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Written by Emily on December 7, 2022

Understanding marketing vs. branding is important for vending sales success. The two are different aspects of a single strategy used to tell others about your company and its services. Together they create a base for communicating strong, consistent messaging to existing customers and prospects. And growing sales revenues.

Keep reading to understand the difference between marketing and branding. How they both work together. Plus, learn which one needs to come first.

Defining Marketing

Marketing is promoting your vending company and the services and products you offer potential customers. Your company website, sales brochures, promotional emails, radio or internet advertisements, and even social media posts are all essential ways to market your company.  Marketing strategies evolve over time to focus on different aspects of your business. And to support changing sales goals.  Marketing often capitalizes on how your business leads when it comes to new and fresh vending products and equipment, emerging technologies, seasonal changes, and industry trends.

Marketing is critical to sales. It spreads the word about your services. It promotes what sets you apart from your competitors. And finally, it reinforces why you are the best choice for breakroom services in your service area. A successful marketing strategy will bring customers into your sales funnel and deliver more leads.

Understanding Branding

Branding, on the other hand, is about shaping your vending company’s identity to represent its core goals and purpose. Branding is a strong reflection of your company’s personality and it is how people will identify and remember your company as a whole. Good branding keeps your target audience in mind and helps them establish trust in your business. Branding includes everything from your company logo and taglines to the core narrative about your company’s foundation, purpose, and goals. Branding gives your vending operation meaning and character.  Through it, customers will understand who you are and what makes your business unique.

Branding Must Come First

Marketing is the most effective way to spread your message and promote your business, but you must understand the message you’re spreading first. That is why establishing your company’s branding is an important first step. Solid branding will help shape your marketing initiatives and keep them consistent in look, feel, and context. Take the time to establish your vending company’s brand identity. It will help your company define what to say, where to say it, and the goals of your marketing campaigns.

As you can see, marketing and branding are closely tied but distinctly different. You must first understand what you want to say to communicate effectively. Starting with solid branding is the best way to optimize your vending marketing and grow your sales.

Are you a vending operator struggling with branding or marketing? VendCentral specializes in helping vending operators increase sales with successful branding, marketing, and sales strategies. Reach out at info@vendcentral.com or (866) 699-8363.

Written by Emily on October 26, 2022

A growth strategy is important after your vending website is built. It will help maximize your website’s performance and attract valuable leads. Your vending website is your strongest marketing tool and online investment. Maintaining it is key to its long-term success. But what should your website’s growth strategy look like? Read our 3 steps-to-success specifically for vending websites.

1. Grow Your Web Content

Regularly adding content to your vending website has a more positive impact on marketing and sales than a redesign every few years. Therefore, you will want to add new web pages and update existing ones routinely. Consider what content will support your sales goals. Plus, what type of content will enhance your SEO. For example, let’s say you create a web page for a new service offering. Anyone who searches for that type of service should see your website suggested. The same is true if you feature trendy new products or showcase a specific coffee brewer. Get on a schedule where you regularly evaluate, update, and add content to your website.

2. Blogs are Key to a Growth Strategy

Writing blog posts is a vital way to stay current. Blogs allow you to communicate frequently with customers on a variety of topics. Blogs also show you’re an authority on top vending industry trends. Finally, blog articles go a long way toward enhancing your website’s SEO. For instance, when you write about services or products, those keywords are associated with your vending website.  Therefore, your website will show up in search results more often and attract more breakroom leads.

Here’s a bonus tip: Once you publish a blog on your website, share it on social media. It
doesn’t have to be a long post; a short sentence with hashtags will do. Your social media post gives your blog more exposure and opportunity for views. Don’t forget to add an image, which increases the chance it will be noticed.

3. Keep Your Website Clean

Every website needs housekeeping now and again. Check that your address, phone number, and email are correct. Also review all the links and menu options. You want to ensure those links go where they should. It is vital for an overall positive customer experience. After all, your website’s performance can affect how potential customers feel about you. A statistic from econsultancy reports that 80% of consumers are less likely to return to a website after a bad experience. So, don’t let a broken link stop your vending company from getting a qualified lead.

Another website section to check is service areas. If you have expanded into new cities or counties, be sure they are mentioned on your site. Ditto for product and equipment additions. You’ll want the most current information available for your existing and potential customers.

A Website Growth Strategy Opens More Doors to Success

Use our tips as a guide and create a website growth strategy of your own. It will help you keep your vending website performing at its best. Add content, write blogs, and check your online information. It will ensure your vending website remains a powerful sales tool available to customers 24/7.

