Inside out: pitching an innovative home product to national retailers.
In a world where homeowners/buyers are presented with seemingly infinite choices, it’s incredibly important to not only position your products well but ensure they are available to consumers in as many means as possible. In order to maximize the success of the domestic launch of its innovative water-proof surface, Wilsonart tapped Phire Group to assist in making a pitch to national retailers.
Following years of product development, in-depth research and testing, and notable success in European markets, Wilsonart unveiled the Wetwall Water-proof Wall Panel system to the US market at KBIS in 2019. In order to maximize the success of its launch in-market, Wilsonart pursued a pitch of the innovative product to multiple national retailers. In order to ensure the success of the pitch, Wilsonart’s marketing team and Phire Group developed a compelling brand position and detailed pitch decks.
By staying centered on the following guiding principles, the effort was ultimately a success. Wilsonart’s Wetwall products are now available in Menards stores across the Midwest.
Define in a Line
Whether browsing in a large warehouse retail center or online, consumers move quickly. With perhaps 3 or 4 seconds in front of a consumer initially, it’s crucial to share a high-level product story in a single line. How can you compel a consumer with one line of text? For Wetwall, we focused on the product’s key differentiating quality: it’s water-proof. With “The Ultimate Water-proof Surface,” the consumer can immediately make a connection—this may be the perfect product for their bathroom space.
Differentiate Concisely
In order to convince retailers that you have the perfect product for their stores, your value proposition must be clearly differentiated and succinct. Why should your product occupy valuable real estate on store shelves? How will it connect with consumers? For Wetwall, we focused on three consumer-friendly points of value:
- Beauty—trend-aware designs
- Durability—water-proof technology
- Ease—simple installation and maintenance
These value points led to success as they’re concise and easy to understand and they easily connect with people on a human level. Not only can Wetwall make your life easier, but it can also make your space beautiful.
Share a Visual Story
As the saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words. It’s important to utilize imagery to help form your narrative. As mentioned before, you may only have a consumer’s eye on your product for a few seconds—pairing an illustrative image with your defining line will help capture someone’s attention. For Wetwall, we utilized imagery to drive two value points home: the product is waterproof and its designs are inspired by nature. For instance, an image capturing fresh water-droplets on a vivid green leaf subconsciously connects these value points with the product.
Developing a high-value product is only part one of any local, regional, or nation-wide product launch. In order to achieve ultimate success, it’s mission-critical to embrace simplicity, differentiation, and visual storytelling.
Learn how we optimized the success of Wetwall’s roll-out at Menards with a focused media campaign here.
