If you are serious about creating a consumer-driven potato category, consider educational point-of-sale signage at the potato table-they sell more potatoes! Point-of-sale signage acts as the sales person you, and retailers, can't afford to hire and has proven to increase sales if you focus on one or all of three key messages:
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Nutrition: In a focus group of over 2,500 consumers who were shown a potato nutrition label, all admitted they were unaware a medium-size potato has only 110 calories; with 620 milligrams, the potato has more potassium than a banana (400 milligrams); is rich in vitamin C; has no fat and no cholesterol. Even those consumers who stated they are trying to eat fewer potatoes said they would consider adding them back to their diet now that they understand the nutrition info.
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Convenience: Potatoes can fit a busy lifestyle, but consumers need tips, recipes and innovative products to show them the way. Use signage to call out new, innovative or time-saving potato products. Also, consider in-store demos when introducing any new item with a value-added feature.
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Variety: Consumers have an increased interest in cooking shows, recipe magazines and bringing the restaurant experience home. They are seeing recipes with new potato varieties they can't find at their store or new varieties are offered that consumers aren't sure how to use.
Each year, the United States Potato Board (USPB) creates these types of tools to assist you in connecting with consumers, while leveraging the latest information from our consumer research. So, what's new this year?
In an on-going effort to keep our message in front of consumers, the "Potatoes.Goodness Unearthed" campaign image and message have been incorporated into many point-of-sale pieces, and the designs are available for industry use. Developed pieces are standard-size for the lowest print cost and increased up-take at retail. Point-of-sale pieces include:
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A standard 8 1/2-inch by 11-inch tri-fold brochure. This brochure contains nutrition messaging, healthy tips and three recipes that help consumers enjoy potatoes in new and different ways.
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An 11-inch wide by 7-inch high point-of-sale sign that hooks the consumer by leveraging the look and feel of the print ad image that has been in leading women's publications since September 2008.
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A 22-inch wide by 28-inch high poster-sized sign incorporating the print ad image and nutrition message on one side, with variety information on the other side. This sign also has space to add on a brochure pocket and offer the brochure listed above as a take-away for consumers.
Now that you know about these tools, what should you do to get them? Contact Carroll Graham at carrollg@uspotatoes.com or by calling the USPB office at (303) 369-7783 for print-ready files. If you have other ideas in mind than the tools listed here, contact Carroll to find out what tools and info are available.