Hit a Home Run with the Perfect Retail Pitch
How do you hit a home run when it’s time to pitch?
You have invested time, money and knowledge into developing your brand. You have spent countless hours perfecting your formulas and mapping out your portfolio. You have built your brand from the ground up, including a user friendly, eye catching website.
What's next? It's now time to pitch your brand to the retailer! It all boils down to this brief moment in time. So how do you hit a home run when it’s time to pitch?
PREPARE: First off, it is extremely important to know your audience. Do your due diligence and learn important details about the retailer that you are presenting to. It will be a key pillar to your success, as you will gain their interest quickly if you tailor your pitch accordingly. Your pitch will vary from a large department store to a local boutique. For example, if you are presenting to a large department store who just announced they are aiming to become more sustainable over the next five years, you will want to focus on how your company also practices sustainability. But if you are presenting to a small boutique whose main goal over the next five years is to become more inclusive, you will want to focus on how your brand aligns with this ideal.
PROGRESS: Your pitch will evolve as your brand evolves. Your brand will never be static, so neither should your pitch. Refine your pitch as you refine your brand. Anytime you make a major change to your brand whether it be your mission statement, product line, or story line, you should consequently update your pitch. Also, sometimes you will notice your original pitch is not receiving the traction you hoped for, so do not be afraid to go back to the basics and see what you can alter for the better.
PRACTICE: You want to be sure you are eluding confidence as you pitch these big-time retailers, so practicing will truly help you get there. The more you practice, the more comfortable you will feel with the pitch and this will transcend through your presentation. Use close friends and family to practice on and try to remain open to their feedback. Perhaps they are noticing from a consumer perspective that you missed that could help sell the brand.
PERVADE: Retailers are looking for a connection to your brand. The easiest way to make a connection with them will be to share your passion behind the brand. Tell them what prompted you to build the brand, what your brand stands for, and what you hope to achieve through its success. The pitch itself should be grounded in reason with some basic structure to the format, but do not be afraid to share your passion. Chances off, it will wear off on them.
PROSPER: Let your products be your pitch. You were passionate enough to start a brand based on an idea, or principle, so let that speak on your behalf. Our innovative, efficacious formulas will also speak for themselves. These products deliver real-time results that the retailer will be able to see and feel for themselves. Remember, success is rooted in equal parts perseverance and passion.
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