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How To Market Hand Made Tea Of High Quality?
Posted By: ajchamuah on 3/3/2005 12:42 AM (CST) 250 Points
I manufacture hand made orthodox tea and are of high quality but my vollume of production is low. I have access to local market but low capital. How can I improve my brand image?

Posted by: Papadoc (Steve)* Accepted Answer
3/3/2005 1:39 AM (CST)
Tell us more about your company. Where is it, what markets are you in and which are you trying to penetrate, and how long have you been in business?

You speak of improving your brand image. How would you define the brand image that you currently have? Do you currently have a website? What are your current distribution channels? Is your target the retail consumer or wholesale distributors?

What do you have in place now that you think is working and what is not working?

These are just some starting points that you need to give in order for anyone to point you in the right direction.
 
Posted by: Sanjeev Kumar Vyas Accepted Answer
3/3/2005 1:54 AM (CST)
Hi
Shardman has asked some valid questions. I would like to ask a few more.
You say currently your production is low. So are you able to exhaust all your production?
What are you expecting to happen once you improve your brand image? Do you want to exhaust all that you produce or do you want to sell the same amount at a premium price, or ...
Tell us more in order to help you.
Sanjeev Kumar Vyas
 
Posted by: KANDI* Accepted Answer
3/4/2005 5:18 AM (CST)
A relatively basic answer to your question.

What is your competitive edge? What are the advantages of hand made teas over existing over the counter offerings, including luxury teas from established brands?

Who is going to be interested in trying and or buying your teas? What unites them as a market segment? The taste? Are they perhaps foodies? Could they be opinion formers?

Where do they go to buy specialist food items or similar? How can you communicate with them?

A few off the top of the head ideas:

Any up-market restaurants which serve exotic or unusual foods – work with them to do an in restaurant promotion – a free tasting, a sample to take home for example

The same could apply to specialist food stores in your area.

Do local papers and magazines have a food column you could use, invite the journalist to a tasting, and look at the possibility of a reader offer.

Any cookery schools or clubs you can use, or any associated groups who have food or utensil type parties you could talk to and work with? (The old Tupperware party type of thing)

Tea is light, what about establishing mail order tea club?

Any of the above could become access points to get people to re-order directly.

A few ideas which I hope might get you going. And yes I noted the question was about brand image – the above should get people talking about and trying your brand of teas – and if the product delivers on the promise – see my first point – your brand image should immediately start to build – and I would suggest you have a very clear idea what you want that brand image to be and ensure it is clearly evident in all of your communications …..

Regards …. KS
 
Posted by: rob Accepted Answer
3/6/2005 9:30 AM (CST)
All the above info is very helpful and also pose some very important questions that need to be answered to help us help you even more.

And the most important point is that the tea itself has to deliver on your 'brand' promise. Meaning, that whatever you say about the quality of the tea (or feel) needs to come through as true when people speak about the tea.

You say you want to target the local market. How big is that market? How is it currently served or not, in your market segment? What current methods of distribution are you or your potential competition using and are they the most effective way of getting the prouduct to the consumer? Is there a way to get your product to key decision makers in the local market to help build your brand?

To add on to Kandi's list, how about a local hotel that may offer a daily tea? Possibly you could build a promotion with them to feature your tea and give away some to the people who were at tea that day?

Obviously the more we know about your local market the more specific our advice could be to help you. Anyhow, hope some of this has helped and best of luck. Feel free to contact me if you have anymore questions.

 
Posted by: sammykarij Accepted Answer
3/8/2005 2:59 AM (CST)
Get a good name for the tea. Print some distinctive labels but, preferably a good package. Have a standard process to ensure any batch will be as good as any other. Have standardized weights of the tea. This about the tea. This creates your brand identity.

Write a good copy about your tea highlighting the unique benefits of the tea. These have to be repeated again and again on your copy as well as on your packaging. This is about the awareness. Ensure you are visible everywhere your local target market can see you.

Hope this helps.
 
Posted by: ablereach* Accepted Answer
3/29/2005 1:44 AM (CST)
Ajchamuah, are you still out there?

There are people here standing in line to share ideas. :-)

I know of someone who owned a nice tea house here in the US. She traveled to where the tea was made and is now putting together an ecommerce site for mail order of tea - and we nearly had tea together today.

My way tends to be very hands-on and chatty. Others have information and ideas that are more rooted in business standards. Together we can offer you a lot. We're interested, or we would not have posted here! Come back and tell us more, please!

For instance, where are you, and what is an orthodox tea?
Have you been doing this very long?
 
Posted by: Jaded* Accepted Answer
4/10/2005 1:44 AM (CST)
Do you have any local tea shops? I would set up a tasting event at the tea shop to encourage people to try the tea (and a few influencers would be there as well). Another option might be to partner with a local book store, culinary store or other place to have a teaseminar or tea history lesson...and give your public a better idea about why you are special. Are there any local food magazines? Maybe you can research PR firms in your area who have contacts at one of those local food magazines or the "weekend" section of your paper. You can also aim to get a bit of exposure by following the other high-quality tea companies. Maybe look at Tazo's marketing or Numi Tea. If there is a local adult or culinary school, you could also offer a "tea tasting class."

Another partnership idea would be to find a local "influencer" type of restaurant that specializes in local dishes. Have them use your tea. Building up a collection of local cheps will help your campaign via the word of mouth advertising.
 
Posted by: prof.keller Accepted Answer
5/4/2005 10:11 PM (CST)
Three things.

1) Get your story (brand) buttoned up and named.
2) Design a great package and diplay.
3) Exceptional pitch book to pitch your product to retailers.

Here are some good examples.

http://www.capsule.us
 
Posted by: Shelley, MProfs Moderator Response
5/7/2005 8:17 AM (CST)
Everyone, thanks for participating. I am closing this question since it's gathered a considerable amount of dust.

Ajchamuah, please do NOT post questions here in the future unless you are willing to participate in the conversation AND close the question on a timely basis.
 


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