| Sales Information | Let us create a 3d Digital eBook for you! DigyCat.com |
|
|
|
9 Packaging Problems That Lose Sales
You have a great product, but it's not flying off the shelf. Is one of these packaging problems turning sales away? 1) You don't understand your market. There are so many new markets and retail outlets out there. Don't forget Internet marketing too. The question is can one package service them all? The answer is no. There are features that work to your benefit in all types of packaging, but in general attributes that appeal to one audience won't appeal to another. What to do: Refine your niche attributes. Is your product broad based? Does it appeal to a special target audience? Do you understand what this group is looking for in product packaging? I have several research studies that focus on packaging that appeals to niches: Women and Boomers (to order these special reports return the word "research" via email). 2) The packaging is too big or too small. In my recent research for the Packaging and Design Summit, I uncovered an interesting fact. Products that work well for children, especially kid proof packaging, simply doesn't fit the requirements of the over 50 market. What to do: Keep size in mind when designing your product packaging. Who is actually going to use this product and how? Is there a shelf life or consume by date that can impact the usage factor? Tidbit: 3) The package is too hard to open: Every Christmas and holiday time we read ranting and raving over packages that simply cannot be opened easily or require the aid of scissors. Much of this packaging has come about for specific reasons: security, tamper evident, counterfeiting and so on. But think about it the next time you try to open a product. Was all that packaging necessary? What to do: Try testing with a focus group outside the world of packaging. Many times a person unfamiliar with packaging can identify a problem area that a packaging pro can't. I did a segment for NBC TV as their packaging guru. They ended the story with people ripping and tearing open the packaging that I had so carefully explained. Boy, was that an eye opener. Look for my upcoming article in the June issue of Global Cosmetics Industry. "Don't think like a package designer. Think like a consumer" 4) The package is too generic: Is it trying to be all things to all people and as a result, it doesn't appeal to anyone. Have you ever been totally confused when looking at a product package? What am I supposed to do with it? Or what's the purpose? This is a total turn off. What to do: Tell people up front what's inside, how to use it and what the benefits are. Simpler is better -- especially when we are in a hurry. 5) The package doesn't fit with today's life styles. Got any 20lb bags of potatoes lying around? If you are like me, 20 lbs can last a year. Large quantities and amounts do have a special market but generally people are buying in smaller size units. In fact, one of the fasted growing market segments is ready to use and consume. When I was in China ready to use was the only type packaging available. Single servings were huge there and now they are becoming hot here. 6) People are confused by the packaging. More product iterations mean more confusion at retail. Yes, I know brand managers are constantly creating new and improved versions, but get real! How many new and improved products are really different from their predecessor? If you want a good laugh be sure and read my upcoming article in the June issue of Packaging Design Magazine: "Packaging Design for Overworked, Time-Crunched and Over-The-Edge Consumers." 7) The package doesn't fit the retail outlet. There are myriad of cross marketing opportunities available. What works in a club store certainly won't work at a convenience outlet. Consider where your package will be merchandised. What to do: Ensure you have the appropriate package size for the retail outlet. Go to a store and see how people shop. It could affect the product's success. 8) The package isn't contemporary. There are a lot of old brands that are repackaging their image. Old brands have been revitalized with new and updated packaging. Old brands can lose favor with the consumer simply because they look old. What to do: Keep on top of important trends. Remember when the Pillsbury Dough Boy went on a diet? Just kidding, but he did get slimmer and trimmer in his image. The same is happening to Ronald MacDonald. He is getting a makeover too. Even long-standing icons have to keep up with the times. 9) The package is too gimmicky or doesn't work. Keep in mind, simple is better. Products that get too complicated only appeal to a certain market segment, and it's not boomers, the largest share of the purchasing market. The electronics industry seems to have lost track of this fact. Make sure it doesn't apply to your product. Whatever the problem is, it can be corrected by understanding your target audience. Learn what they want and need. Make some adjustments and watch packages fly off the shelf. Got packaging problems? I can help. I teach people how to package products consumers will buy. I make it easy to answer your problems with email and voice consultation. Get advice from the top expert in consumer packaging. Email the Packaging Diva @ PackagingDiva@aol.com Look for the Packaging Diva @ Prestige Products for the Personal Care Industry - June 22-23, 2005 Chicago, IL - http://www.chemconference.com/events/PrestigeProd05/ Packaging and Design Summit
MORE RESOURCES: Sales - Google News What Nintendo's 2011 sales mean for Wii U, third parties - Gamasutra
Orchids Paper Products Company Reports Record Quarterly Converted Product ... - Sacramento Bee
Apotex pays Bristol, Sanofi damages over Plavix - Wall Street Journal
Beer sales could be boon for Arizona's universities - AZ Central.com
Fed Sells $6.2 Billion of Bonds From AIG Rescue to Goldman - San Francisco Chronicle
iPhone on Sprint: Great for sales, terrible for profits - Christian Science Monitor
Wells Fargo's Carroll eyes cross-selling by brokers - Reuters
