Educational-based selling is the process of making customers better and more informed shoppers and it is typically an important part of a retail dietitian’s job. When you invest your expertise, time and energy into creating programs and content that educate consumers about the products your store sells, you build trust and loyalty while driving business success. Here are 5 key ways to implement educational-based selling.

Create useful content – Make content compelling and provide information that solves seasonal concerns your shoppers may have. From planning a holiday menu, to packing lunches, to making family mealtime easy, consider what current solutions your customers may be seeking. Make your content accessible to shoppers in the form of blogs, social media posts, and YouTube videos. For example, highlight local summer produce and talk about where it came from along with several usage ideas. Make content fun, engaging and integrate “nutrition nuggets” and personal stories when you can.
Offer hands-on experiences – Most people are visual learners so when they can see, touch and experience products they retain the information better. For supermarkets, providing the opportunity for shoppers to taste and sample products together with sharing product attributes and uses helps drive understanding and appreciation.
Organize classes and workshops – Customers benefit from classes and workshops that help them maximize products for their personal dietary needs, or that of their family. For example, a class or workshop tour focused on the Mediterranean Diet that includes a core shopping list, recipe demos and meal plans. These are also opportunities to teach basic culinary skills, food safety, food budgeting, and more.
Share simple tips – Simple how-to posts can serve to inform shoppers about new private brand products, quick cooking tips, produce usage and quick assembly meals. Content can be provided in a short video or a quick post outlining the information. Add eye-catching visuals and use simple language to help consumers easily understand how to find and use products.
Work with others – Tap into partners who can help you educate the most consumers possible about your products. From social media influencers to CPG companies to food commodity groups, working with others can be incredibly helpful in boosting brand awareness and promoting customer education. Having an influencer show how they use your private brand products in nourishing recipes for their family, for instance, can pique more viewer interest and product trial. Work internally with marketing and buyers to understand what resources may be available to partner with outside influencers or established food industry partners.

As you plan out your educational programming for the coming months, ask yourself, what are you doing to make your customers smarter and more informed? And, how can you make them more knowledgeable in ways that drive loyalty and sales?