This new guide can help you:

• Make your store easier to find
• Start using social media
• Use the internet to bring in more customers
• Find important industry news & events
• Make connections with groups who can help boost your c-store business

Are you ready to start making the internet work for you? 

Download this exclusive C-Store Owner Online Resource Guide today!

Just like in personal lives, stores should have new year resolutions. It is important to have goals in mind, rather than just dreams.Some people desire to lose weight, start a new hobby, or even meet love in the upcoming new year. A business should have the same optimism. However, are you unsure about where to start and/or how to follow through on these New Year goals for 2019?  The following steps should help.

Dream vs Goal

Some may argue that they are the same thing. But there is a clear difference among the two. A goal has a plan and a dream does not. A person can desire to lose ten pounds, but if they never do anything towards losing the weight then it is simply a dream. Yet, if you go to the gym and change your lifestyle, you are working towards a goal.

With that being said, what is your plan for the success you want as a store owner? It could be difficult to even develop a plan in general, but by doing the following, those dreams may become goals.

Pen & Paper

In order to begin the process, you must write down exactly what you want, as specific as possible. Within that goal, be specific with the time frame in which you plan to accomplish the goal, too. For example, if you want to increase advertising for your store, then write down how long you believe it’ll take you. Writing down your goals will not only motivate you, but it will create a realistic perspective on them.

Outline

Now that you have the goal and time-frame, you’ll need to write out the game plan. What are the necessary steps towards your goal? Again, be as specific as possible. Breakdown each step. By breaking down each step, it’ll make you feel more comfortable towards your goal. Many times, people become overwhelmed with big tasks and have no idea where to start. The moment you allow yourself to become lost in your goal, you have already lost. So, write down each step and check them off as you complete each step.

Reflect

As you finish more and more steps, it is important to slow things down. By slow things down, I don’t mean slow your progress but remember to smell the roses. Reflect on each step you have taken. Acknowledge that you are working towards this goal and your journey has begun. In addition, think to yourself. Are there things you need to adjust in your plan? Has the time-frame changed? Has the actual goal changed? Be clear about where you are and remind yourself of the end goal as much as you can.

Reward Yourself

This usually is forgotten. Every moment you have achieved a step, that is victory. Yes, the main goal may not have been accomplished, nor even close, but you are making progress. That goal is closer than ever before and that is something to celebrate about. When you do accomplish a big step in your plan, celebrate that milestone. You have been working hard and your work will reflect it. Even if the reward is small, it is still self-recognition. Celebrating and rewarding also helps your mentality. It’ll motivate you even more towards your goal.

You should even consider celebrating your success with employees and customers.  Offer a new discount on consumer favorites in celebration of your business growth or improvement, or maybe host an event celebrating the accomplishment.  Customers are encouraged to spend their money at a business that clearly aims to continue improving, celebrating your success could be a great way to catch their attention.

As an owner, your plan may have different steps compared to others but that’s okay. Each store is different; therefore, each plan should be properly adjusted to each store. Remember not to lose focus. It’ll be difficult but the moment your goal is achieved, it would have all been worth it.

Want to prepare even more? Click here for “Easy Ways to Enhance Your Convenience or Grocery Store”

Competition has no boundary in today’s C-Store Industry. There are pros and cons for this, but competition is on every retailers’ mind. Specifically, on the mind is how to beat the surrounding competition. It is important though to think about the bigger picture.

What does this mean? Every retailer, not just your neighbors, is competition.

For you, as an owner, to outdo the competition you must make your store different. It can be intimidating to stand up against giants like QuikTrip. However, you can do something to even the odds. Being different in a way your competitors cannot copy easily is called competitive advantage, and as a small retailer this can be what matters most.

Competitive Advantage should not be taken lightly. It is making sure you have the upper hand in business. You don’t have to reinvent the entire industry or create new projects that change the future. There are a few adjustments you can do to your store that cost little to nothing and increase the number of customers!

Build a Relationship

Treating your customers right is obvious. Never has it crossed your mind to fight a customer or even yell at one. This isn’t what we are talking about. Going the extra mile with customer service is the difference. By providing excellent service, you will be able to build a relationship with all your customers. Reminding your employees to do the following will create the foundation of the relationships with your customers:

• Greet customers the moment they come in
• Smile at every customer
• Create small talk by asking about the customers’ day
• Ask customers if they additional help

It can be difficult for large businesses to offer the same kind of customer service as smaller retailers. Because you are dealing with everyday tasks, more hands on, then you can administer the service better! In addition, these simple things do not cost a single penny! They will improve your customer service and will also build positive relationships with regulars and will also create new regulars.

