Written by Emily on February 22, 2023

Testimonials and Reviews are akin to word-of-mouth marketing. And we all know how important word-of-mouth is to a vending business. Testimonials from happy vending customers are a top way to get new vending customers. And a nonpartial third-party review strongly impacts a decision maker’s buying process. So, how do you make the most of a client’s testimonial or review? And how do you get more?

Share Testimonials on Your Website

One of the first places a prospective client visits is your website. And because as many as 93% of buyers read reviews, displaying testimonials on your website is a must. Ask your long-term customers to send you a statement about their experiences with your company and services. Let them know that you plan to share it on your website. For even more impact, include a picture of your customer along with their statement. This helps show prospects that the testimonial is from a real person.

Don’t be tempted to create testimonials on a client’s behalf. Make sure every testimonial is authentic. Overly positive or promotional reviews will stand out. Savvy decision makers will see right through them.

Ask for Reviews on Social Media

A prospect who does research on your vending company will look on your website. But that’s not all. They will look elsewhere online for feedback too. That’s why reviews on your Google Business Listing and social media are also critical. An active Google Business Listing with lots of reviews will also gain a higher SEO.

Make it easy for clients to share their honest opinions by sending them a link to your Google Business Listing. Don’t worry about imperfect reviews. It is a chance to engage a client and turn the situation around. Do not be tempted to pay for reviews or to reward customers for submitting them.  The feedback on your Google Business Listing should be organic and people should be inclined to leave them without incentives or rewards.

Video reviews are also becoming more and more popular. If you’re visiting a customer who is raving about your service, ask to record them. Use your smartphone for a quick video review of the happy customer. Then post it to social media. It’s a great way to spread the word about your stellar service.

Get Testimonials. Gain Leads.

Testimonials and reviews by a customer can impact future sales. Make sure your vending business is getting the leads it deserves by focusing on your testimonials and online reviews. If you want to grow your business through testimonials, reviews, and other digital marketing strategies, VendCentral can help. We offer various digital marketing plans created just for breakroom service providers. Call us at (866) 699-8363 or reach us online.

Written by Jen on January 26, 2023

A vending marketing program is your secret weapon for growing sales. It’s crucial for driving leads to your website. And for changing prospects into customers.  A vending marketing program will drive new buyers to you! It will also spur upgrades with your existing customers.

Vending operators who want to stay focused on their daily tasks turn to VendCentral for marketing help. If fact, it’s why we created our vending marketing programs. All of our marketing programs include a brand-new, mobile-friendly website to attract more leads and convert more customers. They also include top-notch social media content to engage your audience online.  But, our sales and marketing programs offer lots of other benefits too. Looking for more leads and more sales?  Keep reading, because this guide will help you decide what vending marketing program is right for you.

The Works – a COMPLETE vending marketing program

Looking for a program that is completely personalized for your business? A program that drives sales? One that includes all aspects of digital and print marketing? This program is for you. Clients on our COMPLETE sales and marketing program rely on us to handle it all!

To start, we craft a sales and marketing strategy based on our COMPLETE clients’ unique needs and growth plans.  From that, we develop their monthly promotional schedule. These clients work closely and regularly with their VendCentral marketing account manager to fine tune their marketing strategy throughout the year.

Clients on our COMPLETE program have the most robust website growth plan for top SEO results. They also receive the most social media and blog content. Plus, it’s all customized for their business. We help these clients tap into the power of social media to grow their audience and reach. Press releases and design services for email and print campaigns are included too. It is our highest tier program. But COMPLETE clients consider it a valuable investment that pays off big for company sales growth.

The Assist – a CORE program

For vending operators that need only a bit of marketing help, we offer the CORE vending marketing program. In this program, our marketing account managers focus on generating content to help our CORE clients get top search results. Blogs and social media posts concentrate on industry topics and promote our clients’ services and expertise. They contain great SEO keywords but minor customization.

The CORE program appeals to clients looking to establish an online presence, improve search rankings, and grow their websites over time. It works best when complemented by a member of your own team who can add personalized content.

The Best of Both – a CUSTOM program

Take all the benefits of CORE, pair them with several great options from COMPLETE, and you’ll get our CUSTOM program. This is our most popular program with good reason. It is a semi-custom approach that highlights what sets your vending business apart from competitors.

