For most small markets, competing with big-box retailers can feel like an uphill battle.

You’ve got the quality, maybe even better prices on certain items, but you still struggle to stand out amongst major chains.

We get it — which is why this guide offers actionable, creative strategies to run profitable promotions and events so your store gets the attention it deserves.

Keep reading to discover how to attract more shoppers and build lasting relationships.

We’ll cover:

How to identify your store’s strengths (and use them to your advantage)
Simple methods for setting clear, achievable goals for your promotions
Tips to plan out promotions that align with local events and seasons
Customer-winning strategies, including in-store events and online marketing
How to track promotions and events to learn what works best

Step 1

Lay the Groundwork for Successful Events

Before launching your first event or promotion, a little preparation goes a long way.

This section covers initial planning steps, including pinpointing your store’s unique advantages, setting achievable and trackable goals, and planning out your yearly promotional calendar.

By laying this groundwork now, instead of just jumping in directionless, you can define what a successful outcome looks like and improve your chances of hosting an event that genuinely resonates with your customers.

Define Your Strengths:

What Makes Your Market Special?

What is it about your local market that keeps customers coming back?

It’s a question worth digging into, and the answer typically lies in a mix of your intuition and sales data.

Start with your gut: You likely know what your store does exceptionally well. Maybe it’s your friendly staff, your commitment to local sourcing, or a particular product category that you excel in.

Validate with your POS: Now, let’s back that up with numbers from your point of sale (POS) system. Start by reviewing end-of-day and sales reports for a closer look at your:

Top sellers: See which products seemingly fly off the shelves — these are likely the items your customers rely on you for, and some of your store’s biggest draws. Understanding what sells well can also inform product choices for events like cooking demos.
Sales by department: Assess which sections of your store contribute most to your revenue, as this can solidify areas of strength. Popular departments might be good focal points for themed events.
High-margin items: Identify products that sell well and provide a healthy profit margin. Promoting these strategically can improve your overall profitability.
Sales trends over time: Determine which products see a spike in sales during particular seasons or times of the year to inform your promotional calendar and event planning.
Frequently bought combinations: Understand what items customers often purchase together to inspire bundle deals and product placement strategies (more on that later!).

Another part of determining what makes your market unique is identifying your niche — what makes your store different from the competition? What types of events have they hosted in the past, or not hosted? Review other grocery options in your area to see what they lack so you can position your market as the go-to for specialty needs or preferences.

By combining your internal knowledge with your POS system’s data and an awareness of the competitive landscape, you can clearly define your strengths and build your promotional strategy around them.

Set Clear, Measurable Goals

Now that you better understand your store’s strengths, the next step is to define what you want your event or promotion to achieve. Without clear objectives, it’s difficult to measure success or understand what’s truly working.

What do you want to accomplish? Start by asking yourself some simple questions about your intended outcome:

Do you want more shoppers? Is your primary aim to bring new faces into your store? Then you might implement promotions targeted towards first-time customers or host an event specifically designed to draw in new members.
Do you want higher sales? Is your focus on increasing the amount customers spend during each visit? This could involve strategies like bundle deals, discounts on larger purchases, or events that encourage shoppers to try higher-priced items.
Do you want repeat customers? Are you looking to build loyalty and encourage existing customers to return more frequently? Loyalty programs, events, and targeted offers for regular shoppers can help with this.

It’s tempting to try to achieve multiple things with each promotion, but for the clearest results, format your objectives into SMART goals to make them:

When setting your goals, remember the SMART framework: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. This helps make your objectives clear and actionable for your market.

Here’s an example:

Specific

Increase foot traffic to our butcher department by 10% in the next 90 days

Measurable

Track daily customer counts in the butcher department using our POS data, comparing the next 90 days to the previous 90-day period.

Achievable

Promote the latest line of locally sourced sausages and offer a weekend BBQ tasting event to encourage visits.

Relevant

Introduce new products, support local suppliers, and potentially increase overall store sales.

Time-bound

Aim for a 10% increase within the next 90 days.

Once you’ve identified your primary goal, determine how you’ll measure whether you've achieved it for both promotions and events.

