These Seven Things Will Make Your Product More Saleable

No one wants their shop’s shelves stacked filled with unsold goods. And nobody wants to make stuff that people won’t buy. Whether they’re on the manufacturing or retail end of the trade line, business people are happy to have their inventories cleared by customers- especially if this means there’s good cash flowing into them in exchange. But more products and services are shunned by customers than those that get bought. When there’s a variety of things to choose from, we all seek the one that makes the greatest impression on our minds; the others stay on the display case, untouched. Some brands attract quite a lot of attention from the public; others just occupy a place in the fringes of people’s considerations. Many don’t even get looked at. And there are reasons for this. Here, we’ll be revealing how you can make your product or service more appealing to buyers. Have the following things in place, and customers will be seeking your offering like its hotcake.

1. Great packaging

The ‘wrap’ in which your product comes (whether it’s physical or conceptual) is the first point of interaction your customer will have with your product. It’s important that you get it right. Other factors held constant, we are likely to choose cookies packaged in shiny, attractively decorated boxes (suggesting there’s a sweet treat inside), then cookies wrapped in plain white polythene (indicating a boring, bland experience).

2. Public appeal

You may market your Tee shirts as the sort of clothing that young trend-conscious people wear, or sell your detergent as a big help for housewives.  A public appeal doesn’t come on a platter, so you’ll have to work for it. You need to portray your product as something that people, whether they’re of a particular demographic or the general public, will appreciate.

3. Problem solving

There’s no use trying to sell a thing if it doesn’t meet anyone’s need. If it solves a real-world problem, there’ll be demand for it, and it will get sold. The more need it meets, the greater it’s value to people. When it adds value to their lives, they’ll pay for it.

4. Novel and unique features

Consumers get excited about new features in the latest versions of products they’re familiar with. They can also be quite enthusiastic about new products that have novel characteristics. A good example is the frenzied anticipation that comes before the release of new smartphone models from certain well-known brands or application updates from software providers. While the reputation of the companies, behind these feverishly awaited products, feeds the massive sales that they record afterward, there’s no question that talk of new unique product ‘specs’ contributes to the huge demand as well. Uniqueness is key to creating a niche for your product that you can truly call your own. It could be about the designs on the clothes you make or the user experience on your eCommerce store; just be sure to make and push something more convincing than ‘the same old thing.’

5. Testimonials

Having someone say “I used it, and it worked wonderfully well” is probably as good a product promotion as you can get. This is why many businesses are keen on having testimonials from satisfied customers put up on their websites. It’s also a good idea to share positive comments about your service made on social media by people, who are happy with your brand. People, who see such complimentary posts are likely to take them as a sign that your offering is a good thing, and maybe worth trying out.

6. Advertisements

You may have a great product, but still, fail to sell much of it. One reason why this might happen, is that many people don’t even know that it exists. In a world where information overload is a real concern and attention spans are shortening, there’s little chance that you will be able to attract significant attention to your product without marketing it. While it’s probably more difficult to sell things these days than before, the very medium that has made selling more competitive has actually made it easier too. Social media is a great way to reach a large potential market for your wares. If you want to know how to get social media working for your business, read our article, How To Grow Your Customer Base Using Social Media.

7. Freebies

Gifts and discounts are good ways to get people to buy more. You don’t have to wait, until the major festive seasons to hand gifts out to customers. Consider running a bonanza, in which customers get one item free, when they purchase three, or something similar; or a special (even if small) gift for ‘sticking by you.’ Periodic discounts can also raise demand, especially for products with price-sensitive buyers (basic economics really). Everyone loves a good bargain; people are going to jump at the chance to buy things they consider valuable when they’re offered for a fraction of their original price. Just make sure you’ve done your maths, and ascertained that your price cuts will mean more money for you on the whole (and in the long run), not less.

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This article was first published on 5th December 2017

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