When November comes in Wisconsin the leaves continue to turn and Wisconsinites get excited for two things: hunting and the holiday season. The rich, comfort foods associated with both of these pinnacles offer prime opportunities to incorporate one or more of Wisconsin's many REAL dairy products. Reaching shoppers with in-store promotions is one way to encourage the use of REAL Wisconsin dairy products during the holiday season and throughout the year.

A promotion called "Ho Ho Ho Hunting" put on by the Richland County Dairy Leader Group (CDLG) has had huge success over the past 10 years. Each November, this group of dedicated dairy enthusiasts spends an evening at the local grocery store educating shoppers about Wisconsin dairy products. "Our event is so popular we've started working with two stores," says Annette Louis, Vice Chairperson of the Richland CDLG. "The stores need to bring in extra employees during our promotion because it gets very busy."

What has made Richland County's event a success for 10 years running?

Spreading the Word
Much of the budget allocated to the "Ho Ho Ho Hunting" campaign goes into advertising. A few hundred dollars are spent on the simple, yet effective advertising schedule that includes: a live remote radio broadcast, radio advertisements the week leading up to the event and print ads in local newspapers. Funding for the promotion comes from year-round fundraisers and the $3,500 stipend received from the WMMB. (Each of the 62 CDLG's in Wisconsin are eligible to receive $3,500 annually from the WMMB). "We do not solicit more funds from area farmers because they're already contributing," Louis says.

Fresh Baked Goods
Louis and other committee members bake recipes from the WMMB holiday brochure and offer them as samples during the promotion. As shoppers enjoy a sample, they're offered coupons for the dairy product ingredients as well as a holiday recipe brochure. In addition to the homemade holiday recipes, shoppers can also enjoy free cheese and crackers, Egg Nog and ice cream cones. As with any retail promotion, food draws a crowd.

Incentives
During the promotion, shoppers are encouraged to purchase dairy products with the "REAL" seal or "Pride. Our Secret Ingredient." logo. Members of the dairy committee actually search through carts filled with groceries in search of REAL Wisconsin dairy products. This gives them a chance to talk with customers and remind them that using REAL dairy products has many advantages. For every product purchased, the shopper receives a small gift from the group. "We look to WMMB's promotional catalog for erasers or pencils and other inexpensive gifts," Louis says. Shoppers who purchase 12 or more REAL dairy products receive a larger gift, also purchased from the WMMB promotional catalog.

Not only do customers receive gifts, they also receive great deals on their favorite products at the cash register. Coupons for various dairy products are offered. "We focus on the ingredients in our samples," Louis says. They also aim to introduce people to the wide variety of products available. "One year we had coupons for five different types of whipped butter," she recalls. In most cases, the store and dairy group have shared the cost of the coupons. Many times the store holds its own sale on key dairy products in conjunction with the promotion.

Measuring Success
"We've really opened people's eyes. We teach them to look for the REAL seal," Louis said as she recalled stories of shoppers buying imitation cheese, mistaking it for authentic Wisconsin Cheese.

Numbers don't lie – this promotion truly reaches the consumer. The group regularly gives away a few hundred dairy products to any shopper who mentions that they heard about the promotion through a print or radio ad. The number of dairy products sold roughly correlates with the small gifts given away. This regularly amounts to more than 400!

It's not too late to start! This fall, consider a retail dairy promotion in your area. Follow the steps laid out by Richland County and you'll be on your way to a successful event.

For more information about the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board's County Dairy Leader Groups or how you can get involved in promoting dairy in your local area, contact Becky Kronberg at 800-373-9662.