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The Why Before You Buy

July 12th, 2010 by Carolyn Parrs & Irv Weinberg, Mind Over Markets

http://www.markstivers.com

Our colleagues at Earthsense, a leading green marketing research company, have confirmed what we have been postulating for a longtime now. That purchase decisions continue to be more personal than planetary. In their article, Wendy and Megan wisely point out that you don’t stand before the frozen foods case and make your purchase decision based on the ice cap. You do it based on value, appeal, price and when it comes to food — taste, taste, taste. In their recent study, no matter what shade of green respondents were, taste came first. 

Food marketers take note. The taste proposition makes even more sense for green and organic food products because such a strong case can be made for pure, natural ingredients equating to superior taste. When it comes to food we are all Pavlovian. The sight of luscious foods and the aroma of good cooking actually make our mouths water. That’s something that should never be forgotten when you set out to market your food brands — organic or otherwise. Remember to paint emotional and memorable associations between your products and my taste buds.

Tell me how luscious organic veggies can be, fresh from the vine and unadulterated by chemicals and pesticides. Tell me that your organic berries are bursting with flavor and picked with care. Tell me how delicious your bread is when it’s made from organic wheat flour and taken fresh from the oven. Let me know that eggs from cageless, free range chickens are richer in taste than eggs that are laid in the dark in some factory farm. Those are some of the whys before the buys. And if you’re wise, you’ll remember what starts your stomach grumbling and your appetite increasing — and you’ll know what you need to tell me if you want to sell me.

What’s the why that makes you buy?