Promoting a convenience store’s foodservice items isn’t complicated and can be very rewarding if done right.
The first and most important step is, of course, to make sure you are offering good food. Otherwise, money and time spent on marketing the program could be wasted.
Next, make sure you’ve got a strong presence across social media, which is where more and more purchase decisions are being made. Maintaining communication with loyal customers is a great way to keep them plugged in to the store’s offerings.
Video content on social media is key. According to CStore Decisions’ “The 2024 Social Media Awards,” video content is the No. 1 social media trend to watch in 2024. Retailers would do well to to promote their foodservice items through video content, as well as through trending GIFs and sounds.
Use social media to tell the company’s story, which can include its commitment to high-quality, better-for-you food items. Partnering with local farms can also add luster to the marketing message.
TikTok is one avenue to explore that could pay off well for c-stores, since engagement rates are much higher here than in other channels, noted Blair Feehan, content marketing, Rival IQ, in the CStore Decisions report.
Also, respond positively to any negative comments on Yelp! or similar consumer comment sites. Be careful not to respond angrily or initiate a back and forth conversation, but to validate, explain away or even make up for — if possible — the circumstances that led to the unfavorable review.
Offer food delivery, and use the service to trumpet the overall foodservice program, offer discounts to repeat customers, and inform them of upcoming promotional offers and the latest menu additions.
Tell gas customers about your foodservice offerings out at the pumps. Signage spreads the word, as do audio recordings and video monitors. Enabling customers to order from the pumps without having to walk into the store instantly turns marketing messages into dollars.
Everyone loves discounts, and offering free drinks or side items is a proven way to increase foodservice sales. Allowing customers to accumulate points en route to free foodservice items is another strong motivator.
Interestingly and perhaps counter-intuitively, one of the best ways to market a foodservice program is to take meticulous care of restrooms. Much research has shown that a store’s overall image is often shaped in the eyes of its customers by the cleanliness of their restrooms — something that is especially true, understandably, when it comes to food being prepared on site.
