February 21, 2020
After the health craze and hype of New Year’s resolutions subsides, you may notice customers scaling back on their shopping. Only 8% of Americans keep their resolutions, the rest start to drop off in February. Now is the time to remind customers of their resolutions and keep them focused and interested in their new lifestyle and commitments. Aside from offering the best and freshest product around, make the effort to keep customers stimulated and actively engaged in the store. Try these tips to keep your customers excited and shopping:
- Grower Profiles or Creative Signage: Add grower profiles to your displays. If you already do this, switch them out or add new profiles. Seeing a face to place with the name of the farm or product gives customers a small personal connection to what they are buying and why they choose to shop at your store. Creative signage is useful too. Keep it fun and find interesting ways to relay product information.
- Move Displays Around: If you notice a product has slowed down a bit, change the location. Sometimes, simply moving a product will make it more viable and attractive.
- Creative Endcaps: If you are looking to boost movement in a particular item, try displaying the slow mover in an endcap with the high-volume moving product. This will bring attention to your slower-moving product and get you a little more traction.
- Sampling: Now is also the time to raise the bar on your active sampling. Get your crew on board and pick items that are spectacular right now. Train them on how to offer the sample and talk the product up to shoppers. Passive sampling displays are great too. These are less engaging for the customer, but still effective for boosting sales.
- Events: The weather is great right now. Take advantage of the spring weather and hold tasting events outside in your courtyard or sidewalk out in front of your store. Not only will this help high light your great produce but it gives customers a chance to interact with you and allow you the opportunity to talk yourself up and about what your mission is.
- Customer Service: Providing excellent customer service is extremely important to every aspect of the produce industry. If you are looking to attract new customers as well as retain your regulars, take time to develop stellar service skills. Providing an enjoyable shopping experience will keep your customers coming back.