We work together with our CUSTOM clients to create promotional plans. These include both industry-related and personalized content. Website growth is also emphasized in this program to maximize SEO. Clients on the CUSTOM marketing program also get ZippyLead, a website IP tracker tool that can increase vending sales. It does this by capturing valuable contact information about website visitors.

Our VendCentral marketing account managers collaborate closely with our CUSTOM clients for maximum impact and maximum lead generation.

What Type of Vending Marketing Program Do You Need?

Looking to grow your vending sales?  Want to stay focused on your operations? We have a marketing program that fits your needs. From full-scale sales and marketing to a more simplified approach, VendCentral will help you succeed.

Contact VendCentral today for more details on our vending marketing programs.  We will help you find the best fit for your business. Call us at (866) 699-8363 or reach us online.

Written by Emily on January 12, 2023

The vending industry is buzzing about social media. With good reason! A solid social media presence gives vending businesses some unique benefits. What benefits, you ask? Read on for the top reasons why social media helps your vending operation thrive.

Increases Traffic to Your Website

Social media posts can drive people back to your website with links for more info. And your website is a sales tool open 24-7. That means social media posts are part of a good sales strategy.

Drives SEO Ranking

Social media posts and YouTube videos rank with search engines. That means more hype for your services, photos, videos, etc. That’s marketing gold. Just make sure to include helpful keywords, like your city name and vending service offering.

Showcases your work

Social media lets you highlight what you do and how well you do it. Plus, you can talk about the benefits of your services in bite-size posts. That will help customers remember them. Social media is a great place to show real-world breakroom pictures. This gives potential clients visual examples of how you can improve their breakroom. It can also help upgrade your existing vending customers to a brand-new micro-market.

Helps Recruit Skilled Staff

Posting a job on social media helps you announce your open jobs to candidates. It also makes it a lot easier for them to see you’re hiring. Professional networking sites, like LinkedIn, can even reveal people with specific skill sets. These are skills you may need to help your vending operation grow.

Reinforces your brand

Well-crafted social media posts can be terrific branding. They show people who you are and what your company stands for. Customers like to do business with a company they can connect with. Social media gives them more chances to understand and connect with yours.

It’s not enough to have a logo and some images on social media. There’s a strategy for getting the many benefits a social media presence offers. Posting frequently and personalizing your content are two important components. Engaging with customers, prospects, and other industry professionals on social media is key too.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the need to create and maintain a social media presence, there is help. VendCentral’s team of digital sales and marketing experts is dedicated to the breakroom services industry. Contact us today at info@vendcentral.com or (866) 699-8363 to grow your vending sales and stay current online.

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 November 9, 2022

A new vending website can set your breakroom business up for sales success in a digital world that is crowded with competitors. Your website is a salesperson that works 24/7 and its sales pitch needs to be great. If your current vending website is not relevant, easy to read, and showcasing the best of your vending services, then it’s time for a whole new look.

Beyond that, there are three tell-tale signs that it’s time for a new website. They relate to performance indicators that impact how prospects will find your website and how long they’ll stay engaged. Read on for three questions to ask yourself to assess if your current website is performing at its best.

Is it easy to navigate?

A beautiful, well-designed website is a must. Not just the homepage either. 47% of users visit a vending website’s products or services page first, according to Zippia research. Therefore, it’s critical to ensure easy-to-access navigation with logical headings. The most important of these is the Contact Us page. Why? Because it’s crucial that potential customers can easily reach out to your business. Zippia also reports that 44% of users leave a site without contact information. Don’t let this happen to you.

While high-quality images are essential, large image files can slow a website down. This frustrates users and leads nearly 40% of people to stop engaging, says Webfx. In fact, lead conversion drops up to 20% for each second your site takes to load. Take a look at whether your website’s pages are optimized. They should provide a high-quality user experience with fast load speeds.

Is it ranking high on search engines?

Is your website traffic low? According to Fit Small Business, this is a problem for one in five businesses. A possible reason for low traffic is poor search engine optimization (SEO). Poor SEO affects your website’s rankings when breakroom decision-makers search for the services you provide. Check your search engine ranking by typing in a city in your service area along with the type of services you offer; like vending, office coffee, or micro-markets. Does your vending website appear? If you aren’t a top result, you’re SEO could be the problem.