Choose metrics that are easy to track using your grocery POS system and, where applicable, through other means like sign-up sheets or attendance counts:

For more shoppers

Track the number of new customers during the promotion period compared to a typical period, or the number of attendees at your event. Your POS can often generate reports on first-time purchases.

For higher sales

Monitor the average transaction value during the promotion or relevant event. Then, compare this number to your average transaction value on a typical day.

For repeat customers

Look at the number of returning customers or the frequency of their visits during the promotion compared to a previous period. Many POS systems can track customer visit frequency. For events, you might track how many attendees are existing loyalty program members.

After your promotion wraps, don’t just set it and forget it — you need to calculate whether it made or lost money. To do this, start by determining the:

Total revenue: Track the sales of the promoted items or the overall store sales during the promotional period and any revenue generated directly from ticket sales or vendor fees for events.
Total cost: Determine any and all expenses related to the promotion or event, such as discounts offered, advertising costs, and staff time dedicated to the promotion or event. Make sure to also include the cost of any materials used for an event, including speaker fees, food samples, or venue rental if applicable.
Subtract total cost from revenue:
- If the result is a positive number, your promotion generated a profit.
- If the result is a negative number, your promotion resulted in a loss.
Return on investment (ROI): For a clearer picture of efficiency, use the formula below. A positive ROI means your promotion was profitable relative to your investment:

markt-equation

To really understand the impact of your promotional efforts and events, set up your POS to track sales by specific category, individual product, or even by department during your promotion.

This detailed sales tracking allows you to measure the promotional lift — the increase in sales directly attributable to your campaign — for particular items or sections of your store. For events, you might also track which promoted items saw a sales increase among event attendees. Use this data to guide your planning for future events and promotions.

Plan Your Promotional Calendar

Having outlined your store’s strengths and goals for individual promotions and events, you can now start mapping out your promotional activities throughout the year.

Planning a full year in one sitting might (reasonably) seem like a significant undertaking. To make things more manageable, consider breaking down your promotional and event calendar into smaller chunks, like quarterly or seasonal promotions.

Use your POS’s historical data on sales trends and customer buying habits to back up your efforts with real numbers and inspire future promotional endeavors.

Also, take stock of any notes or feedback from past events to inform your future planning.

When creating your calendar, consider including:

Local events

Plan promotions that coincide with local events to capture potential customers’ attention. Are there community festivals, farmers’ markets, or school events nearby? Think about tabling there with some of your most popular products.

Seasonal tie-ins

Think about how your product offerings align with different times of the year. For example, summer might be a great time for grilling essentials and picnic foods, while fall could highlight baking ingredients and cozy snacks. Consider hosting seasonal events like a pumpkin carving contest or a summer BBQ cook-off.

Slow periods

Identify times of the year when business tends to be slower and create strategic promotions during these periods to help maintain sales momentum.

One big advantage of a small market is the ability to feature fresh, local, and seasonal items. Plan promotions and events that highlight these offerings when they are at their peak in terms of quality and availability:

Farm-to-table features: Run special promotions and events showcasing local produce and the farmers behind it, like a meet-the-farmer event or a cooking demo using local ingredients.
Seasonal favorites: Promote items that are particularly popular during certain times of the year, like summer fruits or holiday baking supplies. Consider from-scratch pie baking or Turkey 101 cooking classes before Thanksgiving.

Holidays are another significant opportunity to attract shoppers, both new and returning.

While major holidays might already be a part of your promotional activities, think about how you can make the most out of smaller occasions, as well.

Make sure to include the following in your yearly promotional and events planning:

Major holidays: Plan your promotions well in advance for Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s, Valentine’s Day, and Easter. Consider special bundles, holiday-themed events (e.g., Christmas cookie decorating class for kids), discounts on traditional holiday items, or extended hours.
Smaller holidays: Don't overlook more minor holidays or events like Mother’s & Father’s Day, Back to School shopping, or even National Donut Day! These can be fun opportunities for themed promotions and small, engaging events.

Sometimes, opportunities (or challenges) arise unexpectedly.

