Niche Market Sales Tips

Selling to Buffet Restaurants

The problem with selling to buffet restaurants is that misguided efforts can threaten your entire plan for success. If you're tired of sitting on the sidelines, maybe it's time to start selling to buffet restaurants.

Getting your foot in the door with buffet restaurants can require complex sales and marketing strategies.

Buffet Restaurant

Leveraging the strength of the market, entrepreneurs are knocking on the doors of the marketplace, anxious to collect their share of the profits. Competition is fierce, so new businesses need to be intentional about the way they approach buffet restaurants.

Customer Profiles

Emerging sellers in the buffet restaurant market are advised to create customer profiles before they invest in a specific sales strategy. A little industry knowledge can go a long way toward giving your sales unit the edge it needs to sell to high value buffet restaurant leads.

In this industry, it is especially important to develop a customer-focused approach. In general, buffet restaurants are very skilled at spotting B2B companies that lack an awareness of the issues that are important to them and they tend to hold out for more knowledgeable suppliers, even if it means paying a slightly higher price.

Marketing to Buffet Restaurants

There are multiple methods for marketing your products to buffet restaurants. In addition to personal contacts, advertisements in relevant media combined with online marketing techniques can go a long way toward increasing your market share.

Many businesses find that direct marketing is also helpful in marketing to buffet restaurants because it is a non-threatening resource for introducing their products to new customers.

The first step of a successful direct marketing strategy is to obtain a lead list from a proven third-party provider like Experian Business Services, a company known for delivering consistently high-quality lists. From there, you can customize your direct marketing approach toward your company's strengths and perceived needs in the marketplace.

Sales Team Considerations

Many businesses that sell to buffet restaurants utilize a team sales approach.

Although your team may consist of individual sales reps, each rep has to recognize their role in the team strategy. There is simply no room for mavericks in this industry! Team-based training programs and other initiatives can be beneficial, but the best strategy for encouraging buy-in to a team sales model is for owners and managers to become role models for teamwork.

Share this article


Additional Resources for Entrepreneurs

Lists of Venture Capital and Private Equity Firms

Franchise Opportunities

Contributors

Business Glossary