Case Building in B2B Sales

[Kak]

There's a case to be made for your product. Are you making it?

My wife has a consumer products business and has been, more recently, been working the wholesale side of the business vs the direct to consumer side. There are countless advantages to developing that side of the business.

She has been working lists of potential retailers and she landed a franchise store. After landing that one store, she started contacting the other franchise owners.

Another one bit and asked for a sample. She got together a really nice package of samples for him and let him know it was on the way.

His response, now that he's getting a bunch of free stuff and well packaged effort... "Thanks, can you share the other customers so I can contact them and see how it all sells?"

Hard stop. Rather than allow this guy to contact other customers like an absolute pest, we came up with a better strategy.

Together we determined that our products are on trial and it is our job to make the case that they should win shelf space.

Here was our response:

"Hey Name,

Thanks for the question. We have countless wholesale accounts, but in order to protect those relationships, we aren't going to share their contact information.

That said, there are plenty independently compelling reasons to carry our products as they are an already proven entity.

1. Just online we have sold well into seven figures worth of our designs at the same retail price you would likely be offering.

2. We have 23,000 people following (our company) on Instagram. So they aren't just customers, they are actual fans.

3. We have 30,000 5-Star reviews on Etsy earning us "Star Seller" status.

Bottom line, our products sell well, customers love them, and seasonal designs keep them coming back for more.

The real X-factor here is the fact that you can put on physical display the already loved and proven quality and designs without the noise of the entire internet competing for your customers' attention. Merchandising is key and I am happy to help you make sure they are visually appealing."

If this isn't enough proof, nothing will be.

She had been hesitant to use this evidence in the past. I think it's the most compelling way to sell wholesale.

My point is, if you were on trial for something and you had overwhelming and compelling evidence, that sways the entire case, you would use it. Likewise in business, you aren't being a prideful douche for using the evidence you have.

As a recovering prideful douche I'm hyper-sensitive to douche tactics, and I don't believe this is one.

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[Black_Dragon43]

There's a case to be made for your product. Are you making it?

My wife has a consumer products business and has been, more recently, been working the wholesale side of the business vs the direct to consumer side. There are countless advantages to developing that side of the business.

She has been working lists of potential retailers and she landed a franchise store. After landing that one store, she started contacting the other franchise owners.

Another one bit and asked for a sample. She got together a really nice package of samples for him and let him know it was on the way.

His response, now that he's getting a bunch of free stuff and well packaged effort... "Thanks, can you share the other customers so I can contact them and see how it all sells?"

Hard stop. Rather than allow this guy to contact other customers like an absolute pest, we came up with a better strategy.

Together we determined that our products are on trial and it is out job to make the case that they should win shelf space.

Here was our response:

"Hey Name,

Thanks for the question. We have countless wholesale accounts, but in order to protect those relationships, we aren't going to share their contact information.

That said, there are plenty independently compelling reasons to carry our products as they are an already proven entity.

1. Just online we have sold well into seven figures worth of our designs at the same retail price you would likely be offering.

2. We have 23,000 people following (our company) on Instagram. So they aren't just customers, they are actual fans.

3. We have 30,000 5-Star reviews on Etsy earning us "Star Seller" status.

Bottom line, our products sell well, customers love them, and seasonal designs keep them coming back for more.

The real X-factor here is the fact that you can put on physical display the already loved and proven quality and designs without the noise of the entire internet competing for your customers' attention. Merchandising is key and I am happy to help you make sure they are visually appealing."

If this isn't enough proof, nothing will be.

She had been hesitant to use this evidence in the past. I think it's the most compelling way to sell wholesale.

My point is, if you were on trial for something and you had overwhelming and compelling evidence, that sways the entire case, you would use it. Likewise in business, you aren't being a prideful douche for using the evidence you have.

As a recovering prideful douche I'm hyper-sensitive to douche tactics, and I don't believe this is one.

You guys are too nice. I would’ve told him if he doesn’t want them, it’s fine, I’ll just give them to X competitor across the street

 

[Kak]

You guys are too nice. I would’ve told him if he doesn’t want them, it’s fine, I’ll just give them to X competitor across the street

This was actually discussed. Lol

 

[Bounce Back]

In a previous service business I ran I would typically use this line:
"Absolutely I can definitely get you in contact with a reference when we get further along in the process but as you can imagine we are at this point with many companies and if you became a customer you most likely wouldn't want us asking you to take multiple calls a day! Out of respect for your time and theirs I'd like to save this for the last step of the process but am happy to answer any other questions you have (etc)"

Funny thing happened when I started using that:
a) I cannot recall even once after that where they ever came back asking for the reference information even though the sales ended up getting made

and

b) Never once before when I gave reference information did it actually end up with a sale (99% of the time they never even contacted the references provided even though I had to go out of my way to make sure my customers were cool with it).

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.