Menus, Marketing and Merchandising: Trendy tips for 2017

With the first quarteTaking photo of foodr already in 2017’s rear view mirror, are you making the most of your marketing and merchandising budget? According to Storesupport Canada, there are four key tips that will help keep your organization on track to make 2017 your most successful year yet.

Customer service remains key: Happy customers means repeat business! Consumers do their research (and talk), so make sure your product offerings are fresh and continuously available. Don’t overlook your front and back-of-house staff – it’s vital that each continuously adheres to your policies and training programs so as to ensure your patrons are provided with the best shopping and most enjoyable food experience possible.

Social media is your friend: If you’re not already active on social media, you should be. Customers are very active online and have come to expect retailers to be there, too. If you’re new to the scene, look for the Peanut Bureau of Canada on Facebook and Twitter and let’s connect!

Convenience is the name of the game: Self check-outs. Home Meal Replacement (including restaurants). Online shopping and ordering. All are important shopping experiences for time-starved Canadians who are increasingly opting for convenience. As one of the most connected societies in the world, are there potential opportunities to expand your business model and almost seamlessly generate incremental sales? If you don’t, a progressive competitor surely will.

Mobile utility: Mobile application use by consumers is growing steadily, so make sure you’re taking advantage. Flipp, for example, is being used to find deals both prior-to and during a shopping experience. OpenTable, LocalEats, Zomato, Yelp and Eat24 are just some of the most frequently used apps recommending great places to dine.

After reviewing these tips, how does your marketing and merchandising strategy measure up for the year? Connect with us online to get the marketing and merchandising dialogue going.