How to Market a Gas Station

If you have recently opened a gas station, you might be wondering how to win over the business of local consumers.

In this article, we will discuss a few techniques that will get you moving towards building a sustainable business.

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Above all else: be honest

The petroleum delivery business is a competitive and saturated market. As such, it can be tempting to promise the moon in order to get customers to roll up to your pumps.

Resist this temptation, as the short-term boost it provides will quickly dissolve as consumers get wise to you. This is important in today’s tech-savvy world, as online review sites make it easy to unveil and shame dishonest players in any market place.

On this matter, the executives at Petroleum Wholesale LP recommend that you operate as if the Better Business Bureau was watching you like a hawk.

Act as if a high-profile celebrity were rolling into your business. Disappointing this person could spell doom for your long-term financial success, so treat all interactions with customers as if it could make or break your business.

Rent out billboards 

The vast majority of the business that you will bring in on a daily basis will likely be from traffic that comes off major interstates and highways in your area.

While most state and provincial governments erect signage prior to each exit indicating whether or not there are gas stations available, they don’t promote any particular business over another.

Renting out large billboards on the approach to the exit where you are located can help position you as the premium choice relative to your competitors.

Be sure to emphasize the differentiators that make your station special, and you will soon notice a greater volume of traffic rolling into your station versus the regulars that already know about your business.

Hold contests and promotions 

If you are having a difficult time attracting business, there’s nothing like contests and promotions to generate excitement around your service station.

It you want to generate buzz, deeply discounting price of your gas and diesel for a short period of time on a given day will definitely do the trick.

While you might have to take a loss at the pumps, it will get people to come out that haven’t been to your station before.

This will allow them to get familiar with all of the services that you provide, thereby increasing the chance that they will become part of your regular clientele.

Start up a loyalty program 

Want to solidify the base of support that your business already has in place? Implementing a loyalty program is an ingenious way to keep people coming to your business on a regular basis.

It can be as simple as offering a coffee club program, where one in every ten cups is on the house. If you are feeling particularly generous, you could also offer a free car wash or free fill up to a certain amount of gallons per tank as well.

Whatever you decide upon, ensure that it is something that your customers will be enthusiastic about receiving for free.