Forget Everything You Know About Sales

What takes a salesperson from good to GREAT?

The amount of deals they close? The amount of commission they take home? Or maybe their confidence in the sales room? Nope.

What makes a salesperson great is their ability to focus on helping their buyer find the best solution for their needs. Sales is about building trust and establishing a relationship - it’s not about making the most money possible.

When pitching to retailers, your brand needs to shift its focus from pushing products to SOLVING PROBLEMS. You’ll need to listen to your buyers, understand their needs, and provide value beyond a transaction.

In this newsletter, we’re going to go over how to TRULY succeed in sales and how to build LASTING relationships with retailers.

There are three rules to remember when in pursuit of going from a good salesperson to a GREAT salesperson:

Rule #1: It’s Not About You

Pitching your brand to retailers might seem like the perfect place to focus on your product features and SKUs but don't fall into that trap. Before you ever start talking about your brand, get to know the BUYER'S needs and goals. Answer the following questions so that your pitch showcases your brand as a SOLUTION that adds value to their goals.

• What’s trending in the industry?
• What's the retailer’s target audience?
• What is the retailers short/long term goals?

Rule #2: Turn that Frown Upside Down

As a salesperson in the CPG industry, you have to face constant objections and doubts about your brand. As a retailer, you have to listen to constant pitches with promises that aren't always fulfilled. So, what can we do to get around this barrier?

We'd suggest avoiding the topic as much as possible. KIDDING. Address anything the retailer may be defensive about HEAD ON.

Phrases like the ones below can break down the buyer's defenses and make your pitch more effective:

• "I know you’re probably thinking…"
• "I know I’m another _____ brand asking for the same thing…"
• "I know this category is competitive…"
• "I know you hear from a lot of sales representatives…"

Rule #3: ‘No’ is The New Black

... Check out our most recent article "Pitching to Retailers: How to Craft the Perfect Pitch" to read the rest!

We've gathered some of our industry experts here at Dirty Hands to leave you with a few extra tips to help you elevate your sales pitch EVEN MORE. These pros have a combined experience of almost 100 years in the industry - ranging from Whole Foods Market, UNFI, Founding a Brand, Selling a Brand, and more.

We are thrilled to announce that we have updated our website to provide an even better experience for brands.

Our New Features Include:

1. Articles that Dive Deeper into Industry Topics with Tips from Experts in Retail
2. Recordings of Past Webinars to View at Your Convenience,
3. Our Upcoming Events so you never miss an important date.
4. A Chat Box to Get Your Questions Answered Quickly
5. A Link to Our Sales Team's Calendar to Schedule a Consultation and Discuss your Needs in More Detail.

We are committed to providing the best possible service to our brand partners, and we believe these new website features are a big step forward in achieving that goal. Comment on this newsletter if you have anything else that you'd like to see on our new website or if you have any other feedback!