When it comes to pitching your food brand to retail buyers, it can feel like a daunting maze full of traps and pitfalls. The good news is that people like Alli Ball of Allison Ball Consulting have lit some torches to shed light and help you get your product in front of customers.
The crucial starting point is that you have clearly defined your brand strategy. No surprise here that Alli and I agree this is a critical step. With a clearly defined brand as your foundation, you can articulate the ideal customer for your brand, which in turn helps you narrow down the retail buyers you should meet with.
Before even thinking about reaching out to a buyer, it’s important to do your homework. Know the retailer’s strategy (at least as far as it’s publicly available or what you can gather through their website, social media, any articles, etc). Who is their ideal customer – does it overlap with yours? Remember that getting on the shelf is only the first step. If your product is not a good fit and it doesn’t have sufficient velocity numbers to stay on shelf, you’ve created unnecessary headaches for yourself when you could have identified better retail partners from the start.
With that step taken you’ve already drastically reduced the guesswork and hassle of pitching your brand to buyers who aren’t right for your product and it’s time to start reaching out for meetings.
Sneak peak from this podcast episode…never just show up hoping to get a meeting, treat the meeting not as a pitch but as a conversation and always, always have your product ready to sample at a buyer meeting including spoons, plates, etc. — everything needed for the buyer to try it right then and there if he or she is inclined to do so. The feedback you can get on the spot can be invaluable. There are so many more great tips in the podcast. Alli is a treasure-trove of knowledge when it comes to getting inside the buyer’s brain.
By following the tips laid out by Allison, you will be well on your way to securing placement for your natural food products!
In This Episode:
- Why it is crucial to have a clearly defined brand
- How to approach a retail buyer for a meeting
- Why you should never “swing by” to catch a buyer for an impromptu meeting
- How to “pitch” your brand at a buyer meeting (hint: it’s a conversation not just a pitch)
- How to follow up after a successful meeting
Quotes:
“When a buyer assesses your product, they’re really assessing whether or not your brand works with their audience.” — @AllisonBallConsulting
“As a business owner, you have to figure out what retail setting works for your brand.” — @AllisonBallConsulting
“Remember that you are your brand.” — @AllisonBallConsulting
“Buyers are driven by sales. The more you can give hard numbers about how you will increase total sales in your category, the more buyers will be excited about your product.” — @AllisonBallConsulting
Resources:
- Retail Ready
- Allison’s four things to know before pitching to retail buyers (free download)
- Creating Effective Sell Sheets (downloadable program)
- Katie on Linkedin
- Real Food Brands Marketing Roundtable
