Now the trick is figuring out how<\/em> to get reactions\u00a0that are worth a darn. Most of us after trying a new food will say something like…<\/p>\n Do those responses help your business?<\/em> NO! You want reactions\u00a0like…<\/p>\n In the spirit of asking for feedback, we asked a couple colleagues for\u00a0suggestions on how\u00a0to get the right kind of product critique. First up,\u00a0Jeff Davis of SamplingLab<\/a> in Portland, Oregon. SamplingLab is a retail concept where consumers try new products for free in exchange for their feedback.<\/p>\n Who better to weigh in on this topic? Are we right?<\/em><\/p>\n “An\u00a0in-depth survey can help brands drill down to uncover taste preferences, package and label design, purchase intent, customer expectation, and even potential usage,” Jeff explained. “If a brand doesn\u2019t plan on changing a flavor profile based on feedback, they can find out how a consumer did use or plans to use a particular product, which could shed light on marketing and\/or social media strategies. It\u2019s also important to collect demographic data to understand how different age groups might feel about a particular product.”<\/p>\n “Stay away from vague, general questions like, ‘What do you like about this product?’ Instead, aim for specifics and use open-ended questions. For example, if you want feedback specifically on packaging, try asking, ‘What aspects of the product’s packaging stand out to you the most?’ This forces the respondent to offer more than a simple yes or no response.”<\/p>\n Here we are at the portion of the blog post that fits in with what we do here at The Condiment Marketing Co.: marketing! You do want to sell MORE, don’t you?<\/em><\/p>\n However you collect product critique, get permission to share the good bits in your marketing materials and website. Whenever possible, assign a name\/location to the written or video testimonial. This is social proof, people!<\/p>\n Just because people like the taste of your food product doesn’t mean it will fly off the shelves. Price, package, placement, and use all factor into purchasing. When you ask for food product feedback, go beyond taste<\/em>. \u00a0Ask questions that reveal whether or not the consumer would buy it\u00a0and if they would recommend it to friends.<\/p>\n How do you go about getting useful food product feedback?<\/em><\/p>\n\n
\n
Consider the Environment<\/h2>\n
![\"jeff-samplinglab\"](\"https:\/\/condimentmarketing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/jeff-samplinglab-150x150.jpg\")
<\/a>Jeff said supermarket sampling is tricky because most consumers sampling the product don’t want an uncomfortable dialogue (who blames them?!), so if they don’t like the product they may not be honest about it just to avoid the awkward conversation. At industry events, so many people are sampling a product that it’s difficult to engage with samplers at all. However, surveying someone, or a group of people, with a brief survey works well.<\/p>\nAvoid Open-Ended Questions<\/h2>\n
![\"molly-martin\"](\"https:\/\/condimentmarketing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/molly-martin.jpeg\")
<\/a>According to Molly Martin,\u00a0Senior Food & Booze Writer at\u00a0303 Magazine<\/a>, who has done her fair share of product\/food reviewing, the way you pose a question can affect the quality of the response.<\/p>\nStart with the End in Mind<\/h2>\n
Bonus Tip: Go Beyond Taste<\/h2>\n