Healthy snacks are in, and are here to stay whether you like them or not. With this new reality, healthy vending machines are on the rise also because consumers are looking for better options. Vending companies such as Human Healthy Vending, Naturals 2 Go, Healthy You, Fresh Healthy Vending and Healthier 4 You are making great strides in the vending world. The key to being successful in healthy vending is all about the location. Yes the machine is important, but what will really make or break it for you is the location. Now you may think you need to fork out the Buko Bucks by joining a franchise in order to find good locations. Think again! Think outside of the typical locations and consider the following for your healthy vending machines which you can find yourself:
Hospitals or Urgent Care Centers:
Whether you are on staff or visiting a loved one, chances are you will be there for an extended period of time. When at a hospital you are typically sitting for long and odd hours and the last thing you want to do is to fill your body with sugar and fats. Having a healthy option to provide you nutrients that give you energy is comforting to those who are visiting and waiting.
Upscale shopping centers:
Most cities have a neighborhood or two that have an upscale shopping center with people running in and out of them all day. Instead of waiting in line at an overpriced caf?, moms are on the go and need to get their little ones a healthy snack fast. Shopping centers like these cater to the busy professional or parent with separate sitting areas, hallways and benches that a healthy vending machine will flourish in.
Colleges and Universities:
There are three things that every student knows when starting college: they are on a budget, they are late for class and they want to avoid the freshman 15. This is the perfect customer for a healthy vending machine! Campuses across America are following the healthy trend realizing healthy options help their students perform better. They are getting rid of the sugar and bringing in the nutrients. Consider large campuses in your city or small trade schools like mechanic, nursing and cosmetology.
Gyms and studios:
This is an obvious option and the most realistic place for a healthy vending machine. You can reach out to the large gyms but don?t forget about the local studios that hold yoga, pilates, kickboxing, karate classes. The fastest growing workout is crossfit and boxes are opening up every day whether in small town or a large city.
Once you figure out where to display your healthy vending machine, it?s time to reach out and get set up. Here are a few tips to help you in the marketing department:
Do your homework!?Find out who, what, where, when and how. Answer questions like ?who is your competition??, ?what kind of people visit this location?? and ?who do I need to talk too? Typically you want to speak to the owner of the business or someone in the human resources department. If you don?t know, simply ask. People are willing to help those who are friendly and seeking answers.
Create marketing material:
Be sure to provide your prospective account with a colorful brochure with healthy vending machine information on it. This material can be dropped off with the owner or front desk if you can?t get into the head honcho. You should also have the material in a pdf format for emailing purposes. Here are a few things to include on the material:
- Simple and colorful visuals
- Stats on health benefits
- Services and products you provide
- Contact information
Set up a meeting, phone call or email:?This is the hardest part of the whole process but if you did your homework and be persistent, you will make it. Once you find the right person to speak with about adding a healthy vending machine to their business, start with a phone call. From there you will be able to figure out if they are interested in a face-to-face meeting. Because the way technology is these days, don?t be surprised if someone like the head of nutrition at a Hospital requests an email first. This is when your marketing material you created will come in handy.
You may be tempted to think that just because they already have vending machines that you won?t be able to get in the door. Think again. You are offering a different product that is unique and better. You healthy snacks and drinks will benefit their employees and customer so much better than the traditional junk food machines. Sell this idea and they will replace their old traditional vending machine with your new, flashy healthy vending machine.