A new vending website with proper SEO can move your business up the ranks. This is good news. It ensures your vending company will be seen by new customers looking for breakroom services in your area.

Is it mobile-responsive?

More people are using mobile devices to access the internet than ever. A Google Marketing Forum compared mobile vs. desktop viewing and found that shoppers access websites through their mobile devices much more often than through their desktop. Despite this, converting a customer via their mobile device is less than half as likely. Why do far fewer people take the extra step to contact a company through their mobile devices? Because many websites don’t load properly on mobile devices and it’s more difficult to keep a potential customer engaged. Zippia says up to 80% of consumers will leave a site that doesn’t display correctly on their mobile device. And, 57% won’t recommend a business with a poorly designed mobile website either.

Check out your current website on a mobile device. Does it provide the type of user experience that will turn visitors into leads? If not, it might be time for a new vending website that is mobile-responsive.

What to do if it’s time…

If your current vending website’s look and performance are not helping your sales, explore your options. Investigate a simple refresh of your existing site and compare it to starting from scratch. VendCentral can advise you on the best route to take for a website that attracts leads and helps drive sales for your business.  For more information, reach out to 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 September 20, 2022

The customer-service platform ZippyAssist offers many operational advantages. These include instant customer feedback and a dashboard full of operational data. Check out our video overview here. But how do these drive sales? Read on for how ZippyAssist can increase sales at existing vending and even micro-market locations. Plus, how it helps you win new refreshment service bids.

Establish Trust

While consumers are more comfortable than ever with using vending machines, and unattended retail in general, there is still one major barrier – trust. Will the product get stuck? Who do I even go to for a refund? Did they restock today, or is my favorite chip slot still empty? These types of questions run through the mind of the consumer. Furthermore, they create doubt and limit the amount a consumer is willing to spend at your vending machine.

Thankfully, ZippyAssist inspires trust. How? By putting confidence back in the consumer’s hands. Now, they can provide feedback and make their voice heard. They know there is someone on the receiving end who will refund their money or restock that empty coil. If help was easier to access, 38% of customers would use unattended retail more. Those are already your vending customers and now they say they will spend more. That’s a huge win.

Ask for Feedback

Another useful feature of ZippyAssist is that it allows you to see individual customers. And you can use that to your advantage. Let’s say a consumer reached out to you via ZippyAssist. You solved the problem quickly, and as a result, they gave you a great rating on the platform. This person is now an advocate for your company. Ask them to go on your Google Business Listing page and leave a review. Ask them to post about the experience on your company’s Facebook page. Since facility managers and human resource professionals read reviews of potential service partners, this can be invaluable to your vending marketing.

Use ZippyAssist to Optimize Micro-Markets

While a micro-market doesn’t have the potential for a stuck coil, there are still ZippyAssist benefits. One is to use consumer feedback to improve service and product selection. Racks with empty pegs or shelves empty of food at 9 a.m. can be reported by consumers. These are potential sales if products were there. Plus, it gives you direct access to the consumer, instead of hearing product requests through the facility manager or human resources department. Encourage this type of feedback to optimize the micro-market service and ultimately increase sales at that location.

Stand Out to New Business

When competing with other vending or micro-market providers, it can be difficult to stand out. The customer sees similar machines, the same product brands, etc. However, what if they saw one company providing peace of mind through a customer-experience platform? That would be a tipping point. ZippyAssist is a value proposition that can be the tipping point for breakroom service decision-makers so you win the RFP.

ZippyAssist is a Business-Driving Tool

The desire to use unattended retail, such as vending machines and micro-markets is there. Consumers are more willing than ever to spend money at your equipment, but only if they have faith in it. Give them that sense of security and positive customer experience. It will, in turn, boost your sales and keep you from losing customers. You’ll even gain new ones thanks to your investment.

Talk to VendCentral about ZippyAssist today to really understand how it can benefit you. Reach out for a free consultation by email or phone at (866) 699-8363.

Written by Emily on September 6, 2022

It’s important for vending companies to understand a breakroom customer’s journey. Why? Because it is the key to attracting new business, matching a buyer with the right breakroom services, and closing a deal that will satisfy your customer for years to come.

