The weather is finally beginning to break in the Midwest and the outdoor grilling season will soon be upon us. That means we’re also about to enter some of the highest volume months of the year (May coming in second only to December), when our activity at Meijer picks up significantly both in and out of the stores. This is when we engage customers in the new flavors, tastes and products for the summer season through high-end demonstration event activities.
We’ll also be hosting a number of out-of-store events this month as community outreach programs continue to build into an even more important part of our business with Meijer. The Meijer Concert Series in Grand Rapids will be a big part of this activity over the summer, with 30 concerts planned from June through the end of August. To start things off, we’ll be hosting the major Taste of Meijer Grilling event in May. This is perfect timing to help Meijer drive sales throughout the month and prepare for Memorial Day and other summer holiday celebrations, including graduations.
Also starting this month, we will have the first of six new Meijer store grand openings that will occur throughout the summer. The first new store will be in Swartz Creek, MI. This all makes the month of May an exciting period with a number of activities for EMI!
As we continue to expand the scope of our events this year, we also want to remain focused on programs and initiatives that improve our services for Meijer. Our commitment to excellence for Meijer offers growth for our company and expanded career opportunities for our team members. Some of the important initiatives we’ll be focusing on this year include:
- The Fresh Program in the Southern Market Region, which is a concentrated effort on the entire Fresh Department. Sales Advisors focus on engaging customers and selling special seasonal item Thursday thru Sunday, becoming a recognized face for Meijer in the Fresh Department.
- The Event Carts Presentation and Appearance Standards, which will become a key part of our training program. They will help ensure consistency in our operations so that no where no matter where you go, you will have the same event experience. The standards set the tone for cart appearance and presentation to establish those expectations.
While these programs and initiatives are important aspects of our service to Meijer, the most valuable service we provide every day is the ability to connect with customers and effectively sell product. We must remain focused on this at all times to ensure that each member of our team is consistent in reaching customers and helping to educate them on products, not simply handing them a sample. I am very excited to see how well our team is improving in this area and at the same time having fun working with Meijer shoppers. As we enter this busy selling season, your continued efforts will help create the business results we look to achieve and build on the valuable services we provide.
Thanks for all you do.
