Saying the right thing to buyers
2012/06/21 6:00 AM
If you are like most entreprenettes, fear of calling buyers is pretty much at the top of your “tasks I hate doing” list. It can be very intimidating. There are a few things you can do to make sure you hit the high points and come across as a savvy business owner.The first thing to remember is that buyers want to know how your product will benefit their customer. This could be in how it makes their life better by solving some big problem, or it could mean that your jeans make their tushie look great.
Whichever it is, that is the point you want to get across when you say hello. I know how proud you are about creating your line, and how much effort it took, but honestly, the buyers just want the bottom line: The cost and how badly their customers need it.
All in all, you want to be yourself and feel real in conveying your excitement about your line. The more confident you are about your line, the more that comes across in your voice and the delivery of your message.
Here is a small tip that I gave my sales staff when cold calling a new store (that you don’t know much about) and they loved it:
Tell the shopkeeper that your friend just got back from (the city) and that they were in the store and thought your products would be a great match. Owners love hearing that people were in their store, and that someone recommended it to a friend. It strokes their ego and they usually agree to receiving an email or catalog from you.
Another great opening (when it’s true) is that you saw them in (blank) magazine. One foot in the door already!
Prepare your pitch, practice a lot, and then give it a try! Leave me a note here and let me know how it worked out for you.
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There are 4 comments
Laurelle Johnson says: So well said Sarah. The fear of approaching any new buyer, or new friend, goes away when you are prepared with your ‘pitch’. A well-spoken, even paced, enthused delivery will help get the message across: how great your product will be in that store.
How does one get to Carnegie Hall? Prepare prepare prepare.
Laurelle Johnson
Strategies for Growth
I know some people say, just start big. I absolutely disagree. If you start small and just grow steadily, you learn everything. I started asking small neighborhood boutiques, people I saw around town, to carry my line (yes, I was scared!) Some of them took and sold my products. I developed the courage to ask larger boutiques in NYC and am steadily receiving success. Now, I am preparing to bump it up again with a pr friend and 2 magazine friend contacts who offered to help me out. This was because they see my name around, my product around and see I am serious.
Be nice, work really hard, people will help you out, happily.
http://www.pippihepburn.etsy.com
http://www.pippihepburn.com
Thank you for this! I’m going to be cold calling a bunch of stores this coming month and love all the help I can get!
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I know, I know, it’s only June, but Holiday Gift Guide submissions are starting now…….so get on it sister, as it will end in July.
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