Having a few flexible promotion ideas in your back pocket can help you react quickly, including:

Weather-related deals: Promote cold drinks and ice cream during the summer, and offer shoppers a discount on soup or free samples of hot cider during a stormy season.
Local news tie-ins: Consider a celebratory discount if a local sports team wins big. If a new pop-up event draws attention, leverage relevant promotions (e.g., discounted wines for an art gallery opening) or host a small tie-in event to capture that local buzz.

Creating a yearly plan lets you strategically time your promotions and events to maximize their impact and connect with your customers throughout the year.

Step 2

Implement Smart Selling Tactics

After identifying what makes your store stand out, plus mapping out your goals and promotional calendar, it’s time to think about the specific tactics you can use to drive sales and engagement through both promotions and events.

Based on your planning, what kind of promotions and events could you run to achieve those goals? This section will explore that question in more detail with smart selling strategies.

Sell More With Product Pairings

One effective way to increase the average transaction value is by strategically pairing products together.
This helps customers discover new flavors and meal combinations, and also helps you boost your average transaction value.

Pair commonly bought items:

Place products customers often purchase together to increase convenience and basket size (e.g., chips and salsa). Use your POS data to determine which combinations would be most profitable.

Connect items across aisles with deals:

Create offers linking products from different store areas to encourage exploration (e.g., wine and cheese discounts). Themed events can also highlight these pairings.

Display recipe ingredients together:

Group all items for specific recipes together, including recipe cards, for simplified shopping and increased sales of related products. Cooking demos can also feature these pairings.

Use your grocery POS for bundle pricing:

Configure your POS system for discounts on meal deals or product pairings to make these offers easy to apply at checkout.

For any pairings you create, include exciting, visually-appealing signage to show customers the suggested combinations and the value they receive. Though not exactly a small market, think about how stores like Trader Joe’s use creative signs to highlight new deals and product combinations.

Clearly display discounts or bundled pricing and use enticing descriptions that emphasize the convenience or flavor benefits. Strategically place these signs at the point of pairing, whether it’s shelf placement or an endcap display, to capture customer attention while shopping.

Run Quick Sales That Create Urgency

There’s something about a limited-time offer that just clicks differently in our minds. That “buy now, before it’s gone!” urgency creates a fear of missing out, and is a great way to encourage immediate action from your customers.

In fact, research suggests that 64% of consumers buy limited-time offers (LTOs) in circumstances where they might not have otherwise bought anything. That’s a powerful driver for your store, capable of generating immediate sales and moving specific inventory.

When implementing these sales, keep the following in mind to make them as effective as possible:

Maintain sufficient inventory: Before you advertise any limited-time sale, take the necessary steps, like reviewing POS inventory data, to confirm that you have an adequate supply of the promoted items.
Communicate clearly: Use prominent signage within your store, engaging announcements on your social media channels, and timely email newsletters. Even mentions by your staff can help spread the word.
Update item pricing: Make sure to update the pricing on all items included in these limited-time offers through your POS so there’s no confusion at checkout.

Remember to analyze the results of these short-term offers using your grocery POS data, paying close attention to which items sold best, at what discount level, and during which times of day. These data-driven insights help you refine future sales and promotional strategies for maximum profits and customer appeal.

Step 3

Cultivate Customer Loyalty

When thinking about how to win customers over, put yourself in their shoes. Why do they pop into your market in the first place? What have you noticed or determined with your POS’s historical data that keeps them returning?

Typically, these customer loyalty strategies don’t happen by chance — it’s an intentional effort to make your store as memorable and incentivizing as possible, creating positive experiences and building lasting relationships.

This section will explore strategies to help you do just that.

Host In-Store Events That Draw Customers In

One of the biggest things small markets have that big-box chains can’t offer? Community.

Thoughtfully planned in-store events, coupled with enticing promotions, help you strengthen these ties, attract new faces, and provide extra value for your loyal customers, ultimately encouraging more frequent visits and increased sales.

While hosting your first event might seem daunting, remember that even small, well-executed gatherings can leave a lasting positive impression in your community.

To make your in-store events successful, consider the following:

Following these planning steps sets a strong foundation for any event. And beyond just the preparation, the specific activities you choose will make your event truly memorable.

