Why Category Entry Points are important to business growth

If you ever want to be top of mind, you need to understand your customers and buyers. By understanding their Category Entry Points, you will open more doors into your customer’s mind.

According to Forrester, up to 90% of a buyer’s journey is complete before they start reaching out to a business. How do companies ensure they’re in this journey and how have they locked in the buyer prior to purchase? Brand awareness is key, and 84% of CMOs agree*. However, just seeing a social media or display ad isn’t enough.

Coca-Cola has been associated with Christmas since 1931 when they created the oil painting of Santa drinking a bottle of their product. It’s the reason why Santa’s suit is portrayed as red. In the past, nobody would have connected drinking a Coke with your Christmas dinner, but they’ve managed to achieve this. In fact, it’s not just Christmas - Coca-Cola makes us think we need a can on several occasions throughout the day: when it’s a hot, when you’re eating your fries, lunchtime or when you are out with your family.

These are the Category Entry Points for buying Coca-Cola. They have thought of all possible points and identified the right ones that fit with the brand. Associating brand linkage with Category Entry Points drives growth - the more a brand has, the more successful it becomes. The proof? In 2022, Coca Cola’s market share in the US was 46% vs Pepsi 24%**.

Category Entry Points work in a B2B world, you just have to find the right occasions to use them. You need to talk to your customers and buyers and ask them :

1. When does your audience buy your product (winter, Summer, morning, the end of the financial year)?

2. Where are they when they think of or buy your product (working from home, in the office, travelling)?

3. Whom are they buying it for (their board approval, their manager)?

4. What other products are they used with (as part of software bundles, or Tech upgrades)?

By talking to your potential buyers and understanding their Category Entry Points, you will have identified more brand entry possibilities, and more importantly, opened their minds to your Brand.

References

*Content Marketing Institute

**Statista