Despite all of the ways that innovative solution providers can help improve online and in-store performance, selling these types of solutions to grocery retailers isn’t a slam dunk. Here are three keys to selling into the grocery market.

Do these actions yourself or find an experienced partner like Brick Meets Click to help facilitate the process -- either way, they will increase your chances of achieving a new sale, pilot, and/or receiving key feedback that helps you refine your concept.

1. Connect your solution to the grocery retailer’s challenges.

For retailers to even consider your proposition, it’s crucial to quickly and clearly communicate how it will improve their business. Grocery retailers will want to know:

• How is your solution different and better than existing practice and/or competing solutions?
• How does it specifically improve business results – more sales? higher margins? reduced labor costs?
• Does it have a positive impact on the customer experience?

2. Get your proposition in front of the right individuals in the right organizations.

Grocery retail is an integrated and complicated business that typically requires the involvement and/or input of multiple functions to green-light a new initiative. You want to connect with the people who have the knowledge to give you productive feedback and the authority to move you forward in the organization if they like what they hear.

Grocery retailers are not all the same. Finding a partner who knows the specifics of the organizations can help you develop a targeted list of prospects and prioritize it to focus on the retailers with the highest likelihood of interest so you can increase your chances of success.

3. Learn faster and more efficiently.

Speed is essential today – for both you and your potential customer. This is another place where an objective third party can help you capture the maximum value from each retailer meeting by:

• Learning why an initial meeting was declined.
• Debriefing to discuss key takeaways and learnings from the call.
• Refining the concept and selling message based on new insights to improve positioning.
• Identifying next steps such as concept improvements, pilot projects, etc.

Make the investment in better selling.

Brick Meets Click partners with all types of solution providers to make sure:

1. They are “retailer-ready” to maximize the interaction.
2. All retailers who are approached know that their time, objectives, and input are valued.

The investment in better learning and selling is relatively modest, and the turnaround time can be quite quick – typically 8 to 12 weeks from initial contact to completion. Fees can be less than sponsoring a webinar.

This guidance is based on our 25+ years of working directly with grocery retailers and 10+ years of helping solution providers introduce their offerings to grocery organizations.

Want to explore if these B2B services are a good fit for your organization? Please reach out to me at steve.bishop@brickmeetsclick.com .