"Using KDP's techniques, as shown in the lecture, build a list of the top 10 influencers in your company's industry. Share the list in a blog post and explain why you chose these top 10."
I will be using Kroger again for this assignment as it's apparently more difficult than I thought to find influencers for a small auto repair shop. When conducting searches for influences in this marketplace I stumbled across mostly sites that report deals or offer coupons and other specials. This made sense to me as frugal shopping has become more popular, especially with the advent of online deals and coupons. This is also great advertisement for a grocery chain and a lot of the sites also had blogs that offered reviews and similar information. Other influencing sites that conduct store and product reviews. A list of ten sites I found to be influencers for Kroger follows:
1. http://blog.couponmom.com/
2. http://www.storebrandsdecisions.com/
3. http://www.iheartkroger.com/
4. http://www.thenewfrugalmom.com/
5. http://dealseekingmom.com/
6. http://blogs.newsobserver.com/
7. http://www.stockpilingmoms.com/
8. http://www.stretchingabuckblog.com/
9. http://katieskrazysavings.com/
10. http://couponsavvyme.wordpress.com/
As you can see most of the above list deal with the previously mentioned cost savings. Several of them are targeted directly towards individuals who have a family and are looking to increase savings at the grocery store. Coupons and deals are a common theme, as mentioned. I feel this is a significant audience for any grocery store so it makes these blogs and websites major influences. A few of them deal more with reviews of store brand products as well. I've actually relied on information from sites like this before before purchasing a product I was iffy about, especially when it's some of the more expensive 'private selection' Kroger brand of products.
If cost is such a factor for Kroger's audience, how might they compete against Walmart or Meijer?
ReplyDeleteFirst they would need to be more competitive in their pricing. As you mentioned in my previous post Kroger tends to be more expensive than either Walmart or Meijer. I can confirm that is true, at least the part about Meijer (I've never actually shopped at a Walmart). As of now they rely on the Kroger card to try and create the appearance of saving money, but in reality it's more like the customer is just circumventing their ridiculous markup. I am actually surprise I didn't find any articles about people being suspicious of the Kroger cards.
DeleteOnce that's done then Kroger can more honestly make the claim that they their customers are making the more frugal decision by shopping with them. Advertisement campaigns can be done both offline and online to advertise this fact. They could even generate cost of popular items between Kroger and its competitors and publish those results for proof.
In the retail trade, the discount and coupon are no doubt the most effective to improve sales.
ReplyDelete