Successfully selling your community to retailers requires vision, solid preparation and persistence. In an updated recording of our often-requested webinar “Selling Your Community to Retailers,” Buxton’s city government team shares eight best practices for success.
- Plan for success
Successfully recruiting retailers requires a solid plan. Before you start cold-calling, determine the vision for retail in your community, set realistic goals, and establish ownership for the efforts.
- Educate yourself on site selection criteria
Learn what criteria retailers use to evaluate potential sites so you can speak knowledgably about factors such as the number of potential customers in the trade area, site accessibility, and location costs.
- Remove barriers to entry
Don’t wait until a retailer is interested to prepare suitable sites for development or determine policies. Establish what you will and will not allow and assemble potential sites.
- Prepare your marketing messages
Your marketing messages should be retail specific. They should sell your drive-time trade area, communicate information about your customer base and market conditions, and highlight how your market is similar to the retailer’s existing markets.
- Be proactive in your outreach
With a solid plan in place, it’s time to be proactive in your outreach efforts to retailers. Partner with the private sector, develop relationships and networks, and be diligent in your efforts.
- Deliver an effective presentation
When delivering your initial pitch, remember that the goal is to prove that a store in your community is viable. Do your research, be enthusiastic, and focus on building the relationship so you can continue the conversation.
- Be pleasantly persistent
Change takes time and the site location decision cycle is lengthy. Don’t be discouraged if progress is slow and remain pleasantly persistent.
- Celebrate the small wins along the way
It’s important to celebrate the small wins in the process because they provide valuable momentum. But don’t celebrate one win forever; remain focused on the next small win and your long-term goals.
To learn more about these eight best practices for selling your community to retailers, watch our on-demand webinar.