How to get your customers to transition from disposables
How to get your customers to transition from disposables this VApril Did you know that it’s VApril this month? Four weeks of the year that are dedicated to promoting the benefits of vaping over smoking and helping vapers choose the right products for their needs. We wanted to promote a worthwhile cause this VApril – encouraging customers to transition from disposable vapes to vaping hardware and eliquids. Disposable vapes sound like an excellent solution for new vapers and people looking for a quick and simple nicotine hit. However, these little single-use pieces of plastic are starting to cause a lot of trouble. Encouraging people to move from disposable vape bars to refillable vapes not only saves them money and helps the environment, but it means more profit for your store too! Not sure how to get your customers to make the switch? We’ve got you covered with our comprehensive guide. The problem with disposable vapes The benefits of switching to disposables for your vape store More repeat customers An increase in lifetime spend Improved customer loyalty More credibility for your store Six easy ways to help customers make the move from disposables Step 1: Educate them on the cost-saving benefits of a refillable pod Step 2: Make them think about the environment Step 3: Put the right promotions in place Step 4: Help customers get to grips with vaping equipment Step 5: Offer like-for-like flavours Step 6: Promote the variety you can get In summary: Say no to disposable vapes, yay to more profits! Psst! Need more help with your vape store? The problem with disposable vapes Governments all across the world are encouraging smokers to move from cigarettes to vapes. It’s more cost-effective, contains fewer chemicals, and is the most effective smoking cessation tool on the market. So far, so good. However, disposable vapes, or vape bars, have skyrocketed in popularity over the past few years. These are single-use vape devices that are prefilled with eliquid. When the vapes are empty, they can be disposed of and replaced. Seems a good idea in theory – anything that stops people from using cigarettes has got to be good, right? However, disposables aren’t the magic vaping fix they’ve been made out to be. Here’s why: The first reason is that disposable vapes are bad for the environment. We’ll go into more detail about this later on in the article, but a lot of vapes are going to landfill, where they take thousands of years to decompose. Two disposable vapes are thrown away every second in the UK, and that’s not good. Secondly, more and more children and young people are buying disposable vapes. It’s easy to see why; they’re cheap, they’re easy to buy when you’re underage, and they come in a range of sweet flavours. It’s estimated that 16% of teenagers have tried a vape bar. Finally, disposable vapes aren’t always what they seem. Earlier this year, a popular vape manufacturer came under fire for selling vape bars that contained an illegal amount of nicotine. If you’re vaping, It’s Important to know exactly what you’re putting into your body. The benefits of switching to disposables for your vape store Switching to disposables is fantastic for your customers, but it’s great for you too. Hey, we all went into business to make a profit! When you encourage customers to move to refillables, you can expect: More repeat custom With refillable vapes, you’ll have customers coming to your store to buy coils, pods, and eliquids all year round. Not only this, but they’re more likely to trust your judgement, meaning they’re more willing to try more expensive products. Repeat customers spend over two-thirds more than new customers, so be sure to keep those repeat customers sweet! An increase in lifetime spend Customers won’t just be coming into your store more frequently; they’ll be buying more when they visit. They’ll not only need to purchase replacement elements for their vaping hardware, but they’ll want to try out all the different eliquids you have on offer. According to our research, refillable vapers spend at least £520 a year – make sure they’re spending all of this money with you! Improved customer loyalty Treat your customers well and help them transition to refillables, and they’ll tell their friends how awesome you are. Businesses that provide exceptional customer service get up to 8% higher revenue than those that don’t! More credibility for your store Providing exceptional levels of customer service will set your vape shop aside from the corner shops flogging cheap disposable vapes. Not only this but seven out of ten shoppers want to know that the businesses they shop with are addressing social and environmental issues. So being a responsible vape retailer can give you a distinct advantage in the marketplace. Six easy ways to help customers make the move from disposables So we’ve looked at the benefits that getting customers to drop their disposable vapes will bring to both them and your store. But how do you go about it? When you’re used to the simplicity and ease of using a disposable vape, faffing around with eliquids and coils just doesn’t seem appealing. The good news is that there Is a lot you can do to change your customers’ mindsets and encourage them to give a more traditional vaping setup a try. Here are six ways to get started. Step 1: Educate them on the cost-saving benefits of a refillable pod Disposable vapes may be convenient, but they sure ain’t cheap. Let’s say your customer buys a £5 disposable vape every day. That works out at a staggering £1,825 a year. That’s a decent holiday in an all-inclusive resort, or two season tickets for a Premier League football team. Okay, it’s still cheaper than smoking, but not by much! Depending on the vape setup you opt for and whether you’re a heavy or light vaper, a refillable pod and e-liquid combo can cost between £520 and £900 a year. So even if
The ultimate guide to becoming a responsible vape retailer in 2023
