B2B Selling Advice
Selling to Italian Restaurants
Leading Italian restaurants appreciate the value of their buying dollars. The implementation of these techniques for selling to the Italian restaurant market will move you significantly closer to your sales goals.
In today's economy, Italian restaurants are looking for the best products at affordable price points.
Leveraging the strength of the market, entrepreneurs are knocking on the doors of the marketplace, anxious to collect their share of the profits. Competition can be tight, so new businesses have to be careful about the way they approach Italian restaurants.
Know the Competition
Companies who sell to Italian restaurants face a crowded and competitive marketplace.
Like it or not, there are many other businesses selling products that are similar to yours. Subsequently, Italian restaurants are regularly targeted for prospecting and tend to be very knowledgeable about their buying options.
By researching the competition, you gain the ability to differentiate your products and incorporate your unique product characteristics into your sales strategy. Although there are many ways to research your competitors, discussions with Italian restaurants themselves may be the best source of information.
Reaching Prospective Customers
Prospecting transforms contacts into qualified leads.
Networking can fine tunes prospecting performance and closing rates. However, it's important to make sure your sales force isn't so focused on adding names to their contact list that they miss the point of prospecting, i.e. the identification of likely buyers, key decision makers and high value industry contacts. In other words, the type of people you meet is just as important as the number of people you meet when prospecting for Italian restaurants.
Lead lists are useful because they narrow the field for your team. Third-party lists from reputable vendors (e.g. Experian Business Services) arm your sales force with good leads, making it easier for your company to balance the quantity and quality demands that are prerequisites for effective prospecting.
Networking Tips
The Italian restaurant industry is relationship-based. Businesses that sell in the industry leverage networking and contacts throughout 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 encourage networking strategies and proactively model relational sales techniques.
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