Back in the days of the traditional market, the salesman would be up there with his produce selling away to passers-by from sunrise to sunset. The key elements in the sales process would be the display, the prices and most importantly the sales pitch. Fast forward to today and the majority of food is bought through major supermarkets who pick and choose what to stock depending on demand. So by eliminating the salesman out of the sales process, it’s down to your food label to sell your product.
The label is your greatest marketing tool
As there’s no one there to answer questions specific to your manufacturer, the label is the only sales voice between the shelf and the consumer, therefore it is imperative that the key information is conveyed accurately, quickly and concisely so you put the consumer in no doubt that they want your product.
One of the major purchasing drivers for consumers is price. For a lot of people the difference between wanting something and buying it comes down to a quick decision on their part whether or not they are happy to spend the money. This is where the product label plays such an important role in the decision making process because it conveys:
- Brand – does it match customer expectation?
- Sales – does the label grab the attention?
- Key information – labels have to show key health and allergies information
Out of store marketing should tie in with your labels
How food is displayed to people in the supermarkets plays a huge percentage in what convinces the customer to make a purchase but you also have to make sure that it fits within the overall marketing of your business.
If you’re busy working on increasing your brand awareness by utilising online marketing channels or offline channels such as newspapers or posters, your in store labels need to be consistent with your other marketing collateral so your label is instantly recognisable on the shelves.
Many retailers would argue that the supermarket shelves are one of the most competitive places for products to survive and therefore brand awareness will play a major factor in the success of your line, and your label will also play a massive part in that.
Colour and language plays with the concept of brand expectation
Coming back to the price of products and consumers using that as a major decision factor, customers will subconsciously look at products and their labelling and make an instant decision whether it fits the image of what the price is.
For example, a customer is highly unlikely to buy a basic range product from a supermarket if it’s priced within the same bracket as a mid or high-end product because no one would be able to see the value in it. Regardless of whether the quality of the product is similar the labelling and the perception of the product doesn’t convey that same level of quality and consumers will not be persuaded to buy the product.
Language associated with quality – the small differences count
Let’s face it, you could describe the same product in 100 different ways but at the end of the day it’s still the same product. True as that may be, the choice of words on your label go a long way to fitting in with your brand and it really is the small differences that make the biggest influence.
For example, if you were creating a label for a aimed at children but you were looking to market it to a demographic of parents who were affluent and preferred quality over price, the small differences in your sales pitch can make the sale. When you’re underlying the quality, mentioning the term “children” instead of “kids” and adjectives such as “wonderful” instead of “amazing” can make the difference between connecting with your target demographic or alienating them.