The ultimate guide to becoming a responsible vape retailer in 2023 When you run a vape store, there are loads of abbreviations and acronyms you need to be aware of. For example, P&L. SKU. ROI. B2C. COP. EOD. EIEIO. It’s a Scrabble enthusiast’s nightmare. Here’s another abbreviation that you’ll probably want to make yourself mindful of. CSR. What’s CSR? We’re glad you asked. (Seriously, we’ve spent hours writing this article!) CSR is short for ‘corporate social responsibility’. It essentially refers to how businesses operate in line with environmental, societal, and ethical concerns. So basically, what you can do to be a good and responsible business. With melting ice caps, shady business dealings, and dodgy offshore bank accounts, being principled, moral, and trustworthy is more important than ever before. Not only is it the right thing to do, but it can work wonders for your profits too. 87% of people say they would be more likely to buy a product if a company advocates for an issue they care about. So if you can’t do it to help the world, do it for your bottom line! The vaping world is prone to a lot of its own moral, ethical, and environmental issues. With this in mind, we’ve put together this comprehensive guide to how you can be a responsible vape retailer, all while keeping your customers, staff, and accountants happy. Important note: The information in this article applies to England, Northern Ireland, and Wales and is accurate as of January 2023. Given that the current government is partial to a nice U-turn, it’s highly likely that the guidance here may be subject to change. Illegal and counterfeit products Underage sales A little bit about proxy purchasing Disposable vape sales Carbon footprint reduction In summary: It’s really easy not to be sleazy! Illegal and counterfeit products When you were younger, did you ever buy one of those super-cheap perfumes or aftershaves out of a suitcase? Typically from a guy who looked like Del Boy Trotter’s even dodgier older brother. Then, when you sprayed it on at home, you not only smelled like a gorilla’s compacted anal gland, but broke out in hives? Gucci Bloom? More like Poo-cci Fume, right?! All joking aside, fake products are terrible. Yes, they’re cheap, but they’re rubbish. And in the worst-case scenario, they can be incredibly dangerous. According to Trading Standards, illegal vapes are currently the biggest threat on the UK High Street. Along with selling vaping products to children, which we’ll talk about in more detail later. So, what do we mean by a counterfeit vape? Fake vaping equipment and e-liquids are ones that have been created illegally, often in countries where regulations are a lot more lax. These can often contain dangerous chemicals, putting people’s health and safety at risk. Vaping hardware can also have missing electrical parts, making it more prone to catching fire or exploding. Illegal products and fake products don’t comply with UK Government regulations, meaning they shouldn’t be sold. For example, disposable vapes in the UK are meant to contain 2ml of liquid. Any more than that, and alarm bells should be ringing. Here are a few ways that you can recognise a legitimate product. So if Shifty Steve comes up to you with a carrier bag full of stuff that might have fallen off the back of a lorry, you know exactly what to look out for. The maximum tank size for disposables is 2ml, which is about 600-650 puffs. If a disposable vape promises more puffs than that, consider it a red flag. We’ve heard of some shops selling vapes containing 12,000 puffs of e-liquid, which is all sorts of wrong The maximum size of refill containers is 10ml. If you see anything bigger, act like the kids at Grange Hill and just say no The maximum nicotine content for vapes is 20mg/ml – which is still really strong. If you’re offered a more potent e-liquid, run away really fast Health warnings on vape hardware, disposable vapes, and e-liquids must cover 30% of the front and back of the pack. The warning must exactly read: ‘THIS PRODUCT CONTAINS NICOTINE WHICH IS A HIGHLY ADDICTIVE SUBSTANCE’. We all don’t like the labels, but they have to be there, thems the rules All e-liquids must have a list of ingredients, nicotine content, delivery per dose, and batch number. If they don’t, then put the packaging down and move on All products must feature some kind of recommendation to keep the product out of the reach of children. Teen vaping is bad, mmkay? Vapes that are charged from the mains electricity supply should bear the CE or UKCA mark, which show that they comply with EU or UK directives respectively. Safety first, people All vapes and refill containers must have tamperproof and child-resistant packaging. Otherwise, it’s time to get the heck out of Dodge And finally, all packaging must contain the manufacturer or importer’s name and contact details. We know, it’s a lot to ask for! The easiest way to ensure the stuff you sell is legitimate is to buy it from a trusted supplier and responsible source. An excellent place to start is to check out the MHRA website, which lists all the vapes that can be sold in the UK. If it’s not on the list, it can’t be sold in the country. At Ohm Brew, we brew all of our e-liquids ourselves, right in the heart of beautiful Belfast City. Every batch we make is GC-MS tested to make sure it is not only of the highest quality, but is compliant with strict UK guidelines. So when you order from us, you know you’re not just getting the good stuff, you’re getting the safe stuff. Underage sales Kids are smoking less these days – yay! Only issue? They’re vaping instead. Boo. The choice of e-liquid flavours combined with brightly coloured and affordable disposable vapes (more on that in a bit) and how easy they are to buy from
How to make 2023 your most successful year yet
