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Written by Katie Waxman on May 14, 2024

Your vending company’s social media presence has never been more important. It can build brand awareness, reach new audiences, and help your company stay top-of-mind with existing customers. It promotes your vending services, products, and overall brand.

Businesses that maintain a strategic social media presence often have a competitive edge.

But, where does your personal social media account fit in?  And how can you use it to promote your vending brand?

Your personal social media accounts can play a large role in growing your brand – especially if you are an entrepreneur or thought leader in the vending industry.  Your personal social media platform can humanize your business and build genuine relationships with your audience.  It can also help differentiate you from competitors.

Here’s how to use your personal social media platform to promote your vending business:

Integrate your business and personal brand

Incorporate your vending company’s logo, services, and story into your personal profile.  Use your platform to showcase your experience and insight into the vending industry. A behind-the-scenes look into your company will help your audience connect with your brand. If you have a great entrepreneurial story behind your business, don’t be shy about sharing it!

Leverage your network

Your personal network is made up of some of your biggest cheerleaders.  Share your company’s posts to make them aware of the great things your business is doing. Add your own insights to create even more impact. Your network’s likes and comments will help further promote your brand.

Be sure to also watch what industry experts and colleagues are posting about.  Commenting on their posts will display your knowledge and interest in vending services and further promote your business.

Showcase your company culture

We know you are passionate about your business and its success, so let it show! Use your personal platform to give special thanks to hard-working employees and showcase what they are doing to make a difference. If members of your team are giving back to their local community, shine a light on their service to others.  These posts will show your audience that you are a great company to work with AND work for.

A well-managed company social media presence is essential. But, by thoughtfully integrating your business into your personal social media platforms, you can create a powerful, social selling strategy to promote your vending brand.

VendCentral specializes in social media content creation for companies in the vending industry.  Contact us to learn more about our services and how we can help grow your business.

Written by Katie Waxman on January 31, 2024

LinkedIn is a social media platform designed for the business community. And there are many reasons to use it to grow your vending business. It can help you establish credibility with a wider audience and earn you new customers. It can boost your brand awareness, generating new leads. LinkedIn can also let you showcase your services and locations. As a result, sales will grow at existing locations and new clients will be enticed to reach out.

6 LinkedIn Must-Dos Every Operator Needs to Know

LinkedIn is a popular online tool because of its many benefits. But like any tool, there are ways to wield it for better success. This blog has a roundup of how breakroom service providers can optimize their LinkedIn presence.

1. Clear Profile Image

Your profile image on LinkedIn is vital. It helps clients put a face with your name and can influence their first impression. Select a recent photo that actually looks like you do today. It doesn’t have to be a photo taken by a professional (although that is a bonus). but you should be the only one in the picture. That means no cropping or zooming in on you in a group. Your face should take up at least 60% of the frame and show you dressed as you would for work. Don’t forget to smile and look friendly! You want clients to feel you are approachable.

2. Crafted Background Image

Once you have your profile photo, you will want to consider the background image. This is the large image at the top of your LinkedIn page, right behind your profile picture. Consider carefully what to use here. In a glance, it should help people understand what you do. Perhaps you can show an image of your micro-market or office coffee services. An award you or your business has earned can show dedication and professionalism. Opt for a quote or your company mission statement to reinforce customer service. Make an effort to reinforce your company’s brand. Choose colors and/or an image similar to the look and feel of your other marketing. Above all, choose a clear, high-quality image. That will show you care about your LinkedIn profile, and ultimately, your work too.

3. Thoughtful About Section

After sorting out your images, it’s time to turn to words. The About section is a perfect place to share what you are passionate about. People want to know what makes you get up in the morning and stay focused during the day. It’s the place to highlight your work, not only what you do, but the impact you’ve made on others. This can be in the vending industry as a whole or more locally. Describe your skills and accomplishments, especially what they mean to you.

4. Growing LinkedIn Community

Being on LinkedIn isn’t the same as using it. You must also build a community. Connect with customers to keep them up to date on your latest news. Reach out to prospects so they can learn about you and what you offer. Connect with local business leaders to strengthen your community ties. Plus, use LinkedIn to connect with employees of your own company. This boosts communication and makes your staff feel more involved.

