For years now, Trader Joe’s has been a staple of grocery stores, renowned for its fun snacks, quality products and great customer service. However, how do people even know about it? When’s the last time you saw a Trader Joe’s ad?
That is the secret behind their marketing model, really. Starting outside the store, all the way through the shopping process and as they go home, Trader Joe’s makes sure the people who truly care about getting good food and a good experience find them, and keep coming back.
Trader Joe’s starts to get customers outside of their store, as most stores do. Their marketing strategy starts with a small handful of customers. These customers will buy their products and show them off to friends. These friends will be interested in those products, and might visit the store as a result.
This makes sure that the store leaves a good impression on the customers, as opposed to more traditional yet intrusive ways which associate the store with an annoying pop up ad.
Now that Trader Joe’s has customers in the store, they do not just stop there. Having the customer come to the store only once is better than them not coming at all, but Trader Joe’s wants repeated customers.
So, Trader Joe’s came up with another genius idea. They move around the products in the store daily, and they do not have any aisle numbers to say where specific items are located.
Instead, Trader Joe’s has employees constantly restocking products. This increases the amount of customers coming to employees for help. When the employee helps the customer find their desired product with a smile on their face, the customer starts subconsciously associating a nice customer service experience with the Trader Joe’s store.
Soon they will think that the store is a nicer store to shop at, and they will be more likely to come back.
Trader Joe’s actually keeps marketing their products to you even after you have bought something there.
Just look at the Fearless Flyer, their in-store magazine that they have at the register. When you see it, you have already bought something, checking out, on your way out the door even.
You grab it, since it’s free, and you start to leaf through it. There are crosswords and good looking food so it looks like there is so much that you have missed out on.
This subtle yet impactful way of making you buy stuff from them is nothing less than pure genius.
Trader Joe’s has an incredibly good way of marketing, to the point where most people do not even know that they have it.
From their reliance on pure quality and word of mouth, their constant attempts to create a good customer experience and the way that they bring you back before you’ve even tried the stuff, Trader Joe’s should be the example for all other stores.