How to make 2023 your most successful year yet The Christmas tree has been taken down, the Quality Street have all been eaten, and the excess wine and beer bottles have been strategically put in the neighbour’s recycling bins. Goodbye Christmas 2022, hello New Year 2023! We’re not one for new year’s resolutions at Ohm Brew; we’ve broken way too many of them over the years. However, if your resolution is to make your vape store stand out and increase your revenue, we’ve put together a comprehensive guide that will help you achieve your goals. Deep breath… and let’s begin! Plan ahead Identify the events you want to prepare for See what’s happening locally Think ahead to what’s happening in your store Outline your goals Review your marketing Websites and blogging Social media Email marketing Offline marketing Join forces with Ohm Brew And finally… take time for you Plan ahead We all have that one friend that writes a ‘to-do’ list every morning and has to consult their calendar to see if they can join you for a coffee. However, being organised isn’t a bad way to be. Planning in advance means you can prepare for all eventualities and anticipate the future. Motivational speaker Brian Tracy once said: ‘Every minute you spend in planning saves ten minutes in execution’. We’re pretty confident Brian never had to do a stock take ten minutes before closing, but the point still stands; the more you plan, the more time you save. Here are some ways you can plan for the year: Identify the events you want to prepare for Look at what national and global events are taking place over the upcoming months. For example in 2023, you’ve got the rugby World Cup, Eurovision in Liverpool, the women’s World Cup, and for those who love a bit of pomp and circumstance, the royal coronation. Pick a few events and see how you can use them to promote your store – we’ve got a guide with a few good ideas here. Then, use social media, blogs, and the local press to tell the good folks what you’re up to! Don’t forget events like Stoptober, No Smoking Day, and World No Tobacco Day too. These are the perfect opportunities to connect with people that want to stop smoking and give vaping a try! See what’s happening locally Everybody wants to shop a little closer to home these days, so use this to your advantage. Check the local papers and your council website to see what special/seasonal events are happening over the course of the year. You can then tie your promotions in for a little extra publicity. For example, check ahead to see when your Christmas light switch on takes place this year. You can then make sure you’re open late, get your promotion in place, and have lots of festive present options available for shoppers. Think ahead to what’s happening in your store Understand what is happening to your store and staff over the year and how it might affect you. For example, are any of your team going on holiday or planning to go back to college? You can then work out if you need any extra cover or need to take on any additional responsibilities. You can’t prepare for every eventuality, for example, your favourite supplier running out of stock or your number one staff member quitting. However, by planning for the stuff you know will take place, you have more time to spend on everything else. Outline your goals We all have goals in life that we want to achieve. Some are sensible. Others, not so much. Hey, Idris Elba might want to go windsurfing with us in the future… right? Defining a goal for your vape store gives you something to aspire to. That way, every decision you make will drive you that little bit further towards your grand aim. Here’s an interesting fact for you; did you know that people that have goals are ten times more successful than those that don’t? People like Jeff Bezos didn’t get to where they are today by winging it after all. The critical thing is getting your goal right. This is where SMART goals come in. With a SMART goal, you’re putting parameters in place to make sure your ideas are attainable and ensure you can monitor progress. SMART goals are: You’re creating a goal that is clear and understandableYou’re creating a goal that can be measured and has a tangible outcomeYou’re creating a goal that you can definitely attainYou’re creating a goal that is worthwhile and aligns with your efforts and needsYou’re creating a goal with an end date in sight So for example, let’s say your goal is ‘I want to increase revenue in my vape store.’ While this is an admirable goal to have, it’s not a very clear one. However, let’s say you use the SMART methodology to adapt your goal to: ‘I want to increase revenue in my vape store by 15% by the end of December 2023. I will do this by promoting new e-liquids to existing customers.’ This is a much better goal as you’ve not only put an outcome and timescale in place, but you’ve said how you will grow your revenue. Gold stars all round. Here are some ways to ensure you stay on track when it comes to achieving your goals for the year ahead. Don’t be afraid to break your goal into smaller goals if it makes it easier.Tell everyone who is willing to listen to your goal, whether that’s friends, family, employees, or the sweet little old lady who lives next door. This makes you more accountable and puts pressure on you to achieve it.Take time to see how you’re getting on with your goal on a regular basis. That way, you can make changes if you’re not entirely on track.Keep going! Don’t panic or throw in the metaphorical towel if you’re not quite where you want to be;
How to run vape store promotions like a pro
