By Joel Albrizio

Here we go again...U.S. Postage rates are on the rise. Postal rates going up, paper and printing costs on the rise, labor costs increasing, none of this is good news for any retail supermarket.

Have you noticed how many retailers are adjusting their go-to-market strategies? Store closings, retail supermarket consolidation is everywhere.

The latest cost for retailers in addition to increased shared mail costs are increased markdowns along with slimmer going in gross numbers. During Covid so many retailers dealt with supply chain issues and so markdowns really had little relevance.

If the supermarket had what we needed we were would spend almost whatever it cost.

In reality, there is very little to work with from most sources with regards to weekly specials. If you have real cost reductions for your weekly ad stick with that program.

One realistic approach to cost cutting and greater marketing penetration is digital.

Marketing success is all about storytelling. Local ownership, customer service programs, locally grown....You must tell your story. Clear, concise and weekly. Touch your customers digitally!

E-mail, social media, digital signs, keep chatting with your customers. it's all about customer counts and basket size.

Your big box retailer next door will fight with price. However, they are nameless, faceless, plastic companies without any personality or local story to tell. You're the local retailer but if you are the only person that knows that it's meaningless.

Get out there and tell your story inexpensively with "Digital"