Summer’s near and so will be the demand for beer, lattes, fine wine, deli and other assorted in-store products. Are you ready for the rush?
By Jim Callahan
As I sit here writing this, I realize that by the time any of you choose to read this, there will remain just a few short weeks until the start of that great holiday in May—Memorial Day, which officially ushers in the parade of summer and the knowledge that the party season is upon us.
Not only are there parties, but there are ball games, bike rides and trips to the zoo—all under the warming rays of a summer sun. With summer comes a great change in consumer attitude. That change is so significant, it almost mandates consumers loosen tightly held purse strings and let that disposable income escape.
Sure, patrons purchased coffee, cigarettes, 12-packs of beer and their daily dose of Monster or Red Bull all winter and spring. But with the emergence of sunshine and warm weather, patrons are ready to spring forward, put their troubles on the back burner and invest in the feelings and events that make up ‘summer’s promise.’
For the first time in some years, there is additional great news for c-stores, which operators are already enjoying. Gasoline and diesel prices remain low, and that means customers’ discretionary spending remains high. Not only that, but motorists will likely be taking more trips to see the grandchildren, which means more bucks in your till.
However, let me throw in a bit of caution by posing the following questions. Will your store and staff be ready? Will your operation look inviting enough to induce those spenders to drop some of those hard-earned dollars at your place of business? I’m not only talking about your existing customer base, I’m talking about the soccer mom taking her children to ball practice or the female professional stepping in for a latte to go.
LITTLE TIME, MUCH OPPORTUNITY
Will your employees be friendly and knowledgeable enough to satisfy the premium wine and beer enthusiasts, regarding what craft selection is making the rounds? Will their smiles and greetings be warm enough to bring those same customers back time after time?
Will your restrooms be clean and bright, well enough equipped to pass the grandmother cleanliness test, now that she’s probably left the car and is walking into your location?
Will the outside appearance of your convenience stores convey that all important message: the outside appearance of a retail store must absolutely hold the promise of what lies inside? That adage includes freshly mowed lawns, trimmed trees and shrubs (wouldn’t fresh flowers be a nice touch), a clean parking lot, shiny fuel dispensers with receipt paper, empty trash pails and clean soapy water for windshields, and working squeegees and paper towels. Will your point-of-sale (POS) be clean, catchy and up-to-date, with all excess signage and decals removed and the window and door glass crystal clear?
Will your stock levels, displays and specials deliver in a strong, positive way so you can sell holiday-related items, including picnic supplies and sun tan/burn remedies, all summer long? And will your employees use “suggestive selling” techniques to ratchet up extra sales?
Will all of the products you sell and display pass the sensitivity test of concerned parents on the look out for offensive materials? Make no mistake; if you fail in their eyes you’re merely trading a fast dollar for the loss of those customers—forever.
With falling fuel prices at the pump, winter in the rearview mirror and customers eager to enjoy the long summer experience—will you take the proper preparatory steps to maximize and capture that profit potential?
Play ball.
Jim Callahan has more than 40 years of experience as a convenience store and petroleum marketer. His Convenience Store Solutions blog appears regularly on CSDecisions.com. He can be reached at (678) 485-4773 or via e-mail at [email protected].