Making Customers feel at Home

Imagine walking into your living room and seeing a complete disaster of a mess. This would make one feel unwelcome in your own home! We all have a messy house at time, but it is easily fixed with a broomstick. You should have the same mentality for your store(s). Your customers are like guests in your home. You want them to feel comfortable and enjoy themselves. You do not want them to walk in and feel gross.

By cleaning daily and having a familiar store layout, it’ll make your customer very happy.

• Wiping the counter
• Sweeping the entrance
• Accessible product placements

Those are just a few things that can be done in seconds but will be noticed by your customers. Making your customer feel at home in your store will guarantee them to come back and make future purchases!

Relate to your Community 

By catering to your community, you can build a big name in your neighbored for your store! Yes, everyone knows the large names like Walmart and Target but just because those stores are well known, it doesn’t mean they have your community’s preference. As a smaller retailer, you are closer to your community than any competitor. You know your community better than anyone. Use this as an advantage. Depending on the surrounding citizens, sell products that they can’t find in large, generic retailers.

For example: Your store is located in a Hispanic environment. Therefore, most of your customers will be Hispanic. Since your customers share similar cultures, then sell Hispanic products, such as tortillas or Hispanic treats!

At the end of the day, your competitive advantage are the relationships you have with your customers and community. By being able to provide for you community in a way, large retailers cannot compare to will be the difference. Don’t lose the main focus which is the customer! If you feel there is a positive relationship with your customers, it most likely the feeling is mutual. The more solid your relationship becomes; the more loyalty is built with your customers. Remember, the competitive advantage is about being different. Being different for the customer’s sake.

Want to learn more about building the Ideal C-Store Experience? Click here.

Source: Thrive Hive

1. Decide what success means to YOU –

Some business owners are most concerned with making their existing business profitable, while others have an end goal of selling their store to someone else and making a profit that way.  There are other business owners who want to open as many stores as possible and maybe become a household name.  Your goals do not need to be the same as anyone else’s and really don’t even have to have anything to do with the amount of money you will end up with.  All that matters is that you decide what your business means to you and the impact you’d like to have.

2. Think about the things that may be challenging your store’s success –

Even though you always want to think about the good things, you sometimes need to consider what challenges you have as well.  If you aren’t realistic about what is holding you back from success, you will never know how to reach your goals. Some examples of challenges could be:

• You don’t have a distributor that can help you get the best inventory
• Your competition has an easier parking lot to get in and out of
• Your store is small and you don’t have room to add new features
• You have been robbed before and now customers are afraid to come to your store

Depending on what your goals are, your challenges will be different. Spend a good amount of time deciding which problems you are ready to face.

3. Be creative with your ideas achieving your goals –

Remember, you aren’t the only store owner out there trying to reach success and meet their goals.  Chances are, there’s a store owner that even has the same exact goal and challenges you do.  So that means you really must invest a good amount of energy and time in coming up with ideas for reaching your goals.  The bare minimum isn’t enough.  Want to bring in more customers? What can you do to be DIFFERENT from the stores around you?  Want to open a new location?  How can you get the additional funds to purchase or lease a new building?  Don’t limit your thinking.  There are a lot of opportunities out there.

4. Try and try again –

One of the worst things you can do when owning and operating a business is to think that every idea you have or every new thing you try is going to be magically successful overnight.  You’ll probably have to continuously work at making improvements or changes to the way you run your business to reach your final goals.  Don’t quit if things aren’t going the way you think they should, just step back and find out how you can try in a different way.  Don’t limit yourself to one idea either, consider multiple ways to reach your goals.

5. Don’t limit your goals.

Already reached your business goal and already seeing success?  Why stop there?  There’s probably something else you could be doing.  Consider starting an entirely new business that maybe no one has even heard of.  If it’s interesting to you, it’s worth your time.

The holidays have already begun! Thanksgiving has passed, Hanukkah has started, and Christmas along with New Years is right around the corner.

Retails sales are expected to grow more than 5% from last year’s winter holiday season. To put that into perspective, retailers could make more than $1 trillion in holiday sales for 2018. That is an amazing amount that should not be taken lightly. 

