Sales and Marketing

If we are manufacturing an item to be sold by Supermarkets and Multiple Chain Stores in your country. For Example a Wal-Mart (USA) or Tesco (Europe).

The first point of contact should be to find out who the buyer is for the range of products you are going to produce. In some circumstances, there are also agents who sit in between the manufacturers and the Buyer, find out who these are, just telephone the Head Office.

OF course, you want to meet the buyer as soon as possible, I would suggest don’t go empty handed, many of these buyers meet people every day with grandiose ideas which never come to fruition. Once you have an initial design completed for the business plan, then the time is right. Take a sample or mock-up of your product, the outline plan of your proposed project and a couple of drawings, (in 3d if possible), to your first meeting.

If you are not confident of being able to answer technical questions, then take your consultant with you, he should be used to such meetings.

Present your product to the buyer and even ask for his or her involvement in the final design or the manufacturing process layout. These people see many factories and can often contribute to the final ergonomics and efficiency of the plant.

Next, the key item, ask for a letter of intent to purchase. Basically a letter saying that once you get going the buyer would buy from you providing the product was up to scratch. Don’t ask for volumes, as they will not normally commit to these details. The buyer will usually provide such a document. Keep in touch with the buyer; keep him or her informed of progress and any upgrades or changes.

Do not go to the buyer unless you have something to show your well on the way with your product. If the meeting goes badly it may be difficult to return to the buyer. You only get one chance,

Several letters of intent to purchase in your business plan can be very helpful to you request for finance, particularly if they are from brand name companies, it will benefit your Sales and Marketing and technical plan.

The second item, which may help, is to provide products before building your manufacturing facility. This entails going to present manufacturers and asking them to produce under license. You must provide specifications and all details of the product and expect to do very little more than to break even, but it does have the advantage of getting your product on the market and your name known. This is often done with food products.

The concentration on the multiple stores is worthwhile as many units can be sold to one client with the reduced sales and marketing effort.

I will be increasing articles about Sales and Marketing in the near future but being product specific it is difficult to generalize. Please contact me about particular cases.