Smart Sales Strategies for Niche Markets
Selling to General Stores
The problem with selling to general stores is that misguided efforts can threaten your entire plan for success. Product quality, price and customer service are all important considerations – so businesses that sell to general stores need to demand excellence from their team.
Selling is one of the hardest tasks you'll ever undertake. So it shouldn't come as a surprise that landing new customers in this industry is a daunting � but ultimately achievable business goal.
If your sales strategies lack horsepower, your entire revenue stream could be in jeopardy. Here are a few simple strategies you can count on to hit sales targets.
Networking Tips
The general store industry is relationship-based. Businesses that sell in the industry rely on industry contacts for leads and other aspects of the sales cycle.
Lead lists are helpful in expanding your network, but only if your sales force is willing to develop list contacts into long-term business relationships. As an owner or manager, you need to train your team in networking strategies and proactively model relational sales techniques.
Market Intelligence
Start with good market research, which is a prerequisite for profitability in this industry. High volume sales teams conduct thorough research on market demand, pricing and niche opportunities.
More importantly, they research and evaluate the specific general stores that they want to add to their customer roster.
Since relationships are an important part of the selling process, meetings with general stores leaders and their staff often form the backbone of the sales cycle. These meetings can also provide information that can improve your competitive position.
Effective Marketing Strategies
Many sales strategies begin with marketing, and the marketing strategies for general stores run the gamut.
Yet in this industry, marketing effectiveness is rooted in the ability to target key decision makers. From traditional marketing to cutting-edge Internet strategies, any initiative that fails to reach decision makers is a waste of time and resources.
In this high stakes game, you can't afford to rely on stale or inaccurate sales leads. Third-party lead lists may be the smartest choice for making sure your team is equipped with the most up-to-date information possible. If you don't currently use lead lists, you may want to consider Experian -- a third-party lead list vendor with a reputation for providing regularly updated and sorted general store leads.
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