Part II

Last months Buxton Report discussed the steps you should take to make your case to retailers. The ultimate success of your presentation will be determined on how you devote your efforts to mastering the presentation before, during and after. This issue will focus on what you should do before the presentation.

Pre-Presentation

1. Due Diligence
You should supplement the retailer information provided by CommunityID with personal knowledge about the retailer. Take the opportunity to visit at least one of the retailers’ stores. Study its location, access and parking. Look at the merchandise and the store personnel. You will be equipped to better relate how your site, customers and community can surpass the company’s location requirements.

2. Determine the Decision-Making Process
Find out if you are dealing with an individual that can make the location decision or with an “evaluator” who takes your presentation and information to the decision makers.

3. Develop Support Materials
CommunityID will provide you with retail-specific information for your presentation. You may want to supplement it with relevant materials such as aerial photographs and community profiles. Excessive statistics and irrelevant information can damage, rather than help, your presentation.

4. Dry Run
Practice, practice and practice will give you the confidence to hit a home run.

More tips and best practice suggestions that will improve your chance of success will be in the next issues of The Buxton Report.