Not only is the Health Hotline a wonderful resource for Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage (NGVC) customers (going out to its 80,000+ mailing list), but it’s also some communities’ first taste of the company. When NGVC prepares to open a new location, rather than investing heavily in grand opening events, it builds store awareness slowly and with purpose. One important step is distributing the Health Hotline to local newspapers so residents can get a glimpse of the resource to come.
“A lot of grand openings attract people looking for free stuff, not potential long-term customers,” said Kemper Isely, co-president. “We spend our energy promoting a store day-to-day rather than in one week.”
In addition to the Health Hotline, NGVC sends out three mailers (one every month for three months) with special promotions for the store. And the company’s Nutritional Health Coaches go out and participate in a lot of community events, which in turn promote the stores.
Through these tools, communities get a glimpse of the NGVC’s commitment to delivering quality products at affordable prices. While the company has always been selective when it comes to its products, it has gotten more so over the years. When it comes to supplements, a foundation NGVC was built on and sales of which continue to be a strong factor in its continued growth, the company credits manufacturers for being more forthright with information and adhering to strict quality standards, which makes the company’s job of selecting products a bit easier.
“There are good, quality companies who make products we trust, like Carlson, Country Life, Nutraceuticals, NOW Foods, Schwabe North America and Natural Factors, just to name a few,” said Kemper. “These companies have in-house labs and do their own testing. From the supplement side, we are assured they’re good from that standpoint.
“Our mix is not the result of a corporate marketing decision,” he added. “Our mix is the result of careful considered values that result in solid principles that support exacting standards. If we sold junk food or low quality vitamins, who would we be? Frankly, it's inconceivable.”
