How To Increase Your Gas Station Forecourt Visits & Revenue Using Sign Boards
When a vehicle visits a gas station for fill up, it stands for approximately 3-5 minutes at the pump. People sitting inside can’t access their emails or messages on their mobile phones in such a short span. This is the ideal time for fuel retailers and convenience stores to catch visitors’ attention with entertainment content, splashy ads, and weather reports on the display screen.
Using the time customers spend filling their tanks as an opportunity is the best C-store retailers can do. They can make them aware of discounts and promotions; thus, increasing revenue. It’s a great opportunity, especially for first-time customers as it will be their first up-close impression of the store. If you successfully create positive experiences, it will arguably represent the best opportunity to boost the gas station’s financial performance. Though there are several ways to do that, gas station sign services and branding ofc-stores or discount offers on them can help. Let’s find out how!
You Have A Captive Audience, Take Benefit Of It!
The biggest benefit of forecourt advertisements is that you have a captive audience for several minutes at eye level. You can use digital signage here to serve as an effective awareness platform, specifically for millennial customers.
Convenience Results In Extra Non-Fuel Sales
If you think your gas station faces some challenges to increase revenue per customer, fuel price is subject to daily price volatility. 70% of customers lack time and only purchase fuel at a typical stop. On the other hand, the remaining 30% spend 55 cents of every dollar on items like alcohol, tobacco, and others. You can maximize the revenue of your gas station from these 30% visitors. There are several marketing platforms available at your disposal, such as:
- Mobile apps
- Advertising on Fuel Dispenser
- In-store digital signage and kiosks
Use them to advertise beverages, food products, or other merchandise, promotions like fuel discounts with a car wash or lottery tickets. You can also promote your loyalty programs.
Invest In Big Sized Digital Signage
Many gas station owners use outdated static signs for advertising in the forecourt. But if you really wish to deliver a significant impact, you should invest in video and digital content. It easily gets noticed and has excellent potential as a forecourt marketing platform. Experts believe that digital signage captures 400% more views than static signage, and most brands have witnessed up to a 33% increase in additional sales with digital signage.
You can also subscribe to a content syndication service that will broadcast sports news and weather information and gas station ads on the video display to engage customers at the fuel pump. They will schedule content according to consumer buying variables such as weather conditions, time of day, and household income. It continuously adjusts to optimize exposure.
Branding Through Mobile Apps
Though digital monitors on the fuel payment terminals offer high engagement still, retailers are pairing them with mobile apps, and advertising on them is a great way to gain the attention of the youngsters. As young customers are more likely to look at their smartphones while fueling; therefore, you should consider offering mobile apps as an additional engagement platform. Through mobile apps, you can capture customer purchases, app activity and use the data to customize the offers for their next visit to the gas station. With this, customers will be able to:
- Unlock the pump
- Make payments with secure EMV technology
- Access custom promotions and content
- Order food and store items using EMV
- Earn and track loyalty program points
Many applications enable customers to locate a gas station, get real-time offers, and use the app to order and pay for food. It is a rapidly growing trend. Find such an app and collaborate with them. Consider mobile order ahead as it could be a smart way to encourage fuel-only customers to visit a store for higher-margin foodservice purchases. It is another big chance to increase revenue by upselling. Or they can simply use their mobile phones to create and customize their order and pay either through their smartphones or pay inside. Either way, they have to come to the store to pick up their order, thus boosting in-store sales and revenue.
Use Data To Drive Additional Shopping Decisions
Data-powered forecourt advertising can also integrate non-mobile forms of digital marketing. You can capture the data at the fuel dispenser about the customers’ visits and when they visited for the next fuel purchase. To cross-sell, you can email them a great deal or an offer as a free cup of coffee during their next in-store visit. In many cases, you can use technology to deliver marketing campaigns.
Top Ways To Maximize Your Forecourt Advertising
Technology captivates the audience, and evolving know-how can lead to successful forecourt marketing plans. Below are some ways to use these three to boost your retailing success.
- Make your static Environment Engaging Just Like Your Digital One: A clean, hygienic, and well-lit forecourt gives customers a reason to return and increase customer loyalty. Apart from food, snacks, and beverages, they have a large bearing on non-fuel sales volume.
- Prioritize Items Based On Short & Long Term Revenue Potential: Foodservice accounts for 21% of retail sales and contributes to34% of profits inside the store. If you sell lottery tickets at your gas station, you can promote hitting jackpots and jackpot amounts with your fuel dispenser display and signage to build excitement. Make signup quick and easy at the pump. Give them valuable reminders like checking oil levels or tire pressure to make a good impression.
- Prefer clear communication to maximize marketing effectiveness: Gas station owners can use customer activity data to offer a personalized experience. All you need to do is dig into their purchase details and track their social media activities. Send them customized offers personally, or you can also update these offers on signage.
There are several successful methods of Gas Station Branding. Consult a marketer and a signage company so that you can make the best use of them along with mobile marketing and other ways.
