An Easy-Button Solution for Driving Store Sales

Ever feel jealous about the marketing you see from national grocery chains? Eye-catching, seasonal signage that conveys brand messaging and keeps the store looking fresh, interesting online content that educates and entertains the shopper and keeps them coming back for more, and exclusive offers and promotions that draw the shopper into the store and increase sales? 

If that sort of coordinated marketing experience seems out of reach for you as an independent, it's for good reason. "I've spent my career working in shopper marketing and I can tell you that large chain store brands dedicate huge amounts of time, money, and expertise to create these massive, omni-channel market experiences. It's impractical to think an independent retailer who wears so many different hats already and operates on such razor thin margins could ever devote the necessary resources to pull that off," IGA CEO John Ross says. 

That's precisely why IGA is stepping in to help. Working together with Porchlight, the Atlanta-based branding company behind the execution of IGA's new private label redesign and IGA's Local Equals Fresh visual merchandising, the IGA team has created a new quarterly marketing kit designed to deliver everything you need to provide a full omni-channel shopping experience that builds shopper loyalty and increases sales. 

It's a coordinated effort—social media graphics, online articles and recipes, and in-store signage—that helps the retailer tell a story about the brand just like the chains do. The difference is, our story is better."

"With these quarterly marketing kits, we're taking a lot of the burden of marketing planning, coordination, and execution off IGA retailers' plate," says IGA Vice President of Marketing and Public Affairs Ashley Page. "It's a coordinated effort—social media graphics, online articles and recipes, and in-store signage—that helps the retailer tell a story about the brand just like the chains do. The difference is, our story is better. We're the local leader shoppers can trust to meet all their shopping needs: education and meal solutions; exclusive offers and promotions; the freshest local produce and meat; and a friendly, hometown proud in-store experience and true commitment to community. That is exactly the story shoppers want to hear now. The more we tell it, the more shoppers feel confident about their shopping experience and our brand, and a more confident shopper buys more." 

So what happens if a retailer already has an in-store marketing calendar planned for the year? "The beauty of this kit is that it is designed to work with anything already underway in your store," Page says. "It won't interfere with your plans—only complement them."

The Spring Marketing Kit

Starting in April, IGA retailers can refresh their stores and their customers' shopping experience with the Q2 theme: On Your Side. 

"This season, we want shoppers to know that IGA is On Your Side, with easy solutions to add variety and freshness to shopping and mealtime routines," IGA Senior Brand Manager Joel Widmer says about the theme  conveyed on the new in-store visual merchandising, which uses vibrant food imagery to focus on seasonal fruits and vegetables that make great sides for family meals, and colorful graphics to bring attention to the major spring holidays, from Easter to Mother's and Father's Days, and even Pet Month.

"On Your Side"  overhead signs

"On Your Side"  aisle blades

"On Your Side"  mini blades

Retailers can subscribe to the IGA Quarterly Marketing Kit and IGA will ship a full signage kit every three months. For the April through June On Your Side kit, retailers will receive:  

1. Seasonal IGA-exclusive signage (30+ signs including overhead signs, aisle blades, mini blades)
2. Signage to maximize shopper value using the National Digital Ad and recipes advertised at IGA.com
3. Social media, eCommerce, and ad graphics designed in tandem with the quarterly seasonal campaigns
4. A quarterly playbook with instructions for using the included signage

Exclusive IGA Online Content

To take the in-store experience to the next level, the quarterly marketing kit integrates seamlessly with themed online content to share with shoppers. For example, retailers can share an article on grilling tips and tricks with their shoppers on social media and when those shoppers visit the store, they'll see the aisle blade promoting local grill-worthy vegetables, which creates an all-compassing shopping experience.

IGA's brand partners are also involved in developing content for online shoppers that will be featured on retailer websites using IGA's eCommerce program and in IGA's National Digital Ad, as well as on social media. These brand partners—like Mondelez, Chobani, Idahoan, Pictsweet, and Purina—specialize in sides, meal solutions, pet foods, and condiments. 

"The experience a shopper has on your website or social media connects to the experience they have in-store, which creates a positive shopping experience and builds shopper loyalty," says IGA Marketing Specialist Megan Drazer. She adds that the online content is available to all IGA retailers, who can go to IGA.com/recipes to share seasonal recipes with shoppers and IGA.com/shopper-solutions for cooking tips and tricks.

Retailers who subscribe to the kit will be able to do the reverse as well—in-store shoppers will see that local grill-worthy vegetable sign with a URL or QR code that directs them to IGA.com, and can visit for the same recipes. Retailers can use the social media graphics to promote the online content and recipes on their social pages. "The playbook included in the kit tells retailers how to use the online content and carry it through in-store," Drazer says.

What's next?

1. Subscribe to the Quarterly Marketing Kit. Click the button below to subscribe to the kit today to have it delivered before April 1, and watch your email for more information on the kits coming next week.

2. Follow the playbook to install the kits throughout the store (the playbook is included in the kit). If your eCommerce site is through IGA and Freshop, the site will automatically update the content to reflect the On Your Side campaign. National Digital Ad content will be automatically updated as well. IGA Social members will see the campaign content on their social media pages, but for those retailers who do social media themselves, they can visit iga.com/recipes to find the content to share.

3. Swap the old kit for the new. At the end of the quarter when you receive a new kit, the old kit comes down, and the new kit goes up. 

The IGA Quarterly Marketing Kit is the perfect way to remind shoppers that their local IGA store has been on their side since Day 1 and that they are here to help them make healthy, informed decisions for their families. Through in-store signage and links to online content, this omni-channel campaign will help create loyal, confident shoppers.

Click the button below to subscribe to the Q2 kit today and you'll receive it before April 1. Watch your email for more information on the kits coming next week.