Vending Marketing That Works, Part 2: Develop Your Marketing Plan
Katie Waxman / 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 If your website is outdated, it may be time to refresh your image to get off to a good start.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.
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