Make a list and check it twice.  Here are our suggestions for the most important steps to take while preparing your c-store for the 2018 holiday season.

Inventory

With these expected sales, it is important to have enough inventory to meet the demand. Yet be wise and do your own research to see which products and services will need to be increased. The worst scenario would be having ordered too much supplies, rather than not enough. Regardless, you want to cater to your customer’s needs and make sure your shop is the difference. The biggest benefit in inventory may be the simple last minute supplies! This could be extra plates and napkins to the extra hot sauce needed for that special holiday party. 

Promotion

Now that you have inventory checked of your holiday list, it is time to get the word out there. Creating offers and deals would create buzz to attract even more customers than before. Depending on your kind of customer, be sure to promote in the best way that communicates to them! You know your customers better than anyone and can know what grabs their attention. 

Decor

Having supplies and reaching out to customers is only part of the holiday preparations. Getting into the holiday spirit does not have to put a dent into your wallet! Believe me, your customers will notice the little things. Putting up banners, lights, and even a small tree will create a difference. Not only will it boost moral for your employees, but it may encourage customers to spend more time in your store.

Customer Service

To really stand out from the competition, it is necessary to treat your customers like guests in your own home. Be sure to welcome everyone with a big smile, no matter how much they plan to spend. Encourage your employees to do the same! Greeting customers as soon as they step into your shop, will break the ice. Go the extra mile and see if you could make their shopping experience any better. After all, if the roles were in reverse, wouldn’t you want to be treated with holiday joy?  

Spend time with Loved Ones

This is the busiest time of the year. Shopping for some may be just as important as the holidays themselves. By making that list and checking it off, you won’t have to worry about meeting expectations. Don’t forget about the people that matter in your life. Customers come and go, but family and friends will always be there. Be sure to decide your time accordingly and make time for those significant in your life. Making sure you express your feelings to your loved ones is the purpose of these holidays. 

We here, at goEBT, hope everyone has had and continues to have an amazing time with friends and family this holiday season!

• Sources: Deloitte

There are more cardholders than you may think…

The SNAP program provides benefits to over 42 million people – or 1 in 8 Americans.  The people in our country that use this program are not just a small population hidden from plain sight.  Almost everyone knows a person or two that receive SNAP benefits on an EBT card.  The average family of three receives about $376 per month, which means our government spends about $68 billion per year to ensure recipients have benefits.  Who wouldn’t want a piece of that money at their store?

Where do cardholders usually live?…

Some people assume that those who receive SNAP benefits are only living in low income housing, crowded urban areas, or even on the streets.  However, this isn’t true at all.  While many cardholders DO live in metropolitan areas and are often considered below the poverty line, there are still many others who have different living situations.  Even stores in rural areas and suburbs find that accepting SNAP/EBT cards at their store draws in even more customers. Use this interactive map to find out more details about SNAP benefits in YOUR state.

Who are the cardholders?…

In 2016:

• 44% of SNAP recipients were children
• 12% were senior citizens (older than 60)
• The rest were working-age adults
• 57% were female
• 43% were male
• 36% were non-Hispanic, white
• 26% were black
• 17% were Hispanic
• 3% were Asian
• 11% were non-elderly (younger than 60) and disabled

Do cardholders have jobs?…

Because a household must have a gross monthly income that is below 130% of the poverty line ($26,600 for a family of three), many people assume that the recipients of SNAP benefits, or food stamps, are unemployed and simply not trying to make money.  This is not true.  The SNAP program requires able-bodied adults without children to work in order to receive benefits and in some states, parents must work too.

Do cardholders stay on SNAP forever?…

For adults who do not have children, there is a time limit of three months out of a three year period during which they can receive SNAP or food stamp benefits, unless they are working.  For others, SNAP benefits can be received as long as the household qualifies.  There are yearly re-application rules for every household and if they are not met, the benefits will be cut off.  Although a household could receive benefits for a long period of time, about one-third of the people who receive benefits quit within one year.

If you aren’t already authorized to accept SNAP/EBT benefits in your store, you should be considering applying.  The program allows so many Americans in need to survive through tough times, and it even helps business owners like yourself to grow their profits by catering to a large additional group of customers.

Euromonitor expects sparkling water sales to reach $3.1 billion by 2022. Here are some of the most popular sparkling water brands.

1. Pellegrino 

Pellegrino sold over one billion bottles the last year. The low calorie drink also comes in fruit flavors. 

