Guest Post by PR Food Company (see byline)
“You can’t sell ice to Eskimos,” as they always say – even with the smoothest sales pitch, the product itself needs to be worth buying in order to secure a sale.
But there are certain products that push even the limits of this tongue-in-cheek rule, such as the successful market for bottled water, a commodity that literally falls from the sky on a daily basis.
So how do you eke the maximum possible success from your new product? Well, from its initial formulation, to appointing a specialist food PR company – here are just a few things to keep in mind.
1. Source Your Ingredients
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Whether you’re manufacturing foods for retail sales, working in a hospitality environment, or even supplying ingredients for use further down the supply chain, think about where those ingredients come from.
More and more people now look for ethical ingredients – Fairtrade, organic, or simply locally sourced produce are all watchwords in the modern food and drinks industry.
2. Carve Your Niche
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On top of the credentials of your ingredients, think about what niche your finished product is filling. It doesn’t need to be rocket science – The Saucy Fish Co. are an example of how a simple idea – packaging fish with sauce – can create a distinctive and successful business model almost without any effort.
3. Choose Your Allies
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It’s not just about finding customers – you can also partner with other producers to show off your goods in knockout pairings.
Fish and chips, strawberries and cream, wine and cheese – food and drink have gone together in perfect pairings for generations, so if you’re producing half of one of those classic couplings, think about teaming up with another producer who complements your product range.
4. Plan Your Launch
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Once you’re ready to launch your product, make sure you’ve planned when, where and how you’re going to do it.
From high-street samples of energy drinks, to farmer’s markets and invitation-only restaurant launches, there are countless options open to you, whatever food or drink you create.
5. Expand Your Range
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Got one good product? As it becomes better established, you might want to start thinking about expanding your range into related areas or different flavours.
The same rules apply – make sure you’re building on your brand’s existing credentials, and filling a legitimate niche, and your new products have a greater chance of success.
6. Find Your Voice
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Even if your product doesn’t have a distinguishing element of its own, you can create a unique identity through your marketing efforts.
Take Innocent Drinks as an example – simple smoothies, but instantly recognisable by their quirky packaging, chatty text style, and underlying commitment to environmental issues.
7. Tell Your Story
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Food is a uniquely emotional industry – people are passionate about good food, and that includes the people who produce food and the people who consume it.
If your business has its own back-story – like Levi Roots’ Reggae Reggae Sauce – don’t be afraid to put that passion on display and let people know that a real labour of love went into your recipe development.
8. Spread the Word
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The best of products is no good if nobody knows it exists. Get the word out there about your new delicacy, whatever it may be.
Whatever your area of specialty, there’ll be a marketing company out there to match it, and that gives you the best chance of promoting your product in a way that connects best with your target audience.
This article was presented to you by food PR company – Sauce Communications in London’s Woodstock Grove studios, a specialised food and drink public relations agency, marketing, branding and design consultancy for bars, pubs restaurants hotels. Sauce Communications have worked with top-name chefs, Michelin-starred restaurants and premium drinks brands, among others.
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