What New Uses and Adjustments Will Delight Users of Your Offerings?
A number of years ago, marketing managers for Jell-O were looking for a way to expand volume for the brand’s gelatin. The product was one of the most profitable food products ever, but volume growth was weak.
The marketers decided to visit gelatin purchasers in their kitchens to see what they used the product for. Undoubtedly, they expected to see moms and kids making bowls of gelatin like their own moms once made for them.
Not so in some kitchens. Here, inventive moms put highly concentrated gelatin into cookie cutter molds, and children played with this new form of the well-known food before eating it.
This investigation was the beginning of how the Jell-O Jigglers promotion was ultimately developed. These delightful edible toys made gelatin making and eating more attractive for moms and kids, and helped the company by encouraging a much higher use of their gelatin.
Companies that have active help lines and online bulletin boards often get similar ideas from those sources. Many businesses also hold customer councils of their largest and most advanced users to find ideas to improve what they offer. Seek out nontraditional users to find the most innovative opportunities.