"WEAVING IN THE WEB: USING ELECTRONIC MEDIA TO CONNECT WITH YOUR CUSTOMERS"
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CONVENIENCE STORES CONVENTION
LAS VEGAS CONVENTION CENTER, LAS VEGAS, NEVADA, OCTOBER 22, 2009

Finally we have a channel. We're always asking what do our customers want? Now we have a way to get that information and get that information for free.

In social media, people are talking about what they like and don't like.

Our overall c-store target is broad. Everyone who needs gas comes to our locations.

GenX are power users of the practical web. They are the largest spenders on-line.

Gen Y: 90% are members of a social network. Their main purchase influencer is their peer network. They have a declining use of e-mail and heavy use of mobile devices.

Engagement equals more loyalty. How do you engage? Couponing — direct mail and on-line. E-mail. IMing. Increase engagement and increase spending. There is a reason to connect on a relationship issue.

Banner ads are a way to extend your reach like radio and TV. We did a campaign on energy shots and on-line gaming cards. They are niche markets and you can't really justify a broad-based marketing campaign. Our objective wasn't to translate into sales, it was to raise awareness. We also used it to gather e-mail addresses. If you are an on-line gamer or an energy shot user, click here, give us your e-mail, and we'll send you an offer.

We started contacting our customers on a monthly basis. It is a permission-based e-mail. We try to make the information relevant. Because it's permission-based, we give them their loyalty points balance.

We do sweepstakes because it allows us to gather e-mail addresses.

We have a featured video: how do I redeem my points?

There is an e-mail coupon program run by Kwik Trip. Coupons are delivered via e-mail and customers can pick product categories. So I can sign up for milk but not tobacco because I'm not a smoker.

Social networking can be scary. I don't think anyone's figured it out yet. People are out there talking about your brand. 57% of people have joined some sort of social network. 55% have uploaded photos. It is moving us into the next channel — whatever that channel is going to be.

It's a way for customers to talk to one another and talk about your brand.

The heavy c-store customer is on the road and more likely to be connected in every category: bluetooth, GPS, cellphone, on-line gaming, etc.

Many retailers are vying for our customers' time. We realize that. People want to be communicated with in a way that they want and they want to be in control.

It is difficult to engage people beyond functional needs in a typically short c-store visit. You have to find ways to connect in a meaningful way.

So where do you start? Define your metrics, qualitative or quantitative. We sometimes look at click-through, at redemption rates of coupons. Provide timely, relevant content. Don't create an on-line presence, send something, and no one hears from you again. Have a plan to keep going.

Treat your subscribers as members, not just names on a list. Have guidelines as to what you'll send, what you won't, how many times you'll send it. Make sure you're not taking advantage of them in any way.

Look at your records of customers who have called or e-mailed you in the past and start keeping records of this information. Then you need to follow up and see if they are willing to receive information from you. Start fostering that relationship. Start with a baby database.

What's your Facebook plan? A number of fans? Or information you can gather?

When you need feedback from customers, you will have a very responsive source.

You open doors to communication from customers beyond complaints. When you get good comments, transfer that information to your customer service group and let them know. It's a great tool.

You can gather feedback from customers very quickly. We did a coffee survey and received over 4,000 answers within 24 hours. It came back very quickly and we were able to make some decisions quickly knowing what the customers wanted.

On our member's birthday we send them an electronic coupon. Redemption rate on those are very high, about 50%.

Redemption rates range from 1/2% for teaser coupons to 60% for very targeted coupons.