Marketing Procurement

Cut Through the RFP Point of Purchase Display Clutter

On Brand

A Point of Purchase (POP) display is an important part of an omnichannel marketing strategy. It is often the only interaction a customer has with your brand. As a result, a display must align with your overall marketing objectives.

By Garrison Brooks

You sent out a request for proposal (RFP) for a point of purchase (POP) display. Your trusty supplier base responds with enthusiasm. Before you know it, you have a ton of ideas in your inbox. Now the real work begins. How do you sift through all the concepts to find a solution that is ideal for your brand?

Below is a four-step process to cut through the clutter and confidently determine the POP display that best exemplifies your brand.

Step 1) Meet functional needs first.  

How do you separate average display ideas from ones that will generate positive exposure for your brand and drive revenue? The easiest way to narrow down hundreds of POP display ideas is to start by eliminating the designs that do not meet functional needs.

Functional needs include all of the physical features associated with packaging, shipping and displaying products. In-store displays are not meant to just be eye-catching. They also have to functionally perform.

Does the design solve a specific challenge you are trying to address? You might need really over-the-top designs for a seasonal promotion, or you might need a semi-permanent durable option that can be updated throughout the year. Displays must also be engineered to support heavy or unusually shaped products.

Eliminate displays that do not support your product’s shape, weight and size, fail to display the proper capacity of product, or offer little product protection during shipping. Make sure displays pass rigorous failure testing. Designs should also be easy to assemble, but still work even if they are not properly assembled.

Step 2) Design for the customer. 

First and foremost, a POP display is of no value if it does not meet the needs and desires of customers. Understanding customer needs starts by defining your target market. Who do you want to interact with the display? What do those customers want to feel when they interact with the product? What information do customers want to know that will address their desires?

Cross out any displays that are generic or do not speak to a specific audience. Engaging displays make the customer the hero of the story. Good designs build a connection with customers and elicit specific emotions. Customers also desire displays that provide experiences, while also providing necessary information about a product.

Eliminate designs that are not easy to shop. Look for designs with clear messaging, a call to action and a visual  hierarchy that draws customers in from far away and then provides simple messaging up close.

Step 3) Align with marketing objectives. 

A POP display is an important part of an omnichannel marketing strategy. It is often the only interaction a customer has with your brand. As a result, a display must align with your overall marketing objectives.

Are you rebranding an existing product? Are you trying to build brand loyalty? Do you want to increase short-term sales with a promotion? Is the main objective new customer acquisition? Are you launching a new product? Your final POP display design should directly support your objectives. Likely only a few designs will truly meet your marketing objectives.

Eliminate any displays that do not align with your brand or fail to follow your brand guidelines. Reject any displays that do not reflect the quality of your product. A display should be a continuation of your brand story and support your omnichannel marketing efforts. It should demonstrate an understanding of brand psychology.

Step 4) Meet retail requirements.

The final deciding factor is whether a display meets retail requirements. A display may look impressive, but it will never make it to market if it does not meet a retailer’s visual merchandising guidelines. Some retailers are more strict than others when it comes to what displays are allowed.

Review the specific guidelines of the retailer you want to work with and see if a design meets the technical guidelines of the retailers. Do the retailers prefer adjustable footprints that can be resized as a product sells out or would they rather a permanent display in their store? Do the retailers prefer displays that blend in with the store environment or stand out?

After going through these questions, you will likely have a handful of POP display designs that pass the test. Use these questions any time you have to sift through hundreds of POP display designs and you will be able to quickly cut through the clutter and find a POP display that truly meets your needs.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Garrison Brooks is the creative sales director for Peachtree Packaging & Display and has more than 20 years of experience on a range of creative projects from retail endcaps, freestanding displays and signage to environments, advertising, branding, web and product design. www.peachtreepackaging.com.