Why is it important for all your staff to understand the products they are making?
Today’s consumers are more knowledgeable about individual ingredients and their efficacy therefore products need to show they can work and when selling a new formula , producing or even despatching – staff need to be aware of what the product is and does.
By empowering your staff with this information you position your business as “experts” in the field and your customers can rely on you to make the right decisions and give the right advice about their products. Here’s the top 10 ways to help your customers choose the right product:
- Don’t assume the customer knows best – in many cases, they may be providing you with their “ideal formula” based on an outdated perception of what the current market trend is or basing it another product they have seen online (whose formula may not be correct/truthful itself).
- Understand the key differences between capsules/tablets and powder mixes from both a manufacturing point of view AND a consumer point of view . If the product is aimed at people of a particular age group or demographic – would that fit with the product type?
- Understand how the brand and the packaging can hugely influence the buying potential of the product and indeed the price point it would reach to the consumer.
- Be ready to explain all aspects of the choices the customer can make. This is not just the individual ingredients, this can be the packaging type, the order quantities, the likely potential price point based on the branding positioning on the product and more.
- Remember, in almost all of aspects of the product conception and enquiry, you will have more knowledge than the customer – be ready to use it to give the customer the best product whilst giving you the best profit return.
- If you would like to help the customer to choose a particular product you already produce– always offer them their original specification in the quotation, but also offer the other product as a comparison. Never discount the fact how important the cost of a product can be when a client is choosing the product they will purchase.
- Be aware of the current trends in the marketplace. Sign-up for as many industry newsletters as you can, and talk to your suppliers to understand what is selling well.
- Understand the marketplace where the product will be sold. Ask questions of your client to find out. The packaging and type of product can be significantly dependent upon its marketplace.
- Use a software solution (even a spreadsheet) to keep track of the allergens, active ingredients, claims, nutritional values and selling points which can used against any specific ingredient. That way, when you create a new formulation, the background information for the items within it is readily available and can be quoted from to give the client certainty about how the product will work and how it can be promoted.
- If a new formulation or ingredient becomes available within your business AND it’s something which is working within a new area for you, be sure to inform your whole team! If branching out into sports nutrition is new for you – tell your whole staff. If offering new products suitable for children or the elderly is an area you’re branching out to – again – tell your staff.
Only if your entire sales team (and the wider company) are fully aware of all of the strings to your bow can they answer the questions posed from your customers.