At the Fancy Food Show last week I noticed the strong similarities between the marketing approaches of the majority of the exhibitors. This was particularly true of the smaller ones, the ones with the 10’ by 20’ booths. The show features high-end gourmet food products. If you are looking for exotic cheeses, crackers, cookies, sauces, chocolates, candies and confections, this is the place to be.
The small companies – most of the exhibitors, are all looking to expand distribution. They are unknowns, many family operations, offering the kind of products you’ll find in the specialty section of the grocery store, gourmet specialty store, the liquor or party store, perhaps even gift shops. And if they have any distribution it's in a few local stores.
Their booths all shout the same message, “We taste great!”
If every exhibitor were to move down one booth, only changing the name on the booth, you wouldn’t notice a difference. The claims are all the same.
Here are the key questions:
“If the product doesn’t taste great would you exhibit?”
“If everything at the show tastes great, how do you decide on which ones to handle?”
“Is taste the most important criteria for distribution?”
Now, obviously not everything at the show tastes great. But there are no absolute dogs, either. Allowing for the differences in individual tastes, everything tastes pretty good, if not great.
So how is our distributor to choose?
The buyers have heard this claim so much they're deaf to it. It doesn't register.
Why can’t anyone address what the store buyer really wants? Truly wants? Deeply wants, in their heart of hearts?
Why can’t anyone claim that their product will jump off the shelf?
Think like a store owner.
As a store owner, that’s what I want, to own the product for as short a time as possible. Right after I buy it and put it out for sale, I want my customer to buy it. Right away. If not sooner.
At your booth I want to know what you’ll do to help it sell. What’s your merchandising plan? Coop? Sampling allowance? Display ideas? What should I be doing to accelerate sales? How should I display it? What other products go particularly well with it? What have you to say that will help me?
Dead silence.
Last year the show was held in combination with FMI, the marketing show for the big guys and Kraft, Nestle and the other big guns in the food industry all had mega exhibits. And they all told me how best to sell their product.
You might have thought some of their insight would have rubbed off on these small marketers. But no.
A few conclusions:
First, the customers who come into my store come because of what my store means to them. They are not coming into my store to find your product because they have no idea you even exist. They are my customers, mine. If you want me to give you access to my customers you are going to have to pay me. It cost me many dollars and lot’s of effort to create that customer base and it still costs me to nurture it. Don’t expect to have access without paying.
Second, maintaining that customer base is the most important thing I do. If you want to be exposed to the most important people in my world you need to tell me how you think it should be done. You must be willing to help. I want to hear your ideas, see your support, understand how you think you can help me. What will you do to help me grow my customer base?
If all you’re bringing to the party is “it tastes great” please stand over to the side, right over here, at the back of the very long line of others here before you who also only offer the same. “It tastes great.”
But if you can help me and my customers, well then, step right up here in front.
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