Have you ever sat in a restaurant, undecided what to order, when a waiter walks by with smoking hot, sizzling fajitas for another table?
It's a little bit like in the movie “When Harry met Sally” and the clever reaction from a diner who quips, “I'll have what she's having.”
It's hard not to, right? If you've ever reacted the same way, then you have purchased on an age-old sales philosophy — sell the sizzle, not the steak. It's simple marketing, appealing to customers' senses.
Boy, does it work.
That's why I'm a big advocate for getting more active sampling demonstrations into the produce aisle. It seems that whatever retail grocer you shop on a weekend, you see demos pop up. Usually they set up shop in the meat department. The smell of spicy sausages (for one example) fills the air and draws customers from all over the store.
I think produce managers should arrange for the same kind of demo.the tastiest vegetables but can offer cooking pointers as well.
It doesn't really matter what item you select. As long as the item matches the multisensory action, you're bound to succeed. Sauteed napa cabbage or bok choy sells customers on stir fry. Perhaps do the same with fresh green beans or asparagus.
To borrow yet another movie line, “If you build it, they will come.”
Customers will be drawn in, they will sample and many (desperately searching for something different to prepare for dinner) will indeed buy.
It's all in the planning. Now is a good time to meet with your store manager and negotiate a summer demo schedule so that team can spend equal time in the produce department. Once established, try to tie in some of whatever is on ad for that particular week. Alternatively, set up an item that is a good value but is also a high-gross profit item, too.
Don't you love a steamed artichoke with leaves dipped in dressing or drawn butter? You'd be surprised how many of your customers have never tried an artichoke. The demo clerk can not only turn them on to one of the tastiest vegetables but can offer cooking pointers as well.
You can turn a two-case a day item into a 20-case day if you plan it out with a big display and a dedicated demo effort.
By staying ahead of the demo schedule a couple of weeks, you can decide what items will pair well with different weeks, or different events.
With hundreds of produce stock-keeping units in the average produce department, you should never be at a loss for something to demo.
It's one thing to simply display items and hope for sales. But once you sell ‘em the sizzle, you can win a customer for life.
Armand Lobato works for the Idaho Potato Commission. His 40 years' experience in the produce business span a range of foodservice and retail positions. E-mail [email protected].