Associate Category Manager, Bekah Kropp, conducted an interview with INFRA’s Marketing Manager, Nina Brown (left), and Communications Director, Meggie Smith (right), to explore the significance of marketing and how to effectively implement marketing strategies in your store.
Why is marketing important here at INFRA? And in general?
Meggie: Marketing and communications are a crucial connector here at INFRA. It is not just about promoting our programs; it is also about fostering our community. In addition, marketing is the bridge that connects a brand’s story to its audience.
Nina: We offer a lot of resources at INFRA to support our member stores in driving sales. Such as shelf tag signage and the flyer for the INFRA Deals Program. Providing these tools and resources are effective ways to highlight INFRA Deals.
Nina: Think about how you are bringing people to your store, without marketing INFRA Deals customers will not know about them. It is important to highlight this unique offering that makes INFRA stores stick out from the rest.
How important is storytelling in marketing efforts? Do you have any advice for good storytelling when it relates to marketing?
Meggie: Storytelling is key to effective marketing. It is how we communicate the unique stories behind our member stores, their commitment to sustainability, and their passion for providing natural, wholesome foods.
Nina: Differentiate your store from others. Talk about your shared values and how they relate to your customer base and community. Connect with customers outside of what they are putting in their cart, build trust.
Nina: In terms of brand stories, leverage those stories by using content that already exists, ask brands for content to use to tell the brand story. Use customer feedback about brands and utilize that feedback to highlight brands. In addition, consider utilizing social media to highlight brands or to announce a brand that is back in stock.
Meggie: Tap into the 2024 INFRA calendar and use those monthly themes to guide your content. Use those themes to tell stories about brands or products. Utilize INFRA resources when possible!
Meggie: Also! Subscribe to other INFRA member store newsletters to get ideas.
In terms of brands, what brands do you see doing well with marketing?
Nina: The three brands I see doing well are Fish Wife, Mrs. Meyers/other natural cleaning products, and Partake Foods.
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Fish Wife – They took a food product that is not exceedingly popular and used beautiful packaging, art, and a good story to sell their product.
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Mrs. Meyers – Mrs. Meyers products are thoughtfully designed with attractive packaging and art, making them something you would proudly display on your countertop instead of hiding away.
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Partake Foods – Has a delightful story behind the brand regarding food allergies and a mom wanting to create clean ingredient snacks for other families with food allergies. They have fun packaging that shows that clean ingredient food can be fun! Their snacks are fun and taste forward!
How do we tailor our marketing approach to reflect the values and uniqueness of our member stores?
Nina: We have many resources, and we understand that members have varying needs. We have a wide range of diverse tools and resources.
Nina: One way we differentiate ourselves is through the INFRA Deals program and the carefully selected items it offers, which help our member stores stand out.
Meggie: Tailoring our marketing approach begins with understanding the unique qualities of each member store. Each store has its own story, community ties, and customer base, and our marketing efforts should reflect that. We want to highlight peer to peer marketing.
What role does digital marketing play in reaching our members, and how do we ensure its effectiveness?
Meggie: Digital marketing is key for us at INFRA. We would love to have more in-person connections, but our members are all over the country, so we must utilize digital marketing techniques to reach our members. Being consistent is key!
Meggie: It is also important for us to regularly analyze digital marketing metrics – such as engagement. We want to know what forms of communication works best for our members. We will be sending out a survey very soon to assess our members' communication preferences.
Meggie and Nina: Reach out! We want members to ask us for advice on marketing and communication. Also, providing us with feedback on how we can improve.
Contact Information
Meggie Smith: msmith@infretailers.com
Nina Brown: nbrown@infretailers.com
Marketing Resources at INFRA
https://www.naturalfoodretailers.com/infra-exchange/b2c-marketing
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