Nanoinfluencers & Grocery Stores: Low-Cost Marketing That Works

Think back to your last scroll through social media. 

Between the cute pet photos, viral dances, and helpful life hacks, you probably saw quite a few sponsored posts — for well-known, nationally-recognized businesses and niche, local brands you’ve just heard about for the first time. 

What does this have to do with your grocery store? 

Partnering with nanoinfluencers can be a powerful marketing strategy for small businesses like yours. 

Influencer marketing might sound intimidating, but this blog will walk you through everything you need to know — including who nanoinfluencers are, what they can do to help your grocery store, and how to get started. 

Influencer Marketing 101

Let’s start with the basics. What is influencer marketing? 

This effective marketing approach involves partnering with social media content creators. In exchange for financial incentives, free products, or special discounts, these creators will “shout out” your business on their pages. 

Here are just a few reasons why large and small brands have turned to this marketing strategy: 

• Guaranteed reach: Instead of hoping potential customers will see your posts and advertisements, you can feel confident that you’re reaching a solid base of engaged followers. 
• Established trust: Content creators have already done the hard work to create rapport with their followers — meaning less work for you. 
• Authenticity: Influencer marketing often seems more “real” to potential customers than paid advertisements directly from brands. 

When done right, influencer marketing can be a game-changer for building brand awareness and attracting new customers to your grocery store. 

What Are Nanoinfluencers? 

When you hear the word “influencer,” you probably picture a content creator with millions of followers. 

Partnering with these famous figures might not be realistic for your store — but there’s good news: Nanoinfluencers are easier to work with and more effective for small businesses like yours. 

Let’s look at a few key characteristics of nanoinfluencers: 

• They have small followings: Nanoinfluencers generally have between 500 and 5,000 followers. 

• Their followers are highly engaged: Despite their small size, successful nanoinfluencers have high engagement rates. Their followers are active and excited about each new post. 

• They’re local-minded: Nanoinfluencers are less likely to have brand deals with huge companies, but they’re more likely to post about businesses in your neighborhood. Think local restaurants, farmers markets, and boutiques. 

Hopefully, a quick scroll through your personal social media feed should help you identify some successful nanoinfluencers in your area! Think food bloggers, local teachers, or even soccer moms who post about everything they’re doing — leaving lots of opportunities to shout out businesses like yours. 

Related Read: 7 Supermarket Marketing Strategies To Implement and Win 

How To Work With Nanoinfluencers

Influencer marketing is a two-way street. If you want these creators to post about your business, you have to offer something in return. 

Luckily, partnering with nanoinfluencers doesn’t have to break the bank. Here are a few ways you can reward them for posting about your business: 

• Offer a free weekly grocery box: Curate a selection of your newest arrivals, seasonal products, and bestsellers. 

• Give them an exclusive tour of your store: Share a special behind-the-scenes look at your grocery store that covers where your products come from and how you operate. 

• Provide all the ingredients for a recipe: Share a box of must-have ingredients for a specific recipe (plus a few bonus products). 

Don’t forget to negotiate the type, content, and deadline for each post. For example, you might ask for an Instagram story showcasing a weekly grocery haul, a 40-second video with a quick tour of your store, or a full-length YouTube video featuring the influencer cooking with provided ingredients. 

How To Turn Social Media Views into Sales

Nanoinfluencers can spread the word about your grocery store — but let’s talk about how to turn this awareness into actual revenue. 

The best way is to have your social media partners share exclusive discounts or promo codes. For example, you might offer a 10% off deal for their followers. 

The biggest advantage of this approach is that you can track the return on investment (ROI) of your nanoinfluencer marketing program. If you see a huge spike in sales after a sponsored post, you’ll know it’s working! 

Pro tip: Use your point of sale (POS) system to set up a specific promotion for influencer-related purchases. This makes it easier to track the success of your marketing approach over time. 

Scripts for Successful Grocery Store Nanoinfluencer Marketing

We’ve covered the basics — now let’s set you up for success with your first nanoinfluencer marketing campaign. To help you out, we’ve written a few example scripts to guide you as you start social media partnerships. 

Script 1: Weekly Grocery Box Partnership

Hi [influencer name],

I'm [your name], owner of [your store name] here in [neighborhood/city]. I've been following your content and love how you share your weekly meal prep and local finds with your community!

I'd love to partner with you by providing a complimentary weekly grocery box worth $50. In exchange, I'm hoping you can create one Instagram post or story per week featuring your haul, tagging our store, and sharing a personalized discount code. This partnership would run for four weeks, and then we can re-evaluate. 

Would you be interested in chatting more about this?

Best,

[your name]

Script 2: Exclusive Tour and Shopping Spree

Hi [influencer name],

I'm [your name], owner of [your store name] here in [neighborhood/city]. I notice you frequently highlight local businesses, and I think your followers would love to see what makes our store special!

I'd like to invite you for an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour where you can meet our team, learn about how we source our products, and discover what makes [your store name] unique. In return, I'm hoping you can create a video sharing your experience and a special discount code for your followers. 

I’d also like to provide you with a $50 shopping credit to pick up any of our products after the tour. 

Does this sound like something you’re interested in? I hope to hear from you soon!

Best, 

[your name]

Script 3: Recipe Collaboration

Hi [influencer name],

I'm [your name], owner of [your store name] here in [neighborhood/city]. I love your recipe content, especially your recent [mention specific post/recipe]!

I have a partnership idea: I'd love to provide you with all the ingredients for one of your signature recipes. In exchange, can you create content showing the cooking process and mentioning that viewers can get the ingredients at our store using an exclusive discount code?

Let me know if you’re interested in collaborating on this! 

Best, 

[your name]

Take Your Grocery Store Marketing to the Next Level With IT Retail

Looking to make more sales and keep customers coming back? We’ve got you covered. 

Our all-in-one POS system is specifically designed for grocery stores like yours. Along with must-have features like deli scale integration, perishable inventory tracking, and lightning-fast checkout technology, IT Retail includes powerful marketing tools like: 

• A built-in customer loyalty program
• Online grocery integration
• SMS and email marketing
• Flexible promotion options

We offer pricing options to meet every grocery store’s needs and budget — get your quote today.