If you need help with your vending website or are looking for powerful online sales and marketing tools, contact VendCentral. We specialize in digital marketing for the breakroom services industry. From a growth strategy to a marketing plan, we can maximize sales for your vending business. Reach out to info@vendcentral.com or (866) 699-8363 to get started.

Written by Emily on October 12, 2022

Vending operators often ask us how social media can help their company. Our answer? Social media makes your vending business stand out from the competition and attracts quality leads. It lets you connect with customers and prospects in ways that influence their decisions. It is a powerful tool for increasing sales. Did you know that more than 50% of customers say they learn about new brands and products specifically from social media platforms? That means your vending business needs to be there.

Keep reading for tips on creating social media posts that engage your existing customers and make new prospects want to do business with your vending company.

Showcase Your Expertise

Social media is a great place to display your industry knowledge. Use it to inform your customers about new products and equipment. For example, post about the latest single-cup brewer you installed and the features you love about it. Don’t forget to tag the manufacturer to get more exposure.

Another great way to show your expertise is by sharing the latest breakroom news and trends. It will show customers that your company stays on top of what is hot in the industry. Showcase your latest installs too.  Make sure to mention how your breakroom upgrades improve the workplace and tag any clients who give you permission.

Keep it Consistent

Posting regularly on social media is key to building a relationship with your audience. That is because frequent posts help grow your online reputation. They also increase trust in your brand. But don’t worry. Social media posts don’t have to be long. In fact, short to-the-point posts are best. Bite-sized content is easier to scan and retain.

In addition, it’s a good idea to regularly ask questions or take polls in your social media posts. This will spark conversation. That means your audience will be better engaged. And, it will help you learn more about your audience too.

Include Visuals

Remember the saying: a picture is worth a thousand words? Well, it’s true. Great visuals attract attention. But it’s not just photos. You can use infographics and video content too. A statistic from Twitter Business puts it in perspective, Tweets with video get 10 times more engagement than those without. The takeaway? Add visuals to ensure greater impact.

Make it Genuine

When you post on social media, an authentic and honest approach works best. Why? Because 86% of Americans want transparency from a company, says SproutSocial. That means you should show the human element in your business whenever possible. Plus, be open, honest, and clear in your posts. It will help you develop a stronger connection with your vending customers.

Need more reason to be real? LinkedIn posts with personal images get two times higher engagement. So, get personal to ensure your posts are read and remembered.

Now that you know when and what to post, it’s time to boost engagement. Invite your clients and industry colleagues to follow your business. And do the same to theirs. The larger your audience, the more powerful your social media will be at attracting new customers and maintaining current ones.

If thinking about social media posts makes you feel stressed, you’re not alone. The good news is that there are digital marketing specialists just for the vending industry. That’s us. Reach out to VendCentral for help today.

Written by Emily on August 10, 2022

For vending operators, developing an effective marketing plan can be overwhelming.  That is why your vending marketing plan should start with a solid marketing strategy first.  A marketing strategy is a foundation for any successful marketing plan. If you have not created a marketing strategy yet, useful tips can be found in our last article.  If you are satisfied you have a great marketing strategy in place then let’s start discussing how to turn that strategy into action.  That, in essence, is your marketing plan. Here are some things to consider:

Online Branding

The majority of a vending company’s marketing is now done online.  It is important to remember that consistency is key.  As you execute your marketing plan over multiple platforms be consistent in your brand look and messaging.  Also, develop and maintain a consistent schedule with your content creation. And finally, ensure your marketing content is consistently supporting your marketing strategy.

Website Content

Your vending website is one of the biggest components of your online brand and marketing plan so it’s a good idea to start here first.  Remember when you detailed your company’s mission and goals during your marketing strategy development? Your vending website should support them. It should also clearly show how your vending business differentiates itself from your competitors.  If your website is outdated, it may be time to refresh your image to get off to a good start.  Websites that are difficult to navigate or hard to read on mobile devices will lose your audience fast.  Consider a website health check to see if a refresh is in order. A website refresh may also give you the opportunity to breathe new life into your company logo, brand colors, font styles, etc.  These factors all contribute to your company’s brand image and personality online.

Remember, keeping your website updated and growing is an important part of your marketing plan.  Add web pages to support new products, brands, or services. Consider publishing blogs to stay on top of new and trending topics.  Your new content will continue to improve SEO performance, especially if it contains keywords potential clients might use to find you.

Social Media Content

In addition to your website, social media plays a huge role in vending marketing. If you’re happy with your website branding, terrific! Keep a consistent look on social media by using the same fonts, colors, taglines, etc.  This will reinforce your brand image across your social media platforms.