5. Regularly Posted Content

One of the most intimidating hurdles for most vending operators is what to post on LinkedIn. Don’t overthink it. Show photos of your work, such as installs and grand openings. If your client gives permission, show breakroom before and after shots. Celebrate your employees on your page. Give a shoutout for anniversaries or announce new hires. Another great option to feature is your new products. If you added a popular beverage or the latest healthy snack item to your inventory, showcase it. Clients love seeing you are up on trends and offer fresh products. To show your expertise in breakroom services, share industry news, or offer insights on employment matters related to your business. Even just personal, yet professional responses to local topics and events can have a positive impact.

6. Engaging With Others

Now it’s time to put all the pieces together. You have great, meaningful images and a well thought About section. You have connections and content. Now it’s time to get social. That means leaving supportive comments on posts. You can also join groups and contribute to the conversations those groups are having on LinkedIn. Don’t forget to use LinkedIn messaging to reach out personally to others and start a conversation.

Benefit From an Enhanced LinkedIn Profile

The exposure and connections you can get from LinkedIn are well worth the effort. This is especially true for service businesses, like vending operators. Your business growth is based on forming new partnerships and strengthening existing ones. That’s why you’ll want to review our tips for LinkedIn Success. It will ensure you have the best chance of growing sales and gaining leads.

Need guidance with LinkedIn or marketing services? VendCentral can help. We specialize in digital sales and marketing in the vending space. Reach out to learn how we can help drive your business forward.

Written by Katie Waxman on October 10, 2023

Is a Vending Marketing Program in your business plan for next year? If not, you may want to consider it. The right Vending Marketing Program can act as a compass to guide your refreshment services business toward success. How exactly? Well, that’s what this blog is all about. Keep reading to find out the seven reasons why you should invest in a Vending Marketing Program.

1. Capitalize on Marketing Trends

Running a business dedicated to breakroom services takes time and know-how. That makes it hard to also captialize on marketing trends, which change often. Fortunately, that is exactly what a Vending Marketing Program does. The VendCentral team is committed to modern, effective, and on trend marketing practices that work for our industry. We ensure your refreshment services business utilizes the right methods and to keep pace with how customers are shopping.

2. Stand Above the Competition

VendCentral offers a variety of programs tailored to your needs. We look at your company, your goals, and your location. Then we put together an action plan to boost your SEO and give you an edge over your competition.

3. Amplify Sales and Conversion Rates

The best sales tools for your vending business are your website and marketing strategy. It is these that bring HR and facility managers in for a look and then turn them into customers. VendCentral will guide these prospects from interest to contract, boosting your sales.

4. Forge Lasting Customer Connections

VendCentral’s marketing programs not only bring in prospects, they also grow existing client relationships. Tailored web content and social media are effective at fostering loyalty. This leads to more referrals, upgrades, and overall growth for your vending company.

5. Grow through Data-Driven Insights

Marketing can be hard to analyze. Is it attracting new clients? How about expanding your reach? To answer these questions, VendCentral uses a data-driven approach. We look at the analytics in order to refine marketing strategies and boost the effectiveness of your program.

6. Adapt to Industry Shifts

The convenience services industry has shifted and evolved over the years to give customers what they want. Your marketing approach needs to stay nimble too. Your online messaging to prospects and clients must always be up to date and on target. Our programs refine your approach as needed with plenty of marketing expertise.

7. Strengthen Brand Identity

Customers, prospects, and even potential new employees must be able to clearly understand and connect with your vending company. That’s why our marketing programs consistently reinforce your brand identity. This fosters recognition and leaves a lasting impression on your audience.

A Vending Marketing Program Leads to Higher Sales

In the end, a VendCentral marketing program provides a clear pathway to growth for your refreshment services business. Our know-how helps you navigate your marketing through a dynamic landscape and come out ahead.

Learn more about the different marketing programs available. Or, contact VendCentral to discuss which Vending Marketing Program works best for you. You can reach us at (866) 699-8363 or info@vendcentral.com.

Written by Katie Waxman on September 18, 2023

Social selling and other types of sales are key to all businesses, especially breakroom services. Why? Because a well-stocked vending machine or hard-working office coffee brewer goes mostly unnoticed by decision makers.

How then do you ensure the facility manager remembers your great breakroom service? How do you have the type of relationship with a client’s HR that will last years? And what about new customers? How will you show them that you can give the personalized service that they want? This is where social selling comes in.

What is Social Selling?

First, let’s define this type of selling. In a nutshell, social selling is a method of building relationships using social media. Typically, it’s done through LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. The idea is to engage customers, old and new, and show your talent and service level. As a result, sales increase.

