For many people who make products, getting them on the shelves of a supermarket is a sure sign of making it. It is the biggest exposure you can get when it comes to selling groceries, kitchen gadgets, or other suitable goods for giant stores.
However, it is not easy to get your product stocked on the shelves of the major players, you are going to have to go through a few things first. You can find out more in our brief guide.
Scale it
First of all, do you have the capacity to scale production of your product? It is one thing to launch products at a farmer’s market. But, it is another thing entirely to make enough to satiate the appetites of a large superstore.
And, it’s big gamble, too. You need to arrange the larger facilities to prove you can cope with the volume when it comes to making your pitch. But, you can not start the process without having the large scale of orders. Be careful that you don’t jump the gun until you have any cast iron guarantees.
Package and Barcode
You also need to make sure you packaging is suitable for the supermarket. It needs to sell the product, and be on point for your target market, or you run the risk of getting no orders from the supermarkets. You’ll also need to buy barcodes to include in the design so that they can be scanned through the cash registers.
Start work on your pitch
Now you can get to work on your pitch. You will need to create an attractive presentation on your product, complete with a host of figures and facts that will persuade the buyers.
Print some marketing materials to accompany your talk. Brochures with the main reference points are always welcome. Make sure you get your figures right and don’t overblow your expectations, Retail buyers will know a lot more about what sells in their supermarkets than you do!
Practice
It goes without saying that practice makes perfect. So, don’t underestimate the value of running through your pitch as many times as possible. Use family and friends – and even work colleagues.
The more people you practice to, the more experience of being uncomfortable you will pick up. And, trust us; it will be uncomfortable!
Insure it
Your products will need liability insurance if you want to sell it on a large scale. Make sure you have this in place before you go to your pitch meeting with the retail buyers. If you don’t have the insurance in place, they won’t take it – it’s as simple as that.
Contact the supermarket
The next step is to reach out to the supermarkets. Go to the corporate website and look for the vendors section where you will find all the details you need. You’ll need to create a short script on your product – make sure it is a powerful message as is possible.
Get ready to travel
In many cases, you will need to travel to a head or central office for your presentation and pitch. Bear in mind that this could be a significant distance, and you might need to stay over in a hotel.