Define event goals & target audience: Decide what you want to accomplish (e.g., introduce a new product, increase traffic) and who you want to attract so you can plan your event’s theme and activities.
Plan budget & timeline: Determine your financial resources for the event and create a step-by-step schedule to manage all necessary preparations.
Promote effectively: Use in-store signs, social media, your website, and email marketing to reach potential attendees. Consider offering a small incentive to encourage participation.
Create engaging activities: Plan interactive elements such as demonstrations, product tastings, or guest appearances to capture customer interest and highlight your store's offerings.
Measure success & follow up: Analyze event outcomes (sales, attendance, feedback) and thank participants for attending.

Here are some in-store event ideas to inspire you:

Product tastings:

Offer samples of specific items, like new arrivals, local selections, or products you’re promoting. Consider a ticketed wine or craft beer tasting station, with different options placed throughout your store.

Cooking demonstrations:

Invite local chefs, bakers, or even knowledgeable staff to prepare recipes using ingredients from your store, providing education and highlighting products for purchase.

Meet-the-producer events:

Arrange visits with local farmers and makers whose unique goods you carry, allowing customers to connect with the source of their food.

Themed culinary nights:

Host events centered around specific cuisines (e.g., “Taco Tuesday” cooking class) or dietary interests (e.g., vegan baking class).

Craft show:

Set up a craft show or thrift/flea market in your store’s parking lot, asking local merchants or artists to display products for sale.

Food truck festivals:

Organize a small gathering of local food trucks in your parking lot.

Ultimately, these in-store events should be less about simply drawing customers in for immediate sales, and more about drawing people in to introduce yourself and your store’s values.

To make sure your event reaches those who will truly appreciate what you offer, use prominent in-store signage and hang flyers at local community centers, libraries, and nearby universities with clear dates, times, and any RSVP instructions.

Share details on your social media, local community platforms, and through email newsletters to your loyalty members. You could also consider including a small raffle or giveaway to further entice your target audience.

By understanding what your community truly values and crafting experiences that align with those interests, you can make your market a beloved gathering spot.

Use Simple Online Marketing To Engage Customers

Connecting with shoppers often happens long before they step foot in your store.

Many people discover new places online, and with the right digital marketing efforts, your business can become one of them. Focusing on a few straightforward online marketing tactics for your promotions and events can make a real difference in drawing new customers and strengthening bonds with current ones.

Consider these practical marketing strategies to draw people in:

Build a valuable email list:

Give customers a reason to share their email, like offering weekly meal prep recipes, event invites, or new sales alerts, so you have a direct line of communication.

Post product photos online:

Share high-quality pictures of your fresh items, specialty goods, or daily specials. Highlight products currently on promotion or ingredients for an upcoming cooking demo to spark interest.

Create personal offers:

Use your POS data to understand customer buying habits and trends. Then, send targeted promotions or event invitations related to what those folks typically purchase.

Use e-commerce for online selling:

Use your POS’s e-commerce integration for digital sales. Markt POS, for example, lets customers order products online for convenient curbside pickup or local delivery, and you can offer special deals for these online orders and pickups, making your store accessible to more shoppers.

Send customers digital receipts:

When customers choose email or text receipts, allow them to opt into marketing updates on future promotions and events so you can further expand your reach.

Beyond specific marketing tactics, a Google Business Profile is foundational for any small market looking to expand its online reach. This free listing helps customers find your store when they search for groceries in your area, showing your hours, address, and reviews. Make sure your profile is complete and current.

Additionally, ask satisfied customers to leave reviews on platforms like Google or Yelp to help new shoppers trust your store. Regularly check what people are saying about your market online and respond thoughtfully, showing you value their opinions.

Build a Loyalty Program To Keep Customers Coming Back

Once you’ve attracted customers to your market, the next step is encouraging them to become regular shoppers.

And what better way to keep shoppers coming back than a well-thought-out loyalty program? These initiatives reward your best shoppers with perks, discounts, and exclusive offerings, giving them a compelling reason to return to your store, all while generating more consistent sales and a stronger customer base.