It’s coming Ohm! How to run vape store promotions like a pro Dust off those vuvuzelas and start memorising the bass line to ‘Seven Nation Army’ because the World Cup starts next month! In an unusual turn of circumstances, the 2022 sporting event takes place in November and carries on all the way through to a week before Christmas. Less drinking chilled bottles of beer around the BBQ and more sipping mulled wine around an open fire! It got us thinking about how you can run promotions in your vape store not just during the World Cup, but other events of importance too. Wimbledon, The Grand National, The Rugby World Cup… even Eurovision! Douze points for you! Here’s how you can run extraordinary promotional events that will get your customers to hand over their cash. Create a social media competition Which social media platform to use What prize to offer What type of question to ask When to post p.s. Make sure you stick to the rules Open a sweepstake Give ‘last man standing’ a try Put together some in-store promotions In summary: promote away this World Cup Season Psst! Want to know more about running a vape store? Ohm Brew: your perfect partner, no matter the event #1 – Create a social media competition There are some tight regulations on how you can use digital marketing to promote your vape store. For example, paid advertising on search engines and social media is a no-go. Boo and hiss. The good news? It’s okay to have a social media presence for your vape store as long as you’re not paying for ads to promote your accounts. Hurray! A great way to get some publicity for your store and find new customers is by running a social media competition. According to Outgrow, 34% of new B2B and B2C customers are acquired through competitions. That’s a lot of potential new business. Here’s what you need to consider when organising the social media competition to end all social media competitions. Dust off those vuvuzelas and start memorising the bass line to ‘Seven Nation Army’ because the World Cup starts next month! In an unusual turn of circumstances, the 2022 sporting event takes place in November and carries on all the way through to a week before Christmas. Less drinking chilled bottles of beer around the BBQ and more sipping mulled wine around an open fire! It got us thinking about how you can run promotions in your vape store not just during the World Cup, but other events of importance too. Wimbledon, The Grand National, The Rugby World Cup… even Eurovision! Douze points for you! Here’s how you can run extraordinary promotional events that will get your customers to hand over their cash. Create a social media competition Which social media platform to use What prize to offer What type of question to ask When to post p.s. Make sure you stick to the rules Open a sweepstake Give ‘last man standing’ a try Put together some in-store promotions In summary: promote away this World Cup Season Psst! Want to know more about running a vape store? Ohm Brew: your perfect partner, no matter the event Which social media platform to use In our experience, it’s best to focus your competition on one platform rather than multiple social media channels, otherwise monitoring entries can get messy. So pick the platform you’ve got the most extensive following on already, and take it from there. Platforms like Facebook and Instagram work well if you want to accompany your awesome competition with an image, while Twitter is good for finding new followers. What prize to offer We recommend a gift bundle with some of your most popular products – perhaps a selection of e-liquids and a piece of hardware to use with them. Alternatively, a gift voucher for your store can work nicely too. Something that looks good is always a bonus – if the lucky winner posts a photo of their prize on social media, it’s extra publicity for your business! What type of question to ask For example, for the World Cup, you could ask people who they think will win, where they’ll be watching the England game or, if you’re feeling a bit cheeky, what they’d get a red card for. (Us? We’d get a red card for not stacking the dishwasher in the office properly.) Alternatively, why not post a photo of a footballer and ask people to submit their funniest captions? Here are a few to get you started. Encourage people to tag a friend or two to share the love as this is what amplifies your competition to a brand-new audience. Let’s say someone tags two people who each tag two people who go on to tag another two people… that’s potentially 14 new customers! We think. We’re good at writing vaping blogs, not so much at mathematics. Important note about tagging friends: While tagging friends is fab for boosting your competition, you can’t make it a requirement of entry as this goes against most social media platform terms and conditions. It’s rubbish, but we don’t make the rules unfortunately. We’ll talk more about the boring technicalities of social media promotions later. We bet you can’t wait! When to post and promote You’ll want to post your competition when most of your followers are online. The best thing to do is to look at your page or profile analytics. See what day and time you get the most engagement and take it from there. Pin your post to the top of your profile or page so everyone can see it. It’s okay to reshare your post from time to time to get extra publicity. However, you need to remember to include everyone who comments on the shared post in the competition, so nobody gets left out. p.s Make sure you stick to the rules It’s important to follow the rules to make sure any social media competitions you run are
Stoptober: How to Keep Ex-smokers Coming Back In-store
How to keep ex-smokers coming back to your vape store during and after Stoptober A lot of things happen in October. The clocks go back, mince pies and Christmas cakes slowly infiltrate the supermarket shelves, and there’s a distinct smell of pumpkin spice lattes in the air. The other thing that happens during the tenth month of the year? Stoptober. What is Stoptober? Launched in 2012, this month-long campaign encourages people to stub out their cigarettes and say no to stinking like an ashtray. Over 2.3 million people In the UK have stopped smoking because of Stoptober, and if you’re part of that number, bravo. We’d give you a ruddy big kiss if we weren’t stuck behind a computer screen. The last few years have been bad for smoking, with a lot of people taking up the habit during lockdown as something to do. During the first lockdown In 2020, the number of 18 to 34-year-olds who smoked increased by 25%. All those sourdough starters and Zoom quizzes evidently got the better of many people. If people are thinking of stopping smoking this October, vaping is a great alternative. They get the nicotine they need to keep on track through the month, without any of the disgusting chemicals cigarettes contain. Not only that, but it’s a heck of