Many people say there’s no scarcity of anything. We have too many of all the things we need. That results in a surplus that needs to be repackaged into something new and interesting. Something consumers will want to buy. Consider water. If you think about it, bottled water sounds like a product that has no use existing. That’s most true if it’s sold in a place where tap water is perfectly safe to drink. But a bottle of water, even in a location that has no use for it, can still succeed as a business idea.
Yes, it’s all about marketing. Consider the following:
Zero in on the process of extraction
Water should have an origin. Consider your favorite superheroes. You appreciate them more if you know where they come from, how they came to be who they are. You want to be in on the sources of their power. The same applies to selling water. So more people will appreciate the idea, tell them how it was extracted.
Water might come from a natural spring, a natural or manmade water well, or a legendary lake. The important thing is it has a history. And there’s an engaging story behind how your specific water came into existence.
Focus on what’s in the water
Basically, water is made of hydrogen and oxygen. But selling your water that way is boring. Everyone already knows that fact. There’s no room for excitement. Make water exciting.
Maybe your water contains a Greek god’s tears. Now that will get people talking. And once they start talking, more and more will buy your water. However, you do not have to mislead to sell water.
You can be less fantastical and sell your water as a rich source of fluoride. It will make the drinker’s teeth healthy. Or a bottle packed with calcium, zinc, magnesium, and all the minerals essential to the overall maintenance of the human body. The key is to make your water special.
Convince consumers that your water tastes different
Water essentially tastes the same. Sure, there might be slight differences between the two water sources but in the end, there’s only one way to describe the taste of water. Tasteless. But that’s now how you want to describe your water.
Your water tastes sweet. Or clean. Never tasteless. Tasteless won’t encourage people to taste your water. They’ve had many tasteless drinks of water before. So if you want to set your water apart, have a water sommelier come up with adjectives to describe how your water feels in the mouth.
Brand like a pro
Having a water sommelier vouch for your water’s intricate taste is top-notch branding. It puts water in the same product realm as wine. It’s no longer superfluous. It’s become fancy.
Your fancy water should be packaged fancily too. So steer clear of plastic. Use glass. Mind the bottle’s shape. It should look sexy. Think Coca-Cola bottles without the baggage of diabetes.
As for your water’s name, come up with something simple but elegant and memorable. The goal is to have a name that’s attributable to drinking water without using the word, well, water.
Enlist the help of an influencer
These days you no longer have to pay millions for popular celebrities to hold your bottled water in their hand and feign satisfaction. You can enlist the help of a few influencers who have enough following to give your water the exposure it needs.
Just make sure you partner with influencers that mirror your water’s branding. If you’re marketing water as a health product, enlist influencers in the fitness sector. If you’re selling water as a status symbol, work with fashion and makeup influencers. If your water wants to zero in on active lifestyles, tap the help of travel influencers.
Water is water. Some might be less clean than others but that’s pretty much where the difference lies. Still, companies have succeeded in selling bottled water like it is some innovative product. That speaks of the power of marketing. And whether you are literally selling water or any other product for that matter, there’s something to learn from this. If marketing experts can sell water, you have the power to successfully sell your line of clothing, or your vegan hamburgers, or whatever product you wish to introduce to the market.
The first step is to believe in your water. You know in your head that your water’s pretty basic. But still, you are convinced in your heart that your water’s special. That will take you places.
