Poultry is one of the fastest growing segments of the agricultural sector in India today. Over the last few decades, Poultry Farming has transformed into Poultry Industry. Like any other business, this business produce also needs marketing efforts to take the products to the right buyer in a right manner which suits to the changing lifestyle. Branding is a tool for improving marketability of Poultry produce. Many commodities like wheat flour, edible oil and milk are now transformed into the brands. The milk is a classical example of commodity which came over the challenge of perishability, sourcing, storage, supply chain and has produced various brands of dairy products. The branding made the milk business profitable.
Chicken is now entering the refrigerator of consumers. Though the pace of entry is slower. Consumers have some perceptions about the brands when they think of consuming chicken or eggs. But the options are very few mostly limited by location. That’s where the opportunity for the poultry sector exists.
Branding for Poultry industry
Branding is a moving target and evolves with the behaviour of consumers. There is no immediate need of the mass market for packed or branded chicken or eggs. Branded shops will succeed, rather than branding the product. The branded shops can sell unpacked products which will be replaced gradually by customized products, then packaged and branded products. An arrival of branded shops was predicted in the year 2013 by Mr. B. Soundararajan, Suguna Holdings, though his interview published by The Hindu. Consumers in some cities are now witnessing few branded chicken shops and even the supermarkets have started to allocate a corner for the meat & fish.
This is the beginning of evolution which demands enrolment of loyal consumers to the chicken and eggs produced in the farms. Consumers are interested to listen the story behind the brand. They get connected if they like the culture of brand along with the quality of product. Many brands are going to enter in chicken and egg consumer business. The one who connects well with the consumer, will evolve as a brand in future. Expansion of the good brands becomes easier due to the interest of consumers and investors.
Enrolling the chicken consumers to your fan club
The process of branding can start with small scale and grow to the global level. Many brands had humble beginning and grew big. Successful brand is the one for which the processor knows the art of telling and making the consumers to experience their story. Below are six effective behaviours to consider while making a brand story:
Share the story about chicken
Tell your consumers the story about your chicken. Consumers are curious to know where the chicken has grown up and how is it reaching to them. Give them interesting stories linked to your origin and values to spread around. The local media waits for the stories at no cost. Find them and feed with the interesting story about your chicken. Harvard Business Review states, 64% of consumers refer to shared values as the primary reason they have a relationship with a brand.
Consumers want a reason to buy your brand
We see many brands around holding a special place in our mind. They become special by communicating their place of origin, size, added value, taste, colours etc. Such brands have differentiated themselves and having a long-term place in the consumers’ mind. Consumers know the reason for existence of their favourite brand. Find any unique ingredient in your chicken or services to make your brand dearest. The uniqueness of your brand would bring more customers.
Appreciate your consumer
The consumer deserves an appreciation for choosing you. Happy consumer gives you a complement and unhappy consumer gives a reason to improve. Both will visit again because you have appreciated them. Create a feedback mechanism and display some testimonies to encourage more buyers to give you a feedback. Always remember, the consumers observe the chopping board keenly than a chopping boy at your chicken shop. The Cube, world’s most advanced and future-proof delivery platform says, 52% of consumers expect brands to know when the right moments are to communicate. Find out those right moments of interaction.
Appeal to emotions
The consumers buy the commodities on the price. But the brands are built upon emotions. Status, reassurance, convenience, pleasure, memories, pride and there are many other emotions which can be linked with the brands around us. Harvard Business Review (HBR) has published 300 emotional motivators to buy the products. It is very important to discover the emotion linked to your chicken brand . The emotional bond helps the consumer to remember and revisit your brand. Top most emotion ranked by the HBR is ‘Standing out from the crowd’. Yes, consumers buy the brands to ‘stand out from the crowd’, that means they are ready to pay more to keep this emotion alive.
Distinctive touch in the brands own style
Digital world opens the great realm of possibilities to recognize your consumer as soon as he re-enters your shop. They love it when you already know their preferences and call them by their name. They also like if you remind them for the purchase by knowing their pattern of buying. Keep inviting them with personal offers and communication. Define your own style of communication and get the approval of your consumer if required. 48% of consumers expect brands to know them and help them discover new products or services that fit their needs, says The Cube.
Be an active member of the community
According to Pam Moore who is social media expert, on an average, 5 to 7 brand impressions are necessary before someone will remember your brand. Please respond to the customers invitations and be present there as a brand. Look for such opportunities and keep some options available to make your brands presence to various occasions. Also, invite your consumers to some occasions. Make your calendar and plan the activities with personal invitations to your consumers. The co-branding is clever way of expanding the community of loyal consumers. Suggest some good restaurants in the city who serve the delicious recipes made with your chicken.
The translation of complex poultry farming to simple language can create many interesting stories for the consumers. Thanks to the big Indian forums like CLFMA and Knowledge Day for showcasing the budding brands of chicken and fish. The story about the new brand of Chicken now available in Indian market is very inspiring for the poultry community.
The principles of branding are powerful and equally relevant to poultry industry as they are relevant to any other consumers business. Following these principles can make the consumer your brand advocate, a step ahead to brand loyalty.
by Vinayak Surve and Vrajesh Jha, Natural Remedies
