Attracting new retailers to your community can provide numerous benefits, from increasing your tax base to reducing retail leakage by keeping shoppers in your community. But convincing retailers to open a location in your area is a difficult task that involves a lot of preparation. Here are five key things you need to remember when presenting your retail recruitment pitch.
1. Be a People Person
Connect with your retail contacts on a personal level. Be professional, but human, in order to stand out from the crowd of competing communities.
2. Research Your Audience and Show Them the Data
It's critical to have concrete data to back up your argument on why the retailer should open a store in your community. Numbers speak for themselves.
3. Be a Quick Thinker
Prepare for the meeting by practicing answers to questions the retailer may ask you. Having positive answers ready to go positions you for success.
4. Have the Ability to Adapt Your Retail Recruitment Process
Be flexible in your retail recruitment presentation, but don’t allow questions to sidetrack you from your main points.
5. Be Persistent but Professional
You may not be able to set up a meeting, or follow up meeting, on your first attempt. Keep trying, but don't be a pest. Be tactful and courteous.
The Bottom Line
You're the best advocate for your community, and while you may know in your heart that a brand would thrive in your area, a data-backed pitch is the best way to present a compelling case.
To learn more about the types of data and analytics that can help you put your best foot forward during retail recruitment pitches, check out our blog.