Solved: Cost-Effective Lead Generation for New Grocery Service

Hi there,

Thanks for reaching out! I'm happy to give you some initial thoughts and guidance on building a waitlist for your grocery delivery service launch in those new cities. Getting a good start is really important so it's really good you're thinking about it now.

We'll need to look at Geo-Targeting...

First off, you'll want to absolutely nail your geo-targeting, especially with local Google Ads. I mean, really, really nail it. It's about precision. You want to avoid any wasted clicks from outside your target area. Think about it: someone clicking from a town that's too far away isn't going to use your service, so you're just throwing money away. If you have different services for different regions, you can also use the same landing page but dynamically inject location-based copy and content (e.g. if someone is located in X region, use testimonials from customers in X region).

Another thing to keep in mind with the geo-targeting is dayparting based on location. For instance, are there any peak hours of day that show when your service is used more in one location vs. another? Do you see more engagement on weekends, evenings, or specific times? That's what you should focus on. Test out some ads at different times. Test and see and optimise, simple.

I'd say you Focus on Social Media...

You'll also want to layer in some social media ads, of course. Facebook ads are a good shout, but you need to be strategic. Focus on people who've shown an interest in similar services or who live in those specific postcodes. It's all about reaching the right people. Think about what people in those areas like to eat, whether they frequent farmers markets, what their interests are, and target accordingly.

Are these new cities similar to ones you already operate in? If so, that's gold. We had a client who was expanding, and targeting people in new areas who looked like their current customers worked wonders. We essentially created lookalike audiences based on current customers and made sure that our location settings were tightly geo-fenced.

Don't spread your budget too thin across different platforms. It's better to master one or two channels than to dabble in everything and achieve mediocre results. Also, make sure you have a strong visual presence on social media. High-quality images and videos of your grocery offerings can be really engaging.

You probably should Track ROI with UTM Parameters...

Now, tracking ROI. This is where UTM parameters become your best friends. Use them on every link you use. Seriously, every single one. That way, you can see exactly where your sign-ups are coming from in Google Analytics. You can then accurately attribute your conversions to different sources. So someone coming from the facebook ad would show up in the parameters as that, compared to someone coming from Google analytics who would be tracked as that. That way, you know where to concentrate your efforts.

But it's not just about UTM parameters. You also need to ensure your customer relationship management (CRM) system is set up properly to track where each customer originally heard about you. This is something a lot of people miss, but it's essential. You wanna know where they're coming from.

Also, make sure you have clear goals and KPIs defined before you start your campaign. What does success look like to you? Is it a certain number of sign-ups, a specific conversion rate, or a particular cost per lead? Having these metrics in place will help you measure your progress and make data-driven decisions along the way.

Have you also considered influencer marketing? Collaborating with local food bloggers or social media personalities can give your grocery delivery service a significant boost. Pick the right influencers based on audience.

You'll need to get your Offer Right...

Finally, consider offering incentives to people who sign up for your waitlist. Discounts, free delivery for their first order, or exclusive access to new products are all great ways to encourage sign-ups.

This is the main advice I have for you:

These are just some initial ideas to get you started with you're waitlist. There are lots of steps you should be taking now and later, but it sounds like you really know the market.

Running effective paid ad campaigns can be quite tricky, especially in a competitive market. You might want to consider getting expert help to make sure you're spending your budget wisely and getting the best possible results. We offer a free initial consultation where we review your strategy and account together and give you tailored advice based on your specific business needs. Might be worth booking in a time to chat!

Regards,
Team @ Lukas Holschuh