a lot cheaper into the bargain. In fact, e-cigarettes are three times more effective than other quitting aids like nicotine patches and gum. Find out more about making the switch from smoking to vaping. What you can do to help people quit smoking this Stoptober If you run a vape store, you’re in a great position to help these smokers out, and make a little bit of profit to boot. It’s a win-win situation. So, how can you help smokers that want to quit during Stoptober, and encourage them to keep coming back to your store? We’re so glad you asked. Join us as we take a look at some of the ways you can boost your business this October and beyond. Give customers the support they need Use local SEO to get people to your store Create a friendly and warm environment Create a community of like-minded people Stock a wide range of products In summary: don’t forget to make the effort with ex-smokers this Stoptober #1 – Give customers the support they need Imagine the following scenario in your head. You’ve been smoking 20 a day since you were 16, and twenty years later, you decide it’s time to quit and give vaping a go. The problem is, smoking is all you know. You don’t know the difference between nic salts and freebase, you’ve got no clue how to change a coil, and you’ve got absolutely no idea what nicotine strength you need. It’s enough to make you run screaming into the nearest off licence begging for a pack of Marlboro Lights. Smokers need a lot of help and support when they’re thinking of quitting. As the owner of a vape store, you’re perfectly placed to help them out, more so than a store that’s online. Take the time to talk to your customers and understand what they need, and they’ll reward you with some lovely pieces of paper with King Charles III on them. Good salespeople are always two steps ahead of their customers and know which questions they will have. Here are some of the things an ex-smoker might ask about, so you can plan your answers in advance: Why should I move to vaping instead of smoking? How much will vaping cost me? What does e-liquid taste like? Can I try vaping? (A disposable vape bar can be a good way to see if vaping is the right choice before investing In the hardware) How do I inhale? (You might have to explain the difference between direct-lung and mouth-to-lung here!) How long does the charge on the vape last? Does the vapour smell bad? How do I set up the hardware? (While you can’t set up the hardware for them, you can provide instructions or even a video to help them out) What would you recommend? (This one is tricky as it’s very subjective. Your sales team will have their own personal choices but it’s important to take the needs of the customer into account, especially if they’ve never vaped before) Having the right sales staff on standby can make all the difference. Make sure your sales team know all about the products you sell, ensure they can relate to a wide range of different people, and you’re onto a winner. You can find out more about choosing the perfect sales team in our article about increasing your customers’ vape store spend. You can even put some of your most recommended products together as a ‘starter pack’ for would-be vapers. This saves your customers valuable time and means they can get vaping sooner rather than later! Here are our top ten recommendations for your Stoptober starter kit. #2 – Use local SEO to get people to your store What do we do when we have a question we need an answer to? Nine out of ten times, we Google it! Let’s say your potential customer knows they need to quit smoking and want to give vaping a try. Unless someone recommends your vape store to them, it’s highly likely that they’ll search for ‘vape stores near me’ and pick the first name on the list. If this is the case, you can use something known as ‘local SEO’ to encourage customers to find you. Local SEO is the dark art of making sure your website is easy to find online and that people in the nearby area are aware of your presence. The higher you can rank in search engines like Google and Bing, the better! The good news is that even if you don’t know the difference between a backlink and a black hat link, there are still things you can do to boost your
How to increase your customers’ vape store spend
Eight easy ways to increase your customers’ vape store spend You’ve got lots of customers visiting your vape store. Result. The next step? Getting them to spend more money when they shop with you. If you’ve ever fantasised about diving into a pool of coins like Scrooge McDuck (and who hasn’t?), encouraging your existing customers to spend more can turn your dreams into reality. According to Marketing Metrics, you’re 14 times more likely to get an existing customer to buy more in your shop, as opposed to a brand new customer. Not sure how to get started? Don’t worry; we’ve got you. Here are eight tried-and-tested ways to get your customers to fill their baskets and boost their average order value. Want to know more about owning a vape store that customers want to visit? This article will tell you how to market yourself like an absolute boss. Implement a loyalty scheme Pick the right salespeople Know your customer Review where your products are Get cross-selling and up-selling Audit your store décor Manage your stock levels Add extra value #1 – Implement a loyalty scheme A loyalty scheme is when you reward a customer for their repeat business. Think about the little coffee shop you go to where you get your card stamped in exchange for a free Frappuccino. Extra whipped cream and chocolate sauce on ours please. The truth is that customers love loyalty schemes, and they’re a great incentive to encourage shoppers to spend more at your vape store. According to KPMG, 41% of customers who signed up for a loyalty program use it to shop every week, meaning you’re guaranteed lots of lovely repeat business. There are lots of different ways you can operate a loyalty scheme, and the right option for you will depend on your store’s setup. For example, if you have an online store, you can send your customers