I’ll admit it - I like going to grocery stores. Always have. As a consumer, it amazes me how many choices there are. As a marketing copywriter and consultant I can appreciate the endcaps, displays, and the actual layout of the store.
Recently I noticed how many brands of toothpaste were available, they easily took up half of an aisle. Retail space in any store is valuable, and when it concerns grocery stores, the game completely changes.
The store manager is an old coworker of mine and I tracked him down while he was running around the store. You think your job is tough? Have a 10 minute conversation with him and you’ll be happy you have the job you do.
“How many brands of toothpaste do you carry?”
He checked his device and promptly said: "191.”
191 different brands of toothpaste!
That’s a lot teeth. That’s a lot of mouths!
So how do brands compete? First, they spend a great deal of their advertising and marketing budgets on grabbing shelf space. They also run this part of their operation as a loss leader. Finally, it’s a matter of established brand reputation. The big guys get the most space.
So how do the grocery stores make a profit?
Progressive Grocery published an excellent article on this subject, which is worth reading.
If you don’t have the deep pockets of a company like Colgate, you can still differentiate your service or product without breaking the bank.
Find your differentiator and work it into your brand, your content, every aspect of your marketing plan.
Don’t rely on AI for content or design. Customers are savvy, and they’ll cop to it quickly. And they won’t engage
Hire a pro who can look at your product from the outside. Chances are you’re too close to the subject. Outside eyes can see a great deal.
Here is where I speak my mind about the Ravens.
This past Sunday was a disaster. We know all about second half collapses, but this one was up there with the fall of the Roman Empire. Missed tackles, missed assignments, missed opportunities. Sure, no Lamar on the field already puts you behind the eight ball, but that’s what a defense is for. Fans, of course, are screaming for heads to roll, but that’s what makes them fans. With an upcoming date with the Buffalo Bills, Minter and his staff will be burning the midnight oil.