If you’re looking to grow your breakroom services client list, try our 3 step process for success in the customer journey.

Step 1: Be Where Your Customers Are

Ask yourself this question: if an office or facility manager runs a Google search for ‘vending services near me,’ will they find your business? And if it does appear, where is it on the page?

Ideally, your vending business is a top result on the first page. That way all potential customers see it. But how does it get there? A great vending marketing plan is a good start.

However, there is more to effective vending marketing than just being seen on Google. Publishing blogs and articles will help reinforce your vending industry expertise and establish your company as a service leader. In addition, strong social media posts will help you establish a personal connection with potential buyers. It will also ensure you are top-of-mind to those looking for vending services.

Step 2: Anticipate (and Answer) Your Customer’s Questions

Over 90% of business-to-business (B2B) buyers conduct research online and the most popular resource is a supplier’s website. Does your vending website give potential customers the information they need? Many office and facility managers complain of a significant gap between the questions they have and what breakroom service providers share on their websites. Therefore, to win new business, you must provide potential clients with a website that is easy to navigate and filled with the information they want. It can really help to enlist a digital marketing specialist who knows what drives buyers and how to showcase your breakroom services to match.

Step 3: Bring It All Together to Seal the Deal

Once you have the attention of your potential breakroom service customer, then what? How do you prove that you are the best choice so they reach out and ultimately sign a contract? The answer is ensuring everything comes together online to provide a great user experience. From powerful SEO to engaging content to lead capturing technologies, a full-circle approach is needed to showcase your business, interest buyers, and capture leads. When your outreach is seamless, informative, engaging, and complete, then it’s easy to close the sale.

Ready to enhance your vending marketing to impress customers? VendCentral is dedicated to assisting breakroom service providers with vending marketing, including enriching the customer’s journey. Contact us for help navigating online marketing and creating strong business leads.

Written by Jen on August 23, 2022

Five years ago, we shared the philosophy of Karmic Management and how it influenced VendCentral’s team and business approach.  Our founder, Neil Swindale, connected with the concept when he first read the book Karmic Management many years prior and its principles continue to shape the way our company operates and grows. Today, the idea of good karma is still one of the cornerstones of our vending marketing agency. Here are some of the biggest ways it is impacting our own people and our relationships with clients.

Do for Others

We believe in putting out into the world what we hope to get back. Because of that, VendCentral nurtures an honest and ethical team with a strong desire to do for others. We know it is just as much our people as our business practices that turn new customers into long-term clients. We aim to foster a supportive community within the vending industry and to lend a hand to hardworking breakroom operators, whether they are our clients or not.  To us, it’s just as important as hitting profit goals. In our practice of doing for others, we have been fortunate to gain valuable friends and business relationships in the vending industry and grow our revenues.

Build the Connection

Our relationships with our clients are just that: relationships. And, we know a great relationship can’t result from two people just doing their own thing. We invest in building a connection with our clients that generates positive energy for us both. The foundation of that relationship is communication, collaboration, and respect. Through it, we gain a deeper understanding of our client’s business goals. For those relationships to be strong long-term, VendCentral invests in learning, growing, and adapting to our client’s changing needs. It has allowed us to exceed our client’s expectations as they evolve.

Be Comfortable with Change

Growing a small business is the result of being open and responsive to change all of the time.  And in the world of digital marketing things are changing all of the time too.  Our mindset is to view change as an opportunity, even when it’s hard. Change, in itself, is the constant we can always count on in the vending industry, in digital marketing, and in our own lives as well.

Live (and work) with Purpose

Personally, and professionally, we believe life is much fuller when we live it with purpose.  Our purpose at VendCentral is to use our talents to help vending operators succeed online.  Through authentic customer engagement, we drive new businesses to increase their sales and profits. For us, it means more than building vending websites or developing marketing programs. It means helping family-run operators thrive. It means secure jobs for route drivers.  It means spreading the word on what better breakroom services can do for employees and communities across the nation.  It means spreading good karma.

VendCentral is laser-focused on supporting the vending industry.  To discover how our marketing programs can help you achieve your sales goals contact us or call (866) 699-8363.