Here’s how to set up a loyalty program that fits your small market:

Design your reward system:

Implement a program that makes sense for your store’s size and style, whether it be points-based, tiered, or a combination of various loyalty strategies.

Offer enticing rewards:

Make your rewards exciting enough to encourage frequent visits, like discounts after a certain number of purchases, exclusive offers just for members, or early access to new products or special events.

Use your POS system:

A POS system like Markt POS can implement your loyalty program, assisting with everything from tracking shoppers’ purchases, counting points, and applying rewards at checkout.

You can also explore POS data to see which items are most purchased or consistently popular, and consider how to make these top sellers part of your loyalty deals.

Don’t be afraid to go straight to the source, either — ask your members directly what kinds of perks or offers they’d find most appealing from your program.

Step 4: Build Long-Term Success

After putting in the effort to plan, implement, and promote your market’s events and sales, the real opportunity comes from looking back and learning.

By consistently tracking your efforts, you can turn every promotion and event into a valuable lesson, helping you refine your approach for future endeavors and grow your store.

Learn What Works (and Do More of It)

Every promotion and event at your market can help you learn what genuinely connects with your customers and what falls flat. Reviewing results gives you clear direction on where to focus your future efforts and how to continuously improve. Here's how to make each promotion better than the last:

Review sales for winning promotions:

Analyze POS data to compare sales during a promotion against typical periods, showing which efforts generated revenue.

Adjust or discontinue underperforming promotions:

If a promotion wasn’t successful, determine why (e.g., offer appeal, advertising, etc) and assess if it’s worth refining or moving on to something new.

Keep notes for future use:

Document successes, challenges, and unexpected outcomes from each promotion so you can refer back when planning future campaigns.

Calculate ROI by comparing sales data:

Use your POS reports to measure the change in sales before and during a promotion so you can understand the financial return on your efforts.

Even if a promotion or event doesn’t hit all your targets, it’s still a chance to learn and improve.

Maybe a cooking demo had fewer attendees than you hoped, for example. By reviewing your notes, you might realize that the chosen recipe was too complex for a weeknight, or the promotion didn’t reach the right local groups.

Every outcome, even those that aren’t a resounding success, helps you understand your audience better and refine your approach for the future. With this attitude, you can make each new attempt at a promotion or event for your market stronger and more compelling.

Prepare Your Team for Success

For any sale, event, or just during your store’s regular operating hours, your staff are likely the people customers interact with most.

Because of this, their understanding and enthusiasm can directly impact the results of your promotional efforts. Giving them the right talking points often matters as much as the promotion itself.

Here’s how you can set your team (and your store) up for success:

Train your team on promotion details:

Provide every team member with details on current promotions, included items, and how to discuss them with customers.

Schedule enough people for busy periods:

Anticipate increased customer traffic during popular promotions or events. Use your grocery POS system’s employee time tracking to schedule adequate help, preventing long lines and assisting customers.

Recognize those who contribute to success:

Show appreciation for team members who help make promotions successful to build morale. When in doubt, use your POS data to see who consistently sells the most.

A supported and well-informed team is what makes your store a welcoming place to be, but as the market owner, it’s up to you to set them up for success.

Taking the time to train all of your team and provide them with the necessary tools and information means you can trust them to engage customers meaningfully and help your market truly shine during any promotion or event.

Profitable Promotions & Events:
Set Your Small Market Up for Success

Standing out against bigger grocery stores can feel like a challenge, but your small market has unique strengths and a connection to the community that they can’t match.

From setting clear goals and planning your promotional calendar to implementing smart selling tactics and building customer loyalty, you now have a collection of ideas to draw more shoppers and build lasting relationships.

All these strategies become much simpler and more effective with the right tools. Designed for small markets like yours, Markt POS helps you handle promotions and events from start to finish. Our intuitive POS platform lets you track sales data to understand your customers, configure special pricing for deals and bundles, manage loyalty programs, and even support online orders for pickup.

With Markt POS handling the details, you can focus on what you do best: running a great market. If you want to start running a more efficient business, schedule a free, personalized Markt POS demo today.

The Small Market’s Guide to Profitable Promotions and Events