August 2007, FMI, May 2008 & Supermarket News, June 2008)
• Communicate. Still the most tried and true method, communication with shoppers is key. Meal solutions are nothing new, but many of today′s consumers are looking for efficient ways to cook. Research shows almost 1/3 of shoppers have not decided what they will eat two hours before dinnertime. Consumers rate “eating healthy food” as the most important of 16 lifestyle decisions. Consumers want to know what they′re eating. Give your shoppers information about the latest food trends such as grocery items that address specific health problems. (FMI, May 2008 & Supermarket News, June 2008)