If you think all of your marketing has to be niche-oriented and targeted, you’re in for a surprise. See why canned marketing can be good.
Nutritionists generally advise us that, when it comes to vegetables, fresh is best. And when you can’t have fresh vegetables, frozen beats out canned.
But that doesn’t necessarily mean that all canned vegetables are bad.
The truth is, EatingWell, a healthy-eating publisher, examined the nutritional and taste value of vegetables in their various forms in the article, “Fresh vs. Canned vs. Frozen: Which is Better?” In its look at six different foods, EatingWell ranked the canned version of a food “as-good-as” and “better-than” its fresh counterparts in two categories: tomatoes and salmon.
Why? As EatingWell pointed out, eating a tomato in February is a far different experience from eating one in July. Canned tomatoes, however, offer a consistently good flavor year-round. Plus, the heating portion of the canning process releases lycopene in tomatoes, which may help prevent prostate and breast cancer.
The other canned winner? Although the writers admit that nothing beats a fresh fillet for presentation, canned salmon beats fresh on price, offers a long shelf life, and comes already cooked and ready to use.
Sometimes canned food wins.
The same can be said of “canned,” or generic marketing. While most marketing professionals will tell you that targeted marketing is the only way to go, savvy marketers know that “one size fits all” marketing still has a place in your strategy.
First case in point. Consider this: you know that members of one particular market segment use your products or services, but you don’t doubt for a second that folks in other segments would benefit, too. You’re just not sure who, exactly, they are. Casting a wider net with your marketing helps you catch—and more importantly, identify—those other fish.
Now consider your location. While you may cater to customers across town, across the state, or across the country, marketing to your local community—the “ideal” customers and the “not sures”—you appeal to the nature of people who like to support their local businesses.
“One size fits all” isn’t always a bad thing. Like mom used to say about new vegetables, “you’ll never know if you like it until you try it.”
