Building Sales

In a presentation prepared for Piggly Wiggly and Dick's Supermarkets store managers, Fresh Brands Chief Marketing Officer Michael Houser offers these four suggestions for building their Full Circle and organic sales:

• Offer customers a wide variety of products. "After initial trials in produce, meat and dairy, they will be looking for other natural and organic products."
  
  
• Use point-of-sale materials. "It is a must to educate your customers and let them know you carry an all-natural alternative."
  
  
• Use ads and displays to draw attention to the Full Circle and other natural and organic products.
  
  
• "Be patient. Don't expect natural/organic products to sell like top items. This is a niche program that is developed over time and [with] consumer education."

For stores that are uncertain about what natural and organic products to carry, Houser offers this simple advice: Ask your customers. "This is not rocket science. Just ask them what they like."

—C.G.