discount codes or set up a points scheme. Offline, offer your best shoppers a discount card or a referral scheme in exchange for introducing you to new customers. #2 – Pick the right salespeople Have you ever been into a shop where a salesperson jumps on you as soon as you cross over the threshold? It’s not an enjoyable experience. Over half of people think salespeople are way too pushy. On the other hand, the right sales team can do a lot for your vape store, and get customers handing over those ten-pound notes like they’re going out of fashion. Ultimately, you want staff who can provide a friendly in-store experience and talk to customers like they’re a really good friend. Here’s what to think about when hiring your sales team. Do they know the products you sell? Ultimately you want someone who can recommend the right product to the right person, especially if they’re new to vaping. Your salespeople don’t have to necessarily vape themselves, but they need to have a handle on how vaping works. Can they talk to a wide range of different people? Lots of people vape, everyone from the sweet old granny down the road to the twenty-something graduate who wants to stop smoking. Your team needs to be able to relate to anyone who walks into your store and understand how they can help. Do they have good emotional intelligence? Emotional intelligence is when you can easily understand the emotions of the people around you. For example, knowing that someone you’re talking to is happy, angry, or sad, and reacting accordingly. Emotional intelligence means your salespeople can connect with customers on a personal level and realise whether they need extra support or want to be left alone. Are they open to new experiences? The best salespeople are the ones that are willing to learn new things and are happy to undertake training opportunities to better themselves. Pokémon are better when they evolve, and so are your sales staff. Can they respond well under pressure? Let’s be honest; the person who said ‘the customer is always right’ never worked in sales. Your sales team need to have cool heads and be able to perform in a crisis, even if they have five different people shouting at them at once. If your staff are friendly, empathetic, and relatable, you’re more likely to see repeat customers. And 93% of customers are more likely to make repeat purchases if they receive excellent customer service from salespeople. #3 – Know your customer When you know the different types of people who shop in your store, you’ll know how best to approach them, and which products to recommend. This is a fantastic opportunity to do some people-watching and gather some research. Don’t know where to start when it comes to customer research? Here are some of the customers you might recognise and how to encourage them to buy. We know, it’s like we’ve visited your store already. Dave who loves a deal Yep, Dave’s the one that always tries to haggle and is most interested in getting value for money. Suggesting multi-deals and slightly reduced ‘hot pick’ items will keep him coming back and ensure you still make a tidy profit. Payday Penny Penny comes in once a month when she gets paid to buy all her vaping gear. No time for chitchat; she knows what she wants. Make time for Penny and suggest products that fit in with her busy lifestyle. Shiny Steve Steve is all about his gadgetry and his souped-up vaping rig. Most of the time, he thinks he knows more than you. Let him lead the conversation and take the time to talk about the most innovative products you sell. Simple Sophie Sophie is not the most tech-savvy person, but she’s a good customer and is always happy to let you make recommendations for her. Offer Sophie lots of advice and support, whether that’s helping her change her vape coil or suggesting the latest products she might like. Customer X The unknown first timer that wants to start vaping
Planogramming 101 for vape stores
Planogramming 101: how to set your vape store up for success You’ve sweet-talked the locals, leafleted every single house in town and spent hours posting hilarious vaping memes on your business’s Facebook page. Now, the big question. When you get people coming into your store, how do you get them to buy? If you’re currently shrugging your shoulders, you should try planogramming. What is planogramming? Planogramming is a strategy where you optimise the placements of the products in your store in order to maximise sales. It’s a bit like if market research and psychology had a baby, and you put it to work stacking your shelves. All the big stores use planogramming to increase the chances of customers buying high-ticket items. The good news? You can too. Here are some of our top tips to get you started. #1 – ‘Eye line is buy-line’ If something is in the customer’s eye-line, they’re more likely to buy it. There’s a reason brands pay big money for their products to feature on the middle of the supermarket shelves. Play this to your advantage by putting your most expensive items in the customer’s eye line. Interesting tip for you. Shoppers usually scan left to right when looking at shelves, so put your most premium items left of centre, and they’re more likely to be picked up. #2 – Play ‘spot the product’ When your products are in the same spot all the time, regular customers can become complacent. By moving items around every now and again, customers will think you’ve got new product lines in, even if you’ve been selling the same stuff since Oasis split up. #3 – Don’t overstock your shelves Ever been to an Apple store? Everything is precisely laid out, and there’s lots of empty space. This creates a sense of urgency – buy now or it’s gone for good. Even though he always wore the same clothes, it’s no surprise that Steve Jobs was one of the world’s biggest marketing geniuses. If your shelves are overstocked, customers might think your product lines aren’t being bought and therefore are rubbish. Give your products room to breathe, and you’ll reap the rewards. #4 – Keep it tidy Your customers want to enter your store knowing it’s safe, clean, and welcoming. If it resembles a teenage boy’s bedroom after a long night playing Call of Duty, they will probably go elsewhere. Regularly monitor the store for mess and debris, and if any stock is misplaced or has fallen over, neaten it up. Remember: ‘a tidy space is a profitable space!’ #5 – Reposition slow sellers as ‘hot picks’ We’ve all got those product lines that we thought were a good idea at the time, but just won’t shift. Who could have thought a Hawaiian pizza-flavoured e-liquid just wouldn’t resonate with the punters? If you have slow sellers, reposition them as a ‘manager’s special’ or ‘customer pick’. This can help sell units and means you reclaim your stockroom space. p.s. Want to know more about making your vape store a success? We’ve got you covered. << Back to blog Facebook-f Instagram Linkedin
