Congratulations! You have a great product, and you have interest from retailers. In fact, they want to put your product in their stores. Many brands believe “getting on the shelf” is the ultimate goal. They believe securing placement and distribution is the end-game for a product. In actuality, it’s  just the beginning.

If your product is on the shelf and customers don’t notice it – they don’t buy it. If customers don’t buy your product, you’ll be off the shelf in no time and back to where you began – but with one less opportunity. Follow these steps to ensure your product gets noticed and that getting on shelf is only the beginning of your success.

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STEP 1: WHY BUY

What motivates a customer to buy your product? What is the “reason to believe” your product will solve their problem? If you can’t answer the question of why a customer should buy your product in a clear and succinct way - they won’t. The reason for customers to believe in your product – the value proposition – must be easily understood and clearly articulated. Know exactly who your ideal customer is and why they need your product.

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STEP 2: TELL YOUR STORY AND COMMUNICATE THE MESSAGE

Once you have identified the value proposition, and you have identified the ideal customer for your product – you need to communicate the solution. The adage “a picture is worth a thousand words” is incredibly relevant in this situation. Your product will be next to many other products, on a crowded shelf, in an unknown retail setting. If you try to communicate your message to the customer through too many words on a package, or a sign, you’ll get lost in the shuffle. Figure out a way to effectively communicate your message and grab your ideal customer’s attention with minimal text and compelling imagery. You’ll have a much better chance of “standing out” from the crowd.

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STEP 3 : GET PRIME REAL-ESTATE

Whether on an end-cap or at eye-height on the shelf, improving the physical positioning of your product in stores will encourage customer interaction. Identify opportunities in the physical store space that will call attention to your product and engage customers. Can you setup in the middle of an aisle? Is there a place near the check-out? Perhaps there’s a front window to the store that can showcase your brand? More “facings” for your product means more opportunity for customers to see, and, hopefully, buy your product. And, don’t forget about cross-merchandising. Can your product be merchandised, along with other complimentary products, in addition to the category listing?

Follow these suggestions when working with retail partners and you’ll be sure to optimize the placement you have worked so hard to achieve. Remember, getting on the shelf is only half the battle. Your product needs to sell and for that to happen – your product needs to be noticed by customers first.

For more advice on how to strategically place your products in the right retail outlets, or build an impactful Sales Process, contact Castus via email (hello@castusglobal.com) or visit our website: http://www.castusglobal.com/

Tagged: retail, strategy, get noticed

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