Marketing has changed over the past several years. New technologies provide you with unique opportunities to pump up your gas station. Whether you consider using geo-marketing or start building customer loyalty with customer loyalty program software, there are more ways than ever to increase your gas station profit and improve your bottom line.
Here are three ways you can leverage technology to increase your gas station profit through marketing:
Support Your Local Community
Giving back to the community gives your customers an added incentive to use your gas station. National gas station chains like Love’s and Exxon know the value of giving back and have created large programs for awarding grants.
But you don’t need more than 100 stores to give back. With 71 locations in New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, Country Fair annually sponsors local sports teams and major nonprofit fundraisers. But they wanted to expand their impact, so they created the Pump for Charity program, which invites gas customers to donate by pumping gas. Two cents from every gallon purchased at a designated charity gas POS pump are split evenly between five popular local charities like Meals on Wheels, an animal shelter, and a support organization for crime victims.
Result: This strategy makes customers feel good about buying gas and inspires them to look for a Country Fair when it’s time to fill up. And to keep the good vibes going, Country Fair provides regular fundraising updates in their weekly flyer and social media presence.
Smart idea: If you’re a single c-store owner, you can partner with local charities, schools, or hospitals. Charities are usually open to partnering with local businesses for fundraising support.
Start Building Customer Loyalty with a Special Program
Everyone loves to save money, which is why loyalty programs at gas stations continue to be so popular. You can help customers save at the pump by offering your own loyalty and rewards program.
According to a recent report, stores with the best foot traffic are c-stores that emphasize their in-store offerings rather than prices at the pump alone. When fuel prices are similar, customers seek out the brands that reward the actions they take with loyalty points or discounts— such as buying a coffee or filling the gas tank.
A loyalty and rewards program will entice customers to shop and buy fuel at your station with an incentive to save. And the reward for you is repeat business and building customer loyalty. . Plus, by promoting your loyalty program, you’ll gain more visibility for your c-store with attractive and relevant offers.
Attract Passersby with Geomarketing
Geomarketing is a type of marketing that uses the location of target customers to improve the chance your message will reach the right customer at the right time.
Customer location information is valuable for delivering a mobile coupon to a shopper passing by a store. Targeted mobile promotions that reach customers in the “last mile” of their journey can help you convert these visits into repeat business and drive sales of in-store products.
Geomarketing campaigns that use location data have proven profitable. While high-design ad campaigns are great, geomarketing funnels customers directly to your store to make the cash register ring.
Solution: Geomarketing may sound complex, but Petrosoft’s integrated cloud-based POS systems include the ability to manage geomarketing campaigns quickly and easily.
Gas Station Marketing for More Sales
Gas station marketing is all about more customers, greater sales, and increased profit. Technology gives you many different marketing tools to get fresh faces in the door, increase repeat sales, and improve your gas station profit.
Do this: Ready to take your gas station marketing to a new level? Contact Petrosoft today to learn more about how a gas POS system can help you attract more customers and sales.