How to sell vape bars responsibly
How to sell vape bars responsibly Vape bars, or disposable vaping devices, are one of the most popular ways to vape at the moment. Going to a festival? Pop one in your bag. Forgot to bring your vaping gear to work? A vape bar can keep you going. Want to see if vaping is right for you before you commit? Give one a try. However, vape bars aren’t without their issues. As manufacturers and stockists, it’s our responsibility to ensure customers use them correctly and ethically. Here are some of the ways you can sell vape bars more responsibly to your customers. And remember, if you need any help or have any other questions about vape bars, we’re here to help. #1 – Ask people to recycle The main issue with disposable vape devices is once they’re used, they’re thrown away. They then sit in landfill, taking up to a thousand years to decompose. That’s not all. Contaminants from the vape pens can run off into our water supplies, harming wildlife and damaging the environment. Throwing vape pens away means valuable resources are being wasted. It’s estimated that discarded vape bars account for ten tonnes of lithium being wasted every year – a valuable mineral used to create batteries for mobile phones and pacemakers. With two disposable vape pens being thrown away every second in the UK, stockists need to remind customers of the need to recycle. Some councils allow vape bars to be put in household recycling, while others ask for them to be dropped off at a nearby recycling centre. We recommend asking your local council to see how your customers can safely dispose of their vape bars. #2 – Don’t sell to minors As they’re disposable and affordable, vape bars are unfortunately extremely popular with young people. According to Ash, 16% of children aged 11 to 17 have tried vaping, up from 14% two years ago. Even more worryingly, nearly half of vapes used by young people are being bought in stores. Keep in mind that it’s illegal to sell vapes and vaping equipment to under 18s. If you think a customer is underage or is buying a vape for a minor, don’t be afraid to ask for ID. And remember, you have the right to refuse service. #3 – Encourage people to use them sparingly Disposable vape bars are a great option if you’re on a trip or have left your equipment at home. However, they shouldn’t become an alternative to a vaping device and e-liquids. It’s important to remind customers that they should only use disposables when they genuinely need them. Not only is a traditional vaping set-up better for the environment, but it’s better for your customers’ wallets too. A 2ml vape bar costs £5.99. A 10ml bottle of e-liquid costs £3.99. Even when you factor in the vape hardware, it’s still a more cost-effective option. We’re dedicated to ensuring our Brew Bar disposable devices are used ethically, and we hope you’ll join us in making sure this is the case. << Back to blog Facebook-f Instagram Linkedin
Top tips for making your vape store a success
Top tips for ultimate vape store success If you’re reading this on your phone while you’re walking over to open up your vape store, keys in hand, this blog post’s dedicated to you. With the UK Government planning to make the UK smoke-free by 2030, more and more people are starting to consider making a move to vaping. It’s now estimated that about 6% of adults now regularly vape. What does this mean if you have a vape store? It means now’s the time to get your face out there and get customers through the door. We’ve put together this comprehensive guide to help you become the number one vape store in your village, town or even your city. Delete where applicable. Do your market research Consider your unique selling point Promote yourself like a boss Local SEO is your friend Know where you can and can’t advertise Chase those testimonials Get yourself on the radio and in the papers Spend time on the marketing channels that work best for you Understand your outgoings Focus on customer service Create a welcoming atmosphere Keep evolving In summary And our final tip? Sell Ohm Brew Ready to go? Let’s get down to business! 1. Do your market research People from all walks of life vape. Your old friends from school that you occasionally meet up with at the pub? They vape. Your old boss where you used to work? He vapes? Your nan who has been smoking fifty cigs a day since you were wearing short trousers? She’s getting into vaping now, bless her heart. This means you need to do your research and see who’s coming to your store as different target audiences will want different products. Don’t be afraid to ask your current customers what they want to see you sell. If people don’t buy from you just yet, what products would tempt them into your shop? Consider seasonality in your market research too. You wouldn’t have a mulled wine in the middle of August – the same applies to the vape flavours you stock. Typically, people prefer fresh and fruity flavours to cool them down when the hot weather hits. And before you ask, no, we don’t stock a mulled wine flavoured e-liquid… yet. 2. Consider your unique selling point It’s estimated that there are now nearly 3,000 vape shops across the UK. To put it into context, there are almost three times as many