Las Vegas Still Selling More Homes in January, Yet Prices Still Declining - World Property Channel
Newsstand Report: Sales Down Across the Board, Elle Plumets 18%, and ... - Fashionista
Average Salespeople “Fly By The Seat Of Their Pants” - Utah Pulse
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Your Voice is Your Instrument On an introductory call, your voice is your instrument. During a face-to-face meeting, you have visual cues and body language available to add layers of meaning. Make Your Trade Show Booth Popular So, you are taking your products and heading to a trade show, but this year you want to make your trade show booth popular in order to garner more business and have no idea how to do it. Actually, it really is quite simple to make a popular trade show booth as long as you put forth the effort. Restaurant Pressure Washing Many pressure washing companies try to stay away from the restaurant pressure washing business, while other specialize in it. One reason some do not like it is due to the all the grease, which gets on their hoses and equipment, which in itself is difficult to clean off. How To Bully Your Prospects Into Buying Your Product or Service Selling is a tough job, and sometimes you may need to appear tough in order to get the sale.As a salesperson (whether in person or in print) you don't have to appear to the customer as being needy of the sale. My Competitor Has a Better Product The topic of this issue's article is a response to a question submitted by one of my newsletter readers. QUESTION - "At the moment, my competitor's have a far better product/deal, due to circumstances out of my control. How to Build A Steady Stream of Customers--Step One The success of a small business depends upon a steady stream of good customers. To build that stream of customer a business owner must examine five critical points in their business operations. An Introduction to B2B Lead Generation It is important that organizations find other companies to do business with. Business-to-business sales, abbreviated as B2B sales, are vital to many companies' profit margins and to their standing within their industry. Selling Strategy - 5 Ways To Success Web sites exist for essentially two purposes. The first isto provide information. Mindset Over Materials: The Secret Weapon of Sustainable Sales Success Long-term sales success has less to do with skills or knowledgethan you might think. Nor are stunning brochures or excellentproducts guaranteed to make one iota of impact over time. Why Executives Wont Take Your Call Do you hang up on telemarketers? 9 times out of 10 I do. Why do we do this? I hang-up because I am afraid that they are going to waste my time. Female Mannequins: An Overview Female mannequins are very common in clothing stores. They are often found throughout the store, from the front window where they display the store's latest and greatest fashions, to all other sections that featuring women's clothing. 5 Tips to Choosing a Direct Sales Business With hundreds of direct sales companies out there, how do you choose the right one for you? Here are a few tips to make sure you choose the right one the first time:1. Find your passionBefore you even start looking for the "big money", you need to decide what type of products interest you. The Problem With Technology At The Point Of Sale In Financial Services BackgroundThere's a conundrum that currently exists between the customer and the seller in financial services. The customer buys and the seller sells. Value Based Pricing, Not Price Cutting Special Requirements for Reprint: we ask only that you include Paul's name and resource box, and keep all hyperlinks as live links.Complete Article with Resource Box at end:Value Based Pricing, Not Price CuttingThe oldest tactic in the world to get a sale moving is to cut the price. How Improve Conversion Rates Do you know your conversion rates? Conversion rate is the number of visitors to your site that take the desired action against the total number of visitors in a particular period or time. Research has shown that 60% of websites do not know their conversion rates. Doomed Before You Dial? Several weeks ago, I conducted a "Mastering the Cold Call" seminar for the Printing Industries of Connecticut and Western Massachusetts. At the end of the seminar, a participant came up to me and said, "Thank you! I learned so much! I learned 'Don't Take No for an Answer. Is Sales Profession an Oxymoron? If you are in Sales, you have probably heard these before:Q: "How can you tell a sales person is lying?"A: "His lips are moving."Q: "Why do lawyers like sales people?"A: "They give them someone to look down on. Warming Up To Cold Calls Will you do just about anything, including sending out hundreds of letters, to avoid making cold calls to your potential customers/prospects? If so, you're not alone. Millions like you have started their own businesses, only to find that the thought of making calls to potential customers/prospects leaves them paralyzed with anxiety. Selling Skills - How to Handle the Dreaded Question Whats The Price? I've written previously about how to attract customers and how to manage the sales process. But one thorny issue keeps popping up for my clients? what should they do when a potential customer asks "How much will it cost?" as one of their opening lines. Qualifying Your Prospect How do you respond when an absolute stranger calls, at work or at home, and begins to ask questions? "Are you the person who??" "What is your marketing strategy?" "Do you own or rent?" Even, "How are you today?" Are you annoyed and put off by these questions? Do you respond, "I already have a vendor," "I'm not interested," "Send a brochure" or "What are you selling?" (These days my response is to tell these callers toorder Cold Calling College!) This question-asking strategy does not work. It does not work to qualify your prospect, and it does not work to set your prospect at ease. |
|
Looking For Royalty Free Photos for your Website, Business or Advertising?
List4Sale Domain Is For Sale - $10,000 For Enquiries eMail Us © www.List4Sale.biz 2011 |