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Photo courtesy of Joey Yee
As a store manager or retailer, you’re likely aware that the popularity of organics is here to stay. According to the Organic Trade Association, sales for organic products reached $35.1 billion in 2014, increasing by 11.5 percent from the previous year. Unsurprisingly, fruits and vegetables continue to lead the sector, accounting for $11.6 billion in sales. Nutritious and easy to eat, bananas are the third top selling fruit in the U.S. and serve as an excellent source of Vitamin B6, as well as a good source of dietary fiber, Vitamin C, potassium and manganese.
As you embark on your marketing strategy for 2015, keep in mind that the first step in executing your plan begins with a well-defined target audience. Described as a specific group of people who are the intended recipients of the product or marketing message, your target audience will help you save resources while serving as a driving factor for increasing sales. To effectively reach your shoppers consider the following three tips:
- Create a customer profile. Understand the type of consumer who shops at your store through demographic and psychographic information. Demographic information includes facts such as age, gender, marital status, income and ethnic background, whereas psychographic information reveals more about the customer as an individual. This can include his/her hobbies, interests, attitudes and beliefs. Overall, there is a growing health consciousness in America partly due to the rise in popularity of fruit as the second most consumed food item. Thoroughly-defined customer profiles will aide you in creating better displays and/or organizing more space for produce.
- Locate your audience. Learning where and how your target audience spends their time ensures that your message gets delivered in a valuable way. Start by identifying which websites your shoppers visit and what social media platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest, they’re enthusiastic about. Additionally, how does your target audience receive their news? Is it through the Internet, television, radio or print media?
- Identify what your customers want most from you. This requires looking at the larger picture and putting yourself in the shoes of your shopper. Evaluating services and products for potential weaknesses and areas of misunderstanding allows you to craft produce merchandising and messages that successfully address concerns before they occur.
To learn more about our organic bananas please visit OrganicsUnlimited.com.
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