Email Collection and Marketing for Organic Grocery Stores
In the US today there is an increasing trend in the health food department. As people become aware of the side effects of microwaved and processed foods, the upturn has been to organic markets and natural health food stores. With social media such as Pinterest and Instagram making a huge turnaround in health food preparation, natural and organic grocery stores and large chain groceries have an expansive market for their high-demand products.
If these companies should do one thing to begin this landslide of outreach, it would be to collect email addresses and start an email marketing campaign. Made for communication, prompting, surveys, and a super-savvy way to save paper, grocery stores can benefit heavily from an online presence.
Localization of Product
Natural and organic grocers provide local produce and small chain businesses offerings that have exclusivity in the market. With a focus on local offerings and handmade products, Co-op groceries and even larger chain grocers can benefit from email communication.
When a product is in season, an email can be sent to its users to remind them – for example, it’s strawberry season, the corn on the cob is fresh, or organic local maple syrup is available. Larger chain grocers can market this way as well, focusing on seasonal trends and sales and making the product seem more attractive. All grocers do this in-store. It only makes sense to carry it into a quick email to interested parties.
Coupons and Current Sales
Every grocery store knows the value of sending coupons to the surrounding neighborhood. In the same way seasonal trends are addressed, when surplus of product or true discounts are available, online readers will be reminded in their inbox that those coupons are available.
Current sales, blowouts, big events, and other pertinent information gets the bargain shoppers in the doors and creates an environment where grocers are reaching people in the area faster than a general mailing system, allowing for a quick turnaround of product for sale.
Community Events
Particularly true for organic groceries and Co-ops, there is a community within. With smaller groceries, the people are loyal, independent, and are making the free choice to buy local and organic. This is a highly lucrative market for a community online, beginning with emails. People “share” a lot of things on the internet, and news is certainly one of them.
Co-ops also often have a thriving life of coffee shop goers, live music, poetry readings, and a close-knit community of interested and loyal customers. Alerting customers of current events inside the café or live offerings on weekends will help boost attendance and sales.
Newsletters
A newsletter for a grocery store? It may seem far-fetched, but this is an easy way to offer a great deal of information without sending multiple emails a month. A monthly newsletter can include many other elements already addressed in this article – community events, coupons, seasonal items and upcoming news. Regular and expected emails will show your customers that you are excited about your business and serious about keeping your focus on providing them with what they may need in the future.
Customer Survey and Feedback
A “reply” button on an email goes a long way. Allowing customers to respond to your emails and provide their own feedback will ultimately help you make your business better. Surveys are a tried and true example of feedback for years.
A great way to find out what customers really want is to ask them. Renovations, current needs, problems with staff, satisfaction ratings and suggestions are all helpful and may lead to a better environment for the grocer and its customers.
New product offerings
Have you ever realized that a grocer has begun selling something you’ve not seen elsewhere? Email product offerings allows grocers to alert their customers when a product is being discontinued or added to the shelves. Email communication is an ideal way to alert customers when you have the latest trend or when you update your product lists and provide more selection in a certain area. Organic grocers can make this a huge part of their communication with local produce and businesses offering anything from pure local honey to the latest poetry magazine.
Current trends should be addressed in these emails. Green smoothies, kale consumption, organic milks, soy and almond milk have all become huge sellers at natural food stores and large chain grocers. Seeing a trend online means a trend in your sales.
Health News and Updates
As the upswing of health-concerned customers grows, emails can be targeted at educating customers about the latest health news. Even if this is an opportunity to introduce your current product offerings, health-related and weight loss news is one of the hottest searches on the internet and creates interest in the product and its benefits. Another defined use for natural groceries and organic sections, this still carries into most households and will create interest in product.
Paper Products
“Going paperless” is big business these days. A common trend in most businesses, email communication creates an ideal way to save on needless paper products, stamps and reams of receipts. Recently, Walgreens has upgraded to allowing an “email receipt” button which will allow customers the ease of knowing their information is saved online instead of in the bottom of a plastic bag.
Choosing to downsize use of paper products also has great potential for loyal customers. As many in the millennial generation and their parents are becoming more health conscious, they are also environmentally conscious. Choosing a grocery store that is attempting to cut down on its carbon footprint may solidify business in new ways. Respect of a company goes a long way.
Whether a specialty natural foods and organic grocery or a large chain, collecting email addresses and creating a defined email campaign will benefit in the future and in the now. It can save money, create traffic and alert customers of current trends. Email communication is smart. It allows a business to communicate directly with its users and create a voice that is both educational as well as creative and interactive.