2. Sparkling Ice 

Sparkling Ice contains zero calories and zero sugar and comes in a variety of flavors.

3. La Croix 

 La Croix is an all natural sparkling water that comes in over 20 different flavors .

4. Sprindrift 

 Sprindrift is a newer brand, launching back in 2010. The drink contains two ingredients: fruit juice and water.

5. Perrier 

Perrier has been around since the last 1800’s and has always been a customer favorite. The drink contains no sugar, caffeine, or calories. 

If you’re considering adding sparkling water to your store, start by asking your wholesaler for velocity reports to find out what they are moving. Sales for sparkling water are expected to increase and it’s a trend you do not want to miss out on. 

Here are some of the c-store owners making news for their hard work and community outreach. 

Lakeport Market

Matt Paduano is making news for opening his first c-store. Paduano told CS News, “ There are camps, year round homes and good traffic flow. I saw a lot of opportunity here to be a destination for fuel food groceries, beverages, beer and snacks.” Having worked for two c-store companies over the course of 29 years, he understood what it would take to operate his own c-store.

After 29 years with Nice N Easy, he decided to venture out and open Lakeport Market in March of 2018 . The c-store offers a foodservice program that offers fresh pizza, fresh subs, wraps, fried fish, and more. Matt learned a lot from working at Nice N Easy and used his knowledge and experience to find the right solutions for his store. For him, it’s more than being a convenience store, Lakeport Market is in fact, a market. He knows people won’t do their everyday shopping there, but locals can come there and buy products that a grocery store would sell.

He focuses his attention on the community because the store is in a small town. He buys his products from as many local vendors as he can as well as having a separate beer cave section for New York State craft beer brands. Paduano says “If you ask my kids, much of my day is spent standing around talking to customers.

To read the full article on Matt Pudano and his journey, click here.

Goods Mart

The Goods Mart is redefining convenience stores in California. Rachel Kupa had a vision for a more health conscious convenience store. The Goods Mart brings a twist to the typical c-store with it’s modern look and design. Kupa knows healthier fresher foods are typically more expensive, but she recognizes her target audience for her c-store and wants to offer the healthy options at a lower price. Her goal is to have the store be accessible for everyone.

The “good” part of The Goods Mart goes beyond a store name for Kupa. Her goal is to do “good” within the community. At checkout, there’s an option for customers to add a tip and donate that money to local charities that change every quarter. She has also partnered with Lunch on Me to move food that is about to expire to the homeless.

This is only the beginning for Rachel Kupa, as she plans on expanding the single store to multiple locations and help build communities around the stores she opens.

Read the full article about Rachel Kupa here

Community Outreach 

Once a month CSP Daily News recognizes c-stores for their community service. For the month of October, stores focused on raising funds for breast cancer charities while others have raised money to assist with the efforts in recovering from damage caused by Hurricane Michael. 

• Chevron USA Inc, donated $500,000 from the Chevron Community Fund to help those who have been affected by Hurricane. The donation will be split between American Red Cross and Volunteer Florida.
• Sheetz is helping those in need in each state that they operate in by contributing weekly food donations through their Made-to-Share program. Their weekly donations include ready-to-eat sandwiches, wraps, and salads.
• Circle K is raising money for National Breast Cancer Awareness month. For every person who scans their barcode from their mobile app when refilling their “pink ribbon” tumbler, they will donate 25 cents to breast cancer research.
• VP Racing Fuels is also using this month in support on National Breast Cancer awareness.  VP Racing Fuels is selling t-shirts and special edition pink VP Racing Motorsports Containers. For every purchase of these items, the company will make a donation to the Prevent Cancer Foundation.

Not only are the corporations doing it, but single store owners as well. AJ Jaber works with Citgo Gas, participating in a program called Spirit Program, where once a month they donate money to the local elementary schools. For 5 days every month, a percentage of all gas sales will go to help the local schools.

Giving back to your local community let’s your customers know you care about them. It’s a small thank you for their business, assuring them it’s more than just being a c-store, but being a part of the neighborhood. 

Halloween is just around the corner and retailers in all industries should make sure they are taking advantage.  2017 is expected to bring record high spending, to the tune of $9.1 billion and the c-store owners across the country are in the perfect position to rake in much of this money.  With many opportunities at your disposal, there’s no reason to miss out on the holiday profits.  If you aren’t sure how to make the most of this Halloween, we’ve got a list that will help you get in the spirit.

