4 Ways to Earn Shopper Loyalty with Meal Solution Programs

June 7, 2017
Business Skills

Have you ever had a recipe demo or promotion fail? Maybe the dish did not turn out the way you planned, customers were not interested in the recipe, or, you had poor click through rates with your online promotion. Every retail dietitian has been there and knows the frustration well. Learn how you can make your recipes a success from the recipe experts at Campbell’s Test Kitchens:

1. Think Like Your Shopper: Think of everything you do from your target shopper’s perspective. When you get excited about a recipe or food trend, it can be tempting to want to share it with shoppers right away. But, this is not always the best strategy to drive loyalty. Even something as small as using too many ingredients can make a shopper feel alienated or unsure about the materials you provide. Remember that your shopper might not have the same culinary skills or taste preferences as you. Similar to nutrition counseling, you want to meet the consumer where they are, not where you want them to be. 
2. Define Your Recipe or Demo Strategy: People try recipes and buy products for many reasons. Have a clear strategy in mind for creating, modifying, or selecting new recipes. Some strategy considerations include identifying your target shopper for the promotion, determining meal occasion, customer cost constraints, food trends, and, of course, your nutrition message.
3. Test, Taste, and Repeat: Successful recipe promotions and meal solutions can drive customer loyalty and sales. Set your promotions up for success by testing and tasting them first. Recipes in professional test kitchens are tested a minimum of three times before publication, but this might not be feasible in the retail setting. Instead, try your recipes at home or during an associate event prior to showing it to customers. Remember to test and taste from your target shopper’s perspective. Follow this practice whether you create a recipe from scratch, modify an existing recipe, or select a recipe from online. 
4. Provide a Well Written Recipe: Your recipe cards should include preparation and cook times, ingredients, clear, simple instructions, and nutrition information. If you include a description at the top of your recipe, stay focused on the recipe itself and describe how the recipe helps the home cook. As dietitians, we may want to lead with a nutrition message, but taste and ease of preparation are often most important to shoppers. 

Looking for recipe inspiration? Visit www.campbellskitchen.com or www.campbellnutrition.com for nutritious recipe collections and creative ways to promote Campbell recipes with articles written by their corporate nutritionists.  Each recipe is triple tested (and tasted) by the experts in the Consumer Test Kitchen, so you can be sure your customers will love them. 

Recipe promotions and demos can be excellent tools to help you drive customer loyalty and sales. When you set your customers up for success in the kitchen, you build your store’s credibility as a reliable resource for meal solutions. Follow these tips to ensure your promotions run smoothly and meet your shoppers’ needs.