Why Social Selling Works

Social selling is highly successful for B2B customers. That is because it can be a significant investment for the company, either in subsidized services or a long contract. Because of that many B2B buyers, like office managers, do research online before reaching out to a salesperson. This is the main reason social selling works so well. It is about building trust and showing the level of knowledge and service your company is about.

Other Benefits of Social Selling

There are many other reasons you should be using this selling approach. Here are some key perks to build the case for this type of sales.

Cost-Efficient

Compared to advertising and cold calls, social selling can get you a better return for the money. That is due to the fact that social media platforms offer free and paid ways to connect with that ideal customer.

Data Driven

Social media platforms offer reports and tools to see engagement. These analytics give you measurable metrics about how you are doing. The insights can also help you refine your strategies to produce better results.

Competitive Edge

Social selling helps your business stand out. In the way reviews help your company, being on social media platforms will too. Customers will see your presence online and how you connect with others. This boosts your brand in their minds. It shows you are customer-focused, responsive, and helpful. That will set you apart from the other vendors in the area.

Social Selling is an Important Tool

In the end, this type of selling helps get the trust of facility managers and other breakroom service buyers. It shows that you are a reliable expert and care about your clients. It also lets you reach a wider group of people in a cost-efficient way. Don’t forget that the results are measurable, so you can pivot, and gain the upper hand over the vending competition. Thus, drive up sales.

Need some help? VendCentral is a digital marketing company just for the vending industry. We can help you with building relationships online that result in higher sales. Discuss your options today by calling (866) 699-8363 or emailing info@vendcentral.com.

Written by Katie Waxman on July 26, 2023

Content marketing is a key part of a successful marketing plan. It has the power to bring you new customers and build trust with those you already have. But first, you need to understand what content marketing is and how it works. Then you can use it to your best advantage in growing your breakroom services business.

What is Content Marketing?

This type of marketing aims to attract, engage, and retain breakroom service customers. How? By answering their questions and giving them the information they need. It’s helpful, solving pain points and offering a solution. That makes it valuable to your clients.

What Does It Look Like?

There’s no one way to offer content marketing. It can be done via blog posts, articles, videos, infographics, podcasts, ebooks, social media posts, and more. Most vending operators start with blogs about their services and products. These can answer a specific question a client might have, which makes it a valuable resource for them. The mention of keywords in the blog also helps with search engine optimization (SEO). It makes your site more discoverable and thus, a value to potential new clients as well. That’s a powerful benefit.

The 3 Things Content Marketing Should Do

Every piece of marketing should have a purpose. Content marketing is no different. Here are the three must-dos to make this type of marketing effective.

1. Establish Authority – Use content to show you know your business. It can be based on your experience of which products sell best in a vending machine. Or it might be how you can help human resources with a corporate wellness program by installing a micro-market. Ultimately, it’s about sharing what you know so you are the expert.
2. Generate Interest – When facility or office managers come to the internet searching for breakroom ideas, you want to be there. Sharing the products you put in the breakroom, the benefits of micro-markets, or even how to bring a cafe vibe to the office can engage and educate. The idea is that you want content that will get your client or potential client interested in your company’s services.
3. Build Trust – Through content, share answers to common problems your clients have. When a facility manager comes upon your marketing, they will find a solution and feel informed about the decision they need to make about the breakroom. That’s how content marketing can build trust. And generate qualified leads.

What You Get Out of Content Marketing

When done well, content marketing offers vending company owners a great return. The content uses service and product keywords that will boost SEO. Thus, your website and company will be easier to find and appear higher on search pages.

Another benefit is lead generation and sales. As your content is discovered via an internet search, you’ll get more prospects and more sales. Seeing all the valuable content you have online will make them trust your company and want to reach out even more, which is the point.

Finally, with customers looking to your content for answers and ideas, it will grow awareness of your company. Clients will remember your brand and your company name. You will be the provider they think of when they need a solution or move to a new company looking for refreshment services. That’s a big win!

How to Start Now

Most vending operators are full of knowledge and experience. Start sharing that in blogs, short videos, social media posts, etc. The key to making it great content marketing is to ensure it resonates with the target audience. Remember, it should address their pain points and provide a solution or valuable insight.

Want help with content marketing? VendCentral has been successfully assisting refreshment services companies to grow their marketing efforts. Content marketing is one of the many services offered. Contact VendCentral today, or call (866) 699-8363.

