Optimizing Your Product Pitch to Retailers

www.retail-path.com | www.buyerly.com

Session 1: Class Overview
Getting to Yes: Optimizing the Retail Pitch
SESSION 3
Building the Pitch
SESSION 1
Getting the House
in Order
SESSION 4
Putting it All
Together
SESSION 5
After the Pitch
READY FOR
RETAIL!
Retailer Types, Strategies for scaling up, selecting
retailers to go after, when to hire a sales rep & what to
look for/ask, Know Your Numbers exercise.
Overview of buyers and retailer expectations on pricing,
product positioning, marketing, packaging
How to research a retailer, how to analyze an
assortment & draw implications for your business, how
to add value, instilling urgency to buy your product.
Walk through Pitch Deck Template, Pitch Cover Letter,
How to get an appointment & what to expect when you
do, How to use the Pitch Deck
Pitch to a real life retailer! Debrief and lessons learned.
How to follow-up and nurture the buyer relationship,
What to expect when you win business.
Speak to buyers with confidence!
Open new retail doors!
SESSION 2
Building a Strategic
Roadmap

Session 1: Today’s Agenda
Getting the House in Order
1. Class overview
2. The role of a buyer
3. Retailer Expectations
A. Pricing
B. Product positioning/Branding
C. Packaging
D. Marketing
This week’s goal:
Making sure your
products meet
minimum thresholds
for retailers

Session 1: The Role of a Buyer
Retail Buyers…a day in the life
1. What does a Buyer do?
2. Responsibilities?
3. Background?
4. Motivations?
5. What do they look for in a
good vendor?
6. How do I use this knowledge
to my advantage?
(1:48) http://youtu.be/pZ5RxwF4UKs

Session 1: Retailer Expectations - Pricing
Bad Pricing = #1 Reason Buyer’s Say No…
1. Retailer mark-up (margin)
2. Wholesale cost, therefore SRP, is not aligned
with product value
3. Bottoms-Up Retail Pricing
4. Tops-down Retail Pricing
5. Good-Better-Best Pricing
6. Pricing by channel
Tip: Consider price
per oz or piece count
in benchmarking
SRPs

Strong branding creates
value, differentiation,
speaks to your consumer
target and makes it hard
to knock-off
Session 1: Retailer Expectations – Product Positioning
A “good product” is additive to the
buyer’s assortment…
1. Differentiated benefits
2. Un-imitable (patents, proprietary)
3. Branding (distinct, memorable)
4. Specific consumer target
A. Not just demographics,
psychographics too
5. Competitive claims (Reason to
Believe)
6. Value proposition fits the SRP

Session 1: Retailer Expectations - Packaging
Pretty packaging is great. Smart packaging is better…
1. Pass the 5-second test
2. Differentiated & disruptive
3. Consistent with and conveys
your branding
4. Easy to read/understand
1. Fits on shelf
2. Long re-stocking cycles
3. Easy to stock
4. Considers logistics
Tip: Test your prototype
packaging with consumers &
retailers. Get their feedback.

Session 1: Retailer Expectations – Marketing Programs
Retailers want assurances your product will sell…
• Provide a marketing calendar with your upcoming marketing
and PR activity
• Offer marketing programs that build brand awareness
• And those that direct consumers to buy your product in their
stores
• Programs range from advertising and PR to more retailer-
specific programs:
• Coupons redeemable at those stores
• Online marketing (your website, Facebook)
• Marketing lists, social media lists
• Point of purchase displays and materials

Next Class: Session 2
SESSION 3
Building the Pitch
SESSION 1
Getting the House
in Order
SESSION 4
Putting it All
Together
SESSION 5
After the Pitch
READY FOR
RETAIL!
Retailer Types, Strategies for scaling up, selecting
retailers to go after, when to hire a sales rep & what to
look for/ask, Know Your Numbers exercise.
Overview of buyers and retailer expectations on pricing,
product positioning, marketing, packaging
How to research a retailer, how to analyze an
assortment & draw implications for your business, how
to add value, instilling urgency to buy your product.
Walk through Pitch Deck Template, Pitch Cover Letter,
How to get an appointment & what to expect when you
do, How to use the Pitch Deck
Pitch to a real life retailer! Debrief and lessons learned.
How to follow-up and nurture the buyer relationship,
What to expect when you win business.
Speak to buyers with confidence!
Open new retail doors!
SESSION 2
Building a Strategic
Roadmap

Session 2 Homework: Assignments
1. Week 2 reading
2. Identify Retailers
a) List the primary and secondary uses of your product.
b) Beside each use, list ALL the types of stores that sell
products for that particular use
c) Make a list of geographical cities that over-index in your
consumer and product usage.
3. Goal setting

Session 2 Homework: Identifying retailers
Homework #2 Example:
Product: All Natural Gummy vitamins
Primary uses: To eat for nutritional value
Secondary uses: To eat as a sweet snack
To give a child as a reward
Denver
Los Angeles
New York City
Etc.
Vitamin store, health foods store, pharmacy/drug
store, grocery store, mass merchandiser
Candy store, Convenience store, Kids Boutiques, Toy
stores
Geographical regions
(Cities with parents
that are concerned
with all natural
ingredients and
health):
Kids Educational stores
Store Types:
1. List the primary and secondary uses of your product.
2. Beside each use, list ALL the types of stores that sell products for that particular use
3. Make a list of geographical cities that over-index in your consumer and product
usage.

Session 2 Homework: Goal Setting
Uses your sales history to forecast your goals
2012 History 2013 Goal Setting
2012 YTD Sales Units 1000 Goal: UPSPW Sales 2
# of retail outlets 15 Goal: # retail outlets 30
2012 YTD - Weeks of selling 38 Goal: Weeks of selling 52
Average Unit Sales Per Store Per Week 1.754386 Goal 2013 Sales Units 3120
(=sales/stores/weeks) (=UPSPW * stores * weeks)
Projected 2012 Sales Units (52 weeks) 1368
(=UPSPW*52*15)
Step 1 Step 2
TIP: Use goals