Selling to Businesses
Selling to Raw Bars
These days, unpredictability is the only constant for raw bars. Here is the information you need to get started selling to this market.
Overcoming the barriers of selling to raw bars can require complex sales and marketing strategies.
Don't be intimidated by the speed of the marketplace. Although speed is important, sales fundamentals and logical strategies will make the biggest difference in the success or failure of your selling efforts.
Sales & Marketing Tips
Some B2B raw bar suppliers opt for third-party marketing over internal marketing activities. Either way, your marketing strategy should leverage a multichannel approach that appreciates the multiple ways raw bar owners access information. Traditional channels like direct mail and telemarketing have value, but they should be combined with online strategies like e-mail campaigns, website SEO and social networking initiatives.
Top B2B sales teams routinely use reliable lead generation mechanisms. Leads drive sales cycles. Until your company develops a system for acquiring and qualifying raw bar leads, it will be difficult to capture a meaningful share of the market.
If your sales force is falling flat when it comes to leads, consider buying updated lead lists from a recognized lead list provider. Experian and other vendors have a reputation for delivering accurate and affordable raw bar lead lists to B2B sellers.
Casting a Broad Net
The first step in selling to raw bars is to take a broad approach to the marketplace. Strategies that focus exclusively on the local market are not likely to succeed in an environment that leverages the benefits of long-distance sales techniques.
Although a geographic concentration may be a useful strategy for new sellers, you will eventually need to increase your bandwidth to include prospects outside of your initial range. You can also broaden your prospect base by expanding your product line or by creating strategic partnerships with suppliers of complementary goods.
Sales Incentives
Whenever possible, you want your sales force to be self-motivated to perform at a high level. But to encourage constant improvement, consider offering sales incentives to sales reps that exceed raw bar sales targets.
Incentives don't have to be cost-prohibitive -- sometimes just recognizing an employee's worth to the organization is more valuable than an expensive incentive that lacks recognition or prestige.
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