Selling to an Industry
Selling to Cake and Pie Shops
There's no question that cake and pie shops are major players in a growth industry -- and that makes them attractive to entrepreneurs who want to improve bottomline profits. The implementation of these techniques for selling to the cake and pie shop market will help you start achieving your sales objectives.
Initiative and perseverance are excellent personality traits for sales professionals. But selling to cake and pie shops requires more than a desire to succeed.
Starting this business is a piece of cake ... if you follow our advice.
These days, initiative and strategy are two things that never go out of style � especially for companies that sell to cake and pie shops.
Hiring Staff
Your sales team is your most valuable sales asset. A first-rate sales strategy is ineffective if your sales team lacks the expertise and resources to perform at the highest levels.
Most cake and pie shops appreciate the value of sales professionals who are informed and prepared. When a customer has a problem with an order, they typically reach out to their sales contact so it's imperative for your team to be trained in techniques for service after the sale.
Tips for Selling to Cake & Pie Shops
Businesses that sell to cake and pie shops rely on accurate information about their prospects, their products and their competition.
Successful sales strategies emphasize data collection routines and are adept at using that information as a tool for converting prospects to satisfied customers.
Reaching Prospective Customers
Prospecting turns names into promising leads.
Networking can fine tunes prospecting performance and conversion ratios. However, it's important to make sure your sales force isn't so focused on conversation that they miss the point of prospecting, i.e. the identification of likely buyers, key decision makers and high value industry contacts. In other words, the type of people you meet is just as important as the number of people you meet when prospecting for cake and pie shops.
Lead lists are useful because they narrow the field for your team. Third-party lists from reputable vendors (e.g. Experian Business Services) arm your sales force with good leads, making it easier for your company to balance the quantity and quality demands that are prerequisites for effective prospecting.
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