Part I

Proactive attitude and professional sales skills are integral for marketing to retailers. However, understanding the retailers needs and buying motives are of primary importance for turning a pitch into a successful deal. The next Buxton Reports will include tips on Making Your Case, Pre-Presentation, The Actual Presentation, and Post Presentation.

The Pitch: Making Your Case

To successfully market your community to retailers, you have to identify and understand their needs.

The criterion in the site selection decision varies from retailer to retailer.
“U.S. Industry and Trade Outlook” provides insight into various competitive strategies:

The retail industry is one of the most competitive in the United States, which means retailers will continue competing in any way possible. For instance, some will pursue the strategy of providing better service, while others will try to make shopping more pleasant by investing in entertainment; some will invest heavily in new technology to try to reduce costs and pass on savings to consumers, while others may expand merchandise mix or develop a store-specific brand; some may consolidate or merge to have better service.

The selection of a retail site requires extensive decision making due to the number of variables considered. Store locations are costly, complex and there is little flexibility once a store is built.

Retailers select locations that are measurable, accessible and will generate a return on investment. Your job is to prove that a store in your community can not only meet these criteria but it will exceed them. CommunityID gives you the detailed information to make your case

Remember that executives are inundated with voicemails, e-mails and other contact attempts. Capturing your audience is one of the hardest parts of marketing to retailers. But persistence pays off. It is time that you begin to build the personal relationships necessary to make a location deal.

The ultimate success of your presentation will be determined on how you devote your efforts to mastering the presentation before, during and after. Some tips and best practice suggestions that will improve your chance of success will be in the next issues of The Buxton Report.