• Sell Bulk Candy – Few people want to be the only door on the block without a bowl of goodies for trick-or-treaters and whether they’re really busy or just simply forgot about Halloween, there will be people scrambling for candy to pass out. Try to get some boxes of large bags of candy that last minute shoppers can grab at your c-store.  The NRF predicts that $2.7 billion will be spent on candy, don’t miss out on this category spending.
• Have a Halloween Event – You could always host a small event at your store for the neighborhood to bring them in on Halloween, or during the weekend. While hosting a Halloween event may not bring in a lot of purchases right away, it will help remind local consumers about your business and hopefully bring them back in later.
• Halloween Specials – As a c-store owner, you know that seasonal promotions are a great way to increase traffic and basket size. During the Halloween season, you have a great opportunity to boost your sales with product cross-promotion and special pricing on specific items.  Most product manufacturers have special Halloween edition products that your consumers will love so try promoting those even more.
• Offer Novelties – Although candy and snacks are a great choice for additional Halloween sales, you should also consider carrying some non-edible novelty Halloween products. During Halloween, consumers love buying fun items including spooky prank items and fun decorations.  Although you will have to make room for these short-term items, you will enjoy the typically higher profit margin when your c-store customers purchase them.
• Promote Fall Products – Halloween is a great time to promote your fall flavors and special products. That means if you’re not carrying pumpkin and cinnamon flavored everything, you should be.  Also, the cooler fall weather is pushing consumers toward drinks like coffee and hot cocoa.  By adding a hot drink station, you can provide a benefit to neighborhood trick-or-treaters.

The end of the year is filled with plenty of holidays, which means plenty of opportunities to make more money.  Halloween is a great opportunity to kick off the season and show your c-store customers that you’re paying attention to what they want.

Cold Prepackaged Foods

The perception of convenience stores have changed, customers are walking past the frozen meals and heading towards the salads and yogurts. Especially millennials, who are likely to buy their fresh foods from any type of grocery chain, which is great news for c-stores. Large chain grocery stores are fewer and the competition from more convenient options like delivery or online orders is slowing their business growth. This is a great opportunity for c-stores to come in and offer fresh foods and produce in a setting that is easier to get in and out of.

For breakfast, prepackaged fruits and yogurt parfaits are easy items to carry.  When people are late to work and need to grab something quick, but still something that has health benefits, yogurts offer great protein and are low calorie.

Lunch is not typically a rush hour for c-stores, adding a hot food service may not see as much success as a cold food service would, especially in a small store. Customers can grab the lunch in the morning along with their breakfast and refrigerate it for later. Options such as fresh prepackaged sandwiches, salads, or small veggie plates are great products to consider selling. 

Produce

Products such as fresh fruits and vegetables are a great additional item to carry. Especially for c-stores who have a large SNAP user base. Offering produce at your store is a great way to attract more EBT customers. Studies show that SNAP users buy bread, meat, and milk the most but still are in need of fresh produce. One way to find out what other groceries your store should carry is by asking your customers, see what kind of fresh produce they are looking for. You want to offer the groceries that would be beneficial for your customers. Offering deals such as “2 for $1” is a sure way customers will pick you over the large grocery stores who may charge more for their freshest products.

Not only is offering fresh produce a great way to attract SNAP users, but also health conscious consumers.  Aside from offering prepacked fruits or vegetables, having fruit baskets near the register are a great selling point. Try selling different types of bread products that may be healthier and more organic. Almond and soy milk have also seen an increase in sales because of the health benefits they offer over regular or organic milk.

Hot Breakfast

Hot foods don’t just have to be fried food or nachos, consider other foods you can make throughout the day. The food doesn’t necessarily need to be full of nutrition, just made fresh daily and not processed. Hot breakfast foods are an easy item to consider adding to your store. Mornings are typically the busiest time for convenience stores and are a great time to test a new food service.

Customers are usually coming in for their morning coffee or something, you can start small and continue to build your hot food service from here.You can offer inexpensive fresh breakfast egg sandwiches or bacon and sausage biscuits as a start. Offering an oatmeal service is another healthier alternative option to add.

You do not have to change your options to healthy products all at once. Snacks, candy and soda still dominate in the c-store, but looking to add healthier options are another way to compete with corporate chain c-stores.