Ways To Bring More Business To Your Natural Food Shop
In many communities, there is certainly a need for natural food stores. They provide a smaller, more friendly alternative to big, corporate grocery stores, and they can be a place for community members to purchase food items made by smaller brands and local companies. But when you first start running a natural food store, it can be hard to bring in enough customers to earn a profit. Here are some ways to grow your client base and drum up more business in those early stages.
Host speaker events.
There is a lot to teach about natural foods. See if there are any nutritionists or ecologists in the area who would be willing to give a talk at your store. A good place to start would be to reach out to local universities. You could also contact chiropractors and natural healers in the area and ask them to give seminars. These talks will bring people into the store, and many of those people are likely to buy something. You could even hand out coupons for $5 off their next purchase, which will encourage them to come back some other time.
Prepare some food for sampling.
If your local health department permits it, you could try preparing some of the foods you sell and putting them out as samples. Post on your social media pages and website about this so people know you're doing it. Customers may feel more comfortable buying foods from smaller, lesser-known brands if they try them first. Some customers will come back on a regular basis just to see what you're sampling that day.
Advertise at local fitness facilities and yoga studios.
This one is a little old school, but it works. Print out some flyers, and visit some local yoga studios, gyms, and other fitness facilities. You can also go to local running clubs or even road races. People who are interested in fitness are often interested in nutrition, too, and they are therefore likely to be interested in visiting your natural food store. If your prices allow you to do so, you could even drop off stacks of coupons at some of these facilities.
Natural food stores often do well once they attract a good number of local, repeat customers. With the tips above, you can drum up a little more business and garner more interest in the brand. Don't be afraid to also ask your existing customers for feedback so you know how you can improve.
For more information, contact a natural food shop near you.