In today’s increasingly competitive market the provenance of a product is more important than ever in order to attract the conscious consumer who seeks out a genuine and compelling story, when they look for the detail around the product they seek.

Provenance is only part of the picture and a Made in Britain label on its own is not enough to guarantee sales. The communication between the brand and the consumer starts by building trust. Trust is the fundamental basis of relationships and yet often brands miss this simple step when choosing traditional forms of “sell sell” communication to their prospective consumer. Savvy consumers see through this old style of marketing and instead are connecting with new content rich and relevant brands who have clear identities and genuinely stand for something.

Other than essentials, when given a choice most purchases are made through an emotional connection, whether based on recommendation, association or some other link that signals a positive message to the brain. Creating an emotional connection with your customer should therefore be a driver in your business.

Where you manufacture and the ingredients you use, becomes applicable to this discussion. Telling your story well through great visuals and focused relevant content will help connect and thus retain the consumer in the long term.

During the seminar at Meet the Manufacturer, London 24^th May, I will explore this subject in more detail. Joan Johnston