What social media channels are your potential customers visiting? Are facility managers reading news feeds on LinkedIn? Do breakroom service providers read Google Business Reviews? You bet they are. Your marketing plan should include a social media posting schedule across these multiple platforms. This will help your company stay relevant and top of mind for current and potential customers. Don’t forget to use social media as a tool to direct potential and existing customers back to your website to learn more about you.

Marketing Messaging

No matter where you are posting your marketing content, your messaging should reinforce the goals established in your original marketing strategy. Include content that helps potential customers learn more about your business and the team that makes it thrive.  Dive into important industry trends to reinforce your company’s expertise. Share customer reviews to show how you are helping customers improve their employee breakrooms – and even show off some of your incredible breakroom installs.  Marketing content like this will help tell customers how you are different than your competitors.

Dedicate Resources

For your vending marketing plan to work, someone must build it and oversee it. This person, or team, will create a schedule for website growth, blogs, and social media posts.  They will likely compliment it with email campaigns, print, grassroots marketing efforts, and more. They will also review key performance indicators to make sure your marketing plan is working. If no one can take on these responsibilities internally, consider outsourcing to a reputable marketing firm that specializes in vending marketing.

At VendCentral, we are dedicated to the vending industry and marketing to bring our clients new breakroom customers. To get a marketing plan started today, contact us online or call (866) 699-8363.

Written by Emily on July 28, 2022

Many vending business owners jump into marketing with social media posts and blogs to reach potential customers. Indeed, these are part of any good marketing plan. However, to get results, vending marketing needs to be supported first by a strategy behind the posts and blogs. Then you can work out a detailed plan of what and when to post.

Did you define your vending marketing strategy before jumping in? If not, keep reading. Here are some marketing strategy basics to ensure your marketing succeeds.

Marketing strategy vs. marketing plan

While often used interchangeably, a marketing strategy and marketing plan are very different. A marketing strategy is the why. It explains how your marketing will help you achieve your company’s mission and goals. Plus, it outlines what you will market, who you will market to, and how you intend to communicate your message. Finally, it should consider your competitors and how you will set your breakroom business apart.

In contrast, a marketing plan takes your marketing strategy and puts it into practice. It is how you will execute the strategy. For instance, your social media post schedule, your blog topics, and the associated performance metrics.

Steps for a strong vending marketing strategy

A well-defined marketing strategy supports your company’s mission and vision. Follow these steps to ensure yours is complete:

1. Lay the groundwork

Begin the vending market strategy process with a summary of your company. For example, how it started and the values that drive your business. It is also important to include what you wish to accomplish with your marketing efforts. Are you looking to obtain new business? Do you want to show existing customers you do more than vending? How can your marketing efforts help you achieve your goals?

2. Understand your market

Next, outline the key factors and trends happening in the breakroom industry and in your particular service area. Are micro-markets the “go-to” in your area? Are locations asking for ways to lure employees back to the office? Check industry sources, local news, and LinkedIn for some insights.

3. Detail your offering

At a high level, list the types of products and services your vending marketing should focus on. This is going to be directly related to the market trends you identified in the previous step.

4. Define your audience

In order to develop an effective vending marketing strategy, you need to know who to target. Therefore, you should create a clear description of your ideal vending or breakroom service customer. What type of business is it? How many employees are on-site? Who is your contact, the facility manager or the human resource manager? How can you get your marketing message in front of this person?

5. Describe your message

Now that you have identified your target audience, what do you want to say? Use what you came up with for overall breakroom trends, which products/services you want to target, and who your ideal customer is to solidify your message. Does it revolve around hassle-free service? Or, perhaps it highlights the advantages of superior coffee equipment? Maybe it’s showcasing your environmental stewardship through sustainable practices?

6. Analyze your competition

In marketing as in most aspects of business, it is important to look not only at yourself but your competitors. For instance, how is your vending company unique or better than others? How will your marketing plan accentuate these differences?

Don’t forget, you don’t have to come up with your marketing strategy alone. A digital marketing agency can assist you in developing and solidifying a vending marketing strategy that works.

A marketing strategy is just the beginning

Once you have all the elements of a marketing strategy complete, you can take that framework and build a marketing plan. Don’t be tempted to skip the strategy, however. It is worth the time. Starting with the support of a strategy will ensure you make the most of your vending marketing investment, keep your message on target, and reach your goals.

Ready to solidify your strategy? VendCentral can assist you in defining one that works. For a free consultation, contact us by email or at ((866) 699-8363.