Written by Katie Waxman on July 12, 2023

Welcome to part 2 of our blog series on the benefits of email marketing! If you didn’t catch part 1, make sure to give it a read first to learn about the first six ways it helps your vending business succeed. If you already know how it influences business-to-business decision-makers, then you’re ready to keep reading. In this final part, we’ll focus on the power of email marketing and how it saves money for vending operators.

7. Getting Low-Cost Leads

Email marketing is a great tool for increasing leads for your sales team. It removes the need for cold calling or having a feet-on-the-ground approach. With its personalized message, you can nurture email leads and guide them through the sales funnel, virtually. In addition, you can further qualify leads so your sales team has high-value prospects that are more likely to turn into new customers.

8. Reaching the Right People

Use email marketing to target messages to specific customers. For example, talk about the ease of vending machines to the facility manager. Or tout the corporate wellness benefits of your healthy snacks program to the human resource manager. In the end, this kind of marketing lets you create just the right message for the customer you’re hoping to reach. That will make them more likely to take action and stay engaged.

9. Marketing Cost Effectively

Without the need for printing, postage, or advertising space, email marketing can result in significant cost savings. Plus, your vending business still looks professional thanks to a well-designed layout and user-friendly email platform. Thus, this type of marketing is a truly budget-friendly solution.

10. Being Valuable to the Customer

Being quick and targeted means email marketing is more valuable to your customers. An email can share relevant updates, exclusive offers, and discounts, all of which are likely of interest to your clients. The more your content is relevant to your email list, the better you keep them engaged. That results in a higher ROI.

11. Owning Your Message

Email marketing gives you full control of your message. You control who sees your email and what they see. Therefore, it’s a direct line of communication. You do not need to rely on third parties or algorithms. Quite simply, you are in charge. That’s priceless.

12. Driving Brand Awareness

When sent consistently, email marketing does a great job of promoting your brand. The content reinforces your message, showcases your break room products and services, and highlights your experience in the industry. It helps your vending company stay top-of-mind for your customers.

Use the Benefits of Email Marketing to Grow

In the end, a vending business can drive up lead quality and boost conversions with the help of digital marketing solutions, like emails. This will ultimately lead to growth from current and new customers.

Interested? Consider VendCentral as your go-to resource for personalized email marketing that can take your business to the next level! Reach out today at (866) 699-8363.

Written by Katie Waxman on March 9, 2023

Running a vending contest or promotion for your vending customers offers many benefits. Both can boost excitement about your services as well as build loyalty to your brand. In addition, using social media for your promotional efforts can enhance engagement and gain you followers.

Read on for a look at how vending contests and promotions can increase your vending sales.

Add Excitement

One reason to run a vending business promotion or contest is to create excitement. Why does it work? Because people love a chance to win. That means they will want to enter a drawing or buy a certain product to get a discount. It gets people excited to use your services and enjoy the products you’re offering. That drives up sales at your machines and markets.

Build Loyalty

People are looking for connections and brands to follow. In fact, a survey by Merkle in 2021, showed that over 80% of consumers want to form a relationship with a brand. And, these customers are willing to go out of their way to buy from brands they are loyal to. Promotions and contests give your customers something to be excited about. They can connect to you through a contest or promotion and ultimately become loyal customers.

Increase Engagement

Online contests and promotions that use social media are great ways to engage your customers. Social media makes it easy to post about promotions and contests. It’s also easy for your audience to react. They can follow a link to a contest page or post their thoughts on it instantly. Doing so shows that they want to engage with your vending company. And an engaged customer spends more and is more loyal.

Grow Your Following

Having followers on your social media strengthens your vending marketing efforts. It means more people will see your brand and messaging. This includes facility managers and human resource professionals.

Hosting online contests and promotions is a tried and true way to get more followers. People want more opportunities to play and win. Therefore, they will like and follow your company to get them. Plus, they are likely to share the contest or promotions with their social media connections. Who might then also become your followers. It’s a great way to get leads and grow awareness of your vending operation.

Give promotions and contests a try. There’s little risk and lots of rewards. You gain exposure, followers, loyalty, increased sales, and leads.

Struggling with time and resources to make vending contests a reality? VendCentral can help. We help vending operators increase sales with successful branding, marketing, and sales strategies. Contact us at info@vendcentral.com or (866) 699-8363.

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 Katie Waxman 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 Katie Waxman 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.