vape stores in the country as there are Starbucks. This means that you’ve got a lot of competition out there. Think about where your competitors are – there could be another vape store similar to yours just around the corner, ready to pounce on your customers. Scary stuff. In the business world, companies need to define their unique selling point, or USP. This is essentially what you do that your competitors don’t. Grab your favourite vape, pour yourself a strong cup of coffee and find a notepad. Write down a couple of ideas of what you do differently from all the other vape stores in your vicinity. For example: You could stock a brand of vape liquid that nobody else near you does (check out our stockist page to see who sells Ohm Brew in your area)You could offer promotional materials that help people understand more about vaping and the advantages it has over smokingYou could specialise in a particular demographic, like women or older peopleYou could provide stellar customer service and have the reviews and testimonials to prove itYou could offer delivery to people’s homes or workplaces or provide click and collect When you’ve got a better idea of your USP, work it into your marketing and use it to get people into your store. Speaking of marketing… 3. Promote yourself like a boss Doing marketing is a lot like paying taxes. It’s a lot of work, and it can be incredibly frustrating, but it’s something we’ve all gotta do to stay in business. We’ve covered some of the promotional tactics you can use in a previous article, but here are some additional ways you can get your brand out there and into people’s hearts (aww). Local SEO is your friend Local SEO is a special type of search engine optimisation, where you’re focusing on search engine results in your nearby area. That way, if someone searches for ‘vape stores near me’ or ‘vape shops in X’, you’re more likely to be in the number one spot. One of the best ways to improve your chances of people finding your business is to set yourself up with a free Google Business Profile. You can use this to provide Google with additional information about your vape store and make it easier for people to get in touch with you. There’s a similar online directory for Bing – Bing Places for Business – some people still use Bing, right?! If you want to find out more about local SEO, there’s a great guide here. If you’re still not sure, there are plenty of digital marketing agencies that can help you out. Know where you can and can’t advertise Want to use pay-per-click advertising to promote your vape store. Unfortunately, you’re in for a hard time. Google Ads and other social media platforms have strict policies in place for advertising tobacco products, meaning you can’t pay for advertising. It sucks, we know. The good news? You can promote your vape shop and the wares you sell using local SEO and free social media posts as an alternative. So take the budget you were going to spend on pay-per-click advertising and use it to create some awesome organic content instead. Job’s a good un! Chase those testimonials Social proof… it’s absolu-blinking-lutely massive. Over 90% of customers read online reviews before buying a product or visiting a store. This means the more five-star reviews you can get, the better. Good reviews don’t just get customers through the door – they help with local SEO too. If Google
5 surefire ways to get customers through your door
5 surefire ways to get customers through your door Empty shop syndrome? We hear ya. Since the pandemic, it is harder than ever to draw customers into a physical shop when they’ve been tempted away by products online and in supermarkets. But hold up… it doesn’t have to be that way! Get creative and tempt your lovely customers back in – you won’t regret it. Here’s how: #1 – Nail your branding Not got a decent logo? Is your shop name a bit… meh? Well how do you expect people to remember you? Before going all-out on your marketing, make sure your branding is on-point and serving you well. Work with a local design agency to create branding that pops with a look and feel that make customers want a piece of you! #2 – Get printing First off, before we even start talking about online marketing, you need posters. Good old fashioned posters that can be put up around the town letting people know you’re there. While you’re at it, get some flyers done, and don’t let a single customer leave the store without a handful to give to their mates. And how about some business cards, or printed ‘special offer’ vouchers? Printing doesn’t have to be expensive; you can do it on a budget and believe us, it’ll pay off. #3 – Focus your social media Say what you like about Instagram, Facebook, Twitter etc., but when it comes to boosting sales, it works. It just does. So if you’re going to do it, then spend a bit of time getting it right. If you want to attract local customers (and you do), then that means targeting them online. It’s pretty easy to design a social media marketing campaign that targets certain demographics. Figure out who your ideal customer is, then design your online marketing around them. #4 – Cosy up to the search engines Get a website and make sure it’s showing up on search engine results by registering your site with Google and other platforms like Yelp. There’s strength in numbers, and by buddying up with Ohm Brew we’ll give you bags of exposure via our interactive map – and you’ll benefit from all the work we do behind the scenes to supercharge our SEO, too. #5 – Get people talking The good news? The best marketing is totally, 100% free. Word of mouth referrals are a brilliant way to boost sales, so what are you going to do to incentivise your customers to tell a friend or two? Maybe it’s a discount on their next visit, or perhaps it’s a loyalty card that gives them all the feels. Whatever you do, do it now – your current customers are your very best brand ambassadors, so make them feel special! Get on top of all this and you’ll have a queue of eager customers at your door in no time! << Back to blog Facebook-f Instagram Linkedin
