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Yes, to grow and expand brand sales, you can increase the range of possibilities to increase sales. Increasing the number of situations your product is used in, can have a powerful effect on sales. Just how can you expand the range of situations in which people can use your product or service?

How do you pick a product to target for enhancement or replacement for your product? How can you advertise it? What should you focus on?

Comparing your product to other products within the category you want to enter, could increase usage of your original product. If your product is similar to what's in the other category, showing "differences" can make advertising more believable. If your product is different, emphasizing "similarities" can make the advertising more credible.

If and when you compare your own product with other products, you put forth certain attributes and traits. The key factor here is that you want your product be seen as different, but not way off base.

If your product is seen as too similar to what you're looking to replace or enhance, the consumer will might not see a need to switch products or services. If the product is seen as too unfamiliar, it might not be viewed as a reasonable alternative. Likeness counts for consumers to consider switching.... but draw out the differences, too! This could generate higher belief ratings and elements of importance.

As far as similar products go, the similarities are probably already in the consumer's mind. Advertising that shows differences can make those differences thought of, as expanding the list of attributes for your own product. It also works the other way too: since the differences are already there for dissimilar products. If you emphasize similarities, you should increase the list of attributes in the customers mind. This might increase belief in your advertising claim. If your product is very dissimilar to what you are looking to replace, make sure you have similarities you can accentuate.

Initially, I think that "Heinz 57 " used a slogan, "ketchup with a kick," just to position it as a ketchup "replacement" instead of a bonafide steak sauce. In my opinion, the probable intent was to emphasize that it tasted tangy, not like ordinary ketchup, maybe had more flavor, but it wouldn't tend to overpower the taste of meat.

Another contrast.......

Instead of focusing on why fresh fruit is healthier for you than chocolate cake, point out how fat and calorie loaded, the chocolate cake is. Or you could emphasize price, explaining how "over-priced" the cake is, compared to the cost of a couple of apples..

If you still don't think this theory works....remember the old baking soda ? Changing the marketing focus of baking soda. from being a baking product, to a multi-purpose, household necessity, expanded sales for multi-purpose usage. We can now brush out teeth with baking soda in our tooth paste. Think "multi-purpose."

It works...... think of a way to expand your offers and make this idea work for you, too!

Copyright ' Shannon Garrie 2004-2005