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Hello!

Welcome to the 23rd edition of Always Be Convenient, and the first for 2025. My goal since the beginning has been to help convenience leaders be successful in a digital world. Want to see what else I’ve covered? The archives have all prior issues. 🗞️

We’re only six days into the year, but I feel like it’s been weeks already. The compacted working weeks of the holidays were a blur. Now it’s the first full working week of 2025 and business is back in full force – complete with CES this week and NRF kicking off this weekend.

By the way, did you know today is National Technology Day? I hope you celebrated.

Conveniently,
Mike

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Being purposeful with your presence

There are four primary digital enablers when it comes to driving digital engagement with consumers. Today we’ll dive into the first: Digital Presence.

To start, let’s define the topic. Your digital presence represents the connected touchpoints where consumers interact with your brand, including both direct, owned platforms, as well as third-party platforms.

The most familiar of these touchpoints, and the place that most retailers get started, is the brand’s website.

When a consumer hears about a brand, one of the first things they’re most likely to do is to search for it. Being there when they do – with your story, information about your business, and anything else needed to build confidence in stopping by – is critical.

But did you know that even today 28% of small businesses have no website? In an always-on, always-available, digitally-connected world … you might as well not exist.

FreshStop, a new chain of convenience stores in the southeast United States, has just three stores open so far. But they’ve had a website from day 1.

FreshStop used a LinkedIn post to announce their first store’s opening, which only the community of Sandford, Florida (where the store is located) would have seen otherwise. And right at the top of the post is a link to their website.

In fact, what their website tells you that you won’t find on LinkedIn is that this company has a number of stores already in their pipeline – around 30 – waiting to be opened across Florida, Texas, Arkansas, and beyond.

Even without a lot of sophisticated features, having a website of your own is a sign of trust. Setting up a profile on a social network is free, but the barriers to doing so are non-existent (it’s so easy AI can do it, but that’s a topic for another time).

When consumers can back up a claim with a website domain and relevant information, you’re helping validate your brand.

And like the example from FreshStop, your website also serves as your hub for all other touchpoints in your extended digital presence.

From social networks to press releases to marketing efforts to map listings, everything should point back to your hub. Then from your hub the spokes and satellites will flow.

What other digital satellite locations should a convenience business consider? That’s where being purposeful is very important.

In theory you want to be everywhere your customers are. In reality you must be more thoughtful than that.

While having a website is foundational, most other channels are ancillary extensions. In order to operate elsewhere, you need a plan – for resourcing, management, and content.

There are many other digital touchpoints you can leverage, and new platforms will continue to launch in the future. Be sure to have a strategy for where you’ll go.

Here are my recommendations for additional touchpoints to consider:

• Top social media platforms: LinkedIn is valuable as you’re building a corporate profile and recruiting talent to join your organization. Instagram (or one of Meta’s other platforms like Facebook or Threads) is an easy place to share updates with customers in whatever media format you prefer.

• Maps and business listings: People can always drive by, but “near me” searches dominate daily queries. These listings on Google Maps and Apple Maps are the digital twin to your physical locations.

• Delivery marketplaces: When someone needs something fast, or is just scrolling to see what’s new nearby, they may turn to their favorite delivery app. Having your store and products appear in the feed puts you into their consideration set.

As you pick where to expand beyond your website, be mindful of what it takes to get set up, what content you’ll need (to establish your profile and maintain it ongoing), and how you’ll monitor results to tie them back into your business.

We’ll tackle another digital capability next week.