What you see is what you get. At least to the human mind, that’s how it works.
Human beings rely heavily on our sight as our main way of perceiving and understanding the world around us. For this reason, brands focus a lot of energy and resources into creating attractive, informative, and impactful product labels.
While a good label is valuable on its own, labeling becomes especially important for field reps. When reps are engaging customers in product demonstrations or samplings, the ability to reference the label effectively can make or break a consumer’s decision to purchase.
In this article, we will go over the six main parts of a product label that reps can use to their advantage in the field.
Logo
Visual memory is much stronger than audio memory, which is why the first thing people should see on your product label is your brand’s logo. This is how consumers will recall and identify your brand.
During samplings, be sure that all products are positioned with the logo facing the audience, with other branded material scattered throughout the display (just try not to overwhelm the customer). Perhaps you have signage or a tablecloth that displays your brand name and utilizes your colors.
Check out the Health Ade display below -- the reps have all of the products facing forward, a branded table cloth, and branded clothing. After seeing this display, consumers will easily associate the Health Ade anchor logo with the product!
Brand Name
Your brand name is also an essential feature of your product’s packaging. When you are talking to shoppers during a product sampling, be sure to point to your brand name on the label and say it often.
As people walk by, don’t ask them if they want to try your product -- ask if they want to try your brand. This means instead of saying, “would you like to try some ice cream?” you should say, “would you like to try some Ben and Jerry’s?” This makes it easier for the consumer to remember your product, and they will be more likely to pick out the Ben and Jerry’s ice cream over another brand next time they’re standing stumped in the freezer section of the grocery store.
Certifications
Any certifications your product has -- certified organic, vegan, GMO free, kosher -- should be a main talking point during samplings. Most products will have these certifications laid out somewhere on the label, so referencing them is easy if you ever forget.
Direct shoppers’ attention to the list of these on the package, and use your better judgement to pick a couple to really focus on. If you are doing a sampling at a farmer’s market, you may choose to highlight the certified organic or GMO free declarations. If you’re in a health food store, talk about how your product is certified vegan or gluten free.
Nutrition Facts
The nutrition facts can also be a surprisingly helpful part of product labels. While this may not be the case for every product, reps for healthier products and functional food and beverages should consider highlighting one or two things in the nutrition facts section to demonstrate that their product not only tastes good, it’s good for you too!
Say you are selling flavored sparkling water. Pointing to the fact your product has zero calories and sugars and comparing that to a soft drink explains to the consumer why they should choose your beverage over another when they’re craving a carbonated kick.
Tagline
“Just do it.”
“Follow your gut.”
“Red Bull gives you wings.”
Without saying much, your product’s tagline actually says a lot about your brand. It elicits an emotional response from the consumer, and will likely make them more curious about your brand.
Be sure to draw attention to the tagline by pointing it out on the product label and explaining what it means to your company. While the quality and taste of your product is obviously important, many shoppers will make a purchasing decision based on other factors such as company mission and brand values. Your tagline helps you convey these things to consumers and shows that it’s not just your product that is top notch -- it is your entire brand.
Mission Statement
Similar to your product’s tagline, your mission statement gives consumers an idea of what your brand stands for and what they can expect from your products. Mission statements provide you with a quick reference guide of talking points that you can use to your advantage throughout a sampling.
Not every package will have a mission statement on it, so if yours doesn’t, it could be helpful to have it printed on a sign or a sheet somewhere close by. If this isn’t an option for you, nail down your talking points ahead of time so you can easily convey your brand’s values to consumers while in the field.
All in all, product labels are like a convenient little guide for field reps when conducting samplings or demos. While reps should already know their brand inside and out, the ability to reference your product label can be a significant advantage when convincing consumers to become loyal customers. Using the product label to establish a visual memory in the mind of shoppers helps reps go beyond the taste and toss routine of samplings, and enables a more meaningful engagement between company and consumer.
