Page 30 - FoodFocusThailand No.145_April 2018

SPECIAL FOCUS

The Basics of

a Food Product Marketing Plan

Too often, food consultants look for answers without first asking the (right) questions. As a marketing consultant,
you should always focus on the questions first (to gain balance and perspective) before counseling a business
owner on what direction to take. Here is a comprehensive list of questions and sentiments for any business
conducting a marketing self-examination.

Gauge Your Company’s Brand Awareness Level All of These Factors Contribute to An Improved
Do consumers even know your brand exists? Twitter is becoming a food Product Perception
entrepreneur’s best friend to ask the consumer what is on their mind. Find out If Consumers Recognize Your Products
One thing you can do is conduct in-store surveys. This can be combined A major salt company once changed its package without telling
with food demo’s you are already planning. Another idea is asking non- Hispanic demographic, one of its key user groups. It’s no surprise;
competing brands to poll customers on their website, with a promise to they lost sales. Food packaging needs to do more than protecting
reciprocate. your product.

Find out If Consumers Prefer Your Products Packaging Communicates Your Brand Identity that
Brand awareness is simply not enough. You need a brand to be your Gets the Product Flying Off the Shelf
brand evangelists. Set up a blind taste test at a neutral location, letting Assess Your Products’ Perceived Value
consumers sample your product and that of your competitor(s). Find out Value perceptions come in all shapes and sizes. Value is a function
which brand they prefer, and most importantly, find out why. Is it the taste, of quality, price, and quantity. Don’t forget to tell customers that your
the packaging, or what they believe you stand for? product has a superior refining process, a lesser carbon footprint, or
Developing a product positioning statement is a must to help you a larger, fuller container than your competitor’s.
think about your entire brand experience. Make sure the public knows if
your process is “green” or if you support a favorite charity.

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