Getting your product on the shelves of independent grocery stores takes more than a little pitch here and there. You have to prove that your products are worth their presence on the shelves of these retailing giants.
Here are five practical tips to foster your sales to an independent grocery retailer:
Build Your Social Media Presence
Your brand reputation is essential to independent retailers, and there are few ways better than a good social presence when it comes to building a brand. Therefore, you have to keep your social media strategy updated. Your online presence is a good negotiating point when brokering shelf space at independent grocery retailers.
A good social media manager and the use of influencers are two great ways to get the word around on your brand. They tend to create even better awareness than other paid ads. Sam’s Club and Walgreens are some of the brands optimizing this option.
Attend Trade Shows
Getting independent store buyers to notice your product may be difficult, and cold calling them without any previous connection can be a turnoff most times. Fortunately, trade shows and expos are available to attend.
Trade shows and expos offer you the chance to subtly pitch your products and establish connections. These places are where you can make meaningful connections.
However, some trade shows can be costly to attend due to travel and accommodation costs. So, before attending one of these meetings, crosscheck the names of previous attendees, ensure that your goals align and that the prospects outweigh the costs.
Start With Local Grocery Stores and Distributors
It’s inadvisable to attempt to go nationwide or even statewide at the initial stages of your company. You must localize and expand your empire from there. It is recommended to put together a list of grocery stores close to you and their owner or buyer’s contact details. Contact the store to know how to apply for shelf space if there are no clear steps to follow.
Having records from local stores to present will prove to the store buyers that your product has potential.
You mustn’t be discouraged if you don’t get a response immediately. It is recommended to follow up leads for 14 days after your first contact to see what happens. Should you get no response after these efforts, your product may not be needed at that time.
Include Samples in Follow-up
Contacting prospects and maintaining a healthy relationship with them will improve your image before retailers. If you can, request for insights on what they want when shelving their store. Should you have the opportunity to meet distributors, you must have samples to present so they can ascertain if your products are of the right quality.
You may suggest that the store tests the market with a small order. Give them good discounts on this set of cases, as it may be the intro you’ve been searching for.
If the market accepts the product, you can work out a reasonable contract with the store. If the market turns it down, you would have an idea of what to do right. However, you can’t judge the market according to the first batch of orders, as the product is still relatively new to consumers. Ensure that you and the store owners discuss this aspect before any exchange of goods.
Pitch Correctly
Pitching has to be done correctly. If you don’t know how to prepare a good pitch, do research and spend time practicing the delivery. However, if you’re still unsure of yourself, hire a broker to handle the pitching. Brokers have more experience and tend to be more successful with pitches.