Written by Emily on June 1, 2022

Hungry for new vending clients? Focused on retaining current customers? Consider your level of personalization online. Have you gone beyond the basics – logo, brand colors, and website? Those are all critical first steps. However, to elevate your vending marketing, you need to personalize it. Why? Because that is the key to bringing in more business and keeping the business you already have.

Ready to learn how you can use personalization? With this intention, keep reading.

Breaking down personalization

Personalization is a long word that simply means showing who you are online. Websites full of stock art look great. However, they are generic. That’s purposeful, as stock art companies sell stock art, not vending art. Therefore, the photos don’t show your specific vending services. Nor does stock art showcase your employees or brand. Using only stock art can cause you to blend in with other vending businesses in your area that also use stock art. As a result, facility managers and human resource managers won’t differentiate your company from your competitor. Personalization in your vending marketing can change that.

Utilize photos

Remember the saying, a picture is worth a 1,000 words? It’s still true, even with online vending marketing. Therefore, to personalize your vending business online, you must focus on photos. Consider the services you offer. Do they include office coffee service? What about water filtration service? How about that micro-market service you’re growing? You will want photos of all of these. Photos that show your coffee brewers,  your branded vending machines, and your specific micro-market fixtures. Furthermore, it is important to showcase your employees in these photos. To do that, snap of photo of them installing equipment at a friendly customer location. Another way to include employees is to take pictures at corporate events or run a featured employee each month. As a bonus, these photos are great to personalize your social media and often get shared by the employees themselves.

With a smartphone in nearly every pocket, getting photos is easy. Nevertheless, consider hiring a professional photographer for a day. A professional will consider lighting, background, and composition. The result will be a personalized photograph that is professional and rivals stock art.

Don’t forget other areas of personalization

Photos are not the only area a vending services business can personalize. For example, social media is an ideal platform to add personalization. You might want to do a short video showing a new location install. Alternatively, you may want to repost a community event you took part in. The most important thing is to keep the content personal, not general. In this way, you will set yourself apart from competitors. 

Personalization can also mean seasonal promotions. Put together a promotions calendar. Then create PDFs or images with the specific products you want to sell. These can be put on your website, social media feeds, and even micro-market kiosks. Promotions are a way to be unique in your service area and increase sales. 

In the end, personalization can take your vending business to the next level. If you need help getting there, contact VendCentral. We’ll develop a distinctive vending marketing strategy that will bring in new leads and impress existing customers. 

Written by Jen on April 14, 2022

Operators and manufacturers are using blogs more and more to connect with customers, display their expertise, promote their breakroom products & equipment, and generate leads. 

There are many ways to keep blogs engaging for breakroom customers. But what types of content work well in a blog? Read on to discover ideas for incorporating interesting and relevant blog content into your digital strategy. And stay tuned until the end to learn one of the biggest benefits of creating blogs.

Answer FAQ’s

It is easy for breakroom operators to identify frequently asked questions when servicing their clients. Write blogs that can be used as a customer service tool for answering them. Consider sending these blog articles to your clients proactively to show you are in tune with their needs and have resources to help them.

Promote New Products & Brands

Use blogs to let your clients know you are working hard to keep your snack, beverage, and fresh food assortments new and exciting. Blog articles are an interesting way to explore new flavors, brands, and seasonal items.

Explore Breakroom Trends

The refreshment services industry is constantly evolving and there are always new ideas to share.  Blogs that identify and elaborate on breakroom trends are a valuable tool for your clients. They can also create opportunities for breakroom service and equipment upgrades. 

Equipment Information

Breakroom equipment is constantly innovating.  Write blogs that provide information on your most popular breakroom equipment – especially gourmet coffee brewers. These articles can help your clients maximize the use of their equipment and be helpful for troubleshooting problems too.

Industry expertise

Use blog articles as an outlet for demonstrating your industry knowledge. It will show you stay on top of what is happening in the industry and reinforce your company as a leader in refreshment services.

Build Trust

Blogs are a great way to establish a deeper connection with your clients, build trust, and enhance your company’s brand image. Use these articles to get a little personal. Share your company’s values, highlight outstanding employees, or explain what you are doing to contribute to your community. 

There are so many ways blogs can be useful for your breakroom customers. The added benefit? Blogs are one of the best ways to attract new customers and generate leads for your website. Blogs are often rich in industry keywords, improving your company’s SEO and search engine ranking. 

Blog articles published to your company’s website remain online far longer than any social media post. This means its content will continue to be helpful to your existing clients and effective in driving new website traffic for years to come.

VendCentral specializes in creating thoughtful and impactful digital marketing content for the refreshment services industry. If you would like to learn more about our marketing programs visit our website or call us at (866)699-8363