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Positioned Correctly at the Shelf and with the Trade

to carve out a level of uniqueness that communicates the product’s reason-for-being, justifies its price, and simulates trial. Plus ensures the trade understands the product proposition and prices the product accordingly.

Positioned and Placed Correctly

Develop the Product Positioning & Placement

From what consumers have told you, determine how to make the product stand out

Determine the unique product benefit (to the specific target audience).

Determine the main compelling reason why to buy.

Note: Much of the information here can be gleaned from the consumer testing and can confirm (or question) what the market research found. Use additional consumer testing to help determine positioning statements, features, advantages, and benefits that differentiate the product from competitive products and/or substitutes. IMPORTANT - only use one benefit and one reason to buy in the positioning statement. The product must compete on what it does better than any other product on the market. (Use the sales literature to list ALL of the benefits and reasons to buy.)

Documentation

Capture all benefits and reasons to buy product ¾ then prioritize according to consumer need and product differentiation.
Determine the main benefit to use in positioning statement and communications.
Create the positioning statement.
Decide rationale for positioning.

Determine shelf placement or menu placement (working with industry partner).

This step is designed as an isolated test within a relatively controlled environment (small number of retail or foodservice stores/units to help control product placement, shelf conditions, menu position, etc.). The reason for this test is to ensure that the consumer understand the product, agree to pay a certain price for it and that the placement (at store level and the channel) makes sense (i.e., “I would expect to find this product here”). Include variables such as placement, pricing, promotion, etc.

Develop options/rationale for placement.
- When placed, by whom, etc.
- Store/unit test, experienced people to review.
Confirm pricing and rationale (margins needed).
Develop measureable(s) to determine success of test. Answer the following question: This product was successful if…?

Documentation

Qualitative test results, if applicable.
Quantitative test results such as store sales, items per store/week, dollars per store/week, etc.
What is needed to sell this product – i.e. shelf life, type of packaging etc.
Review test results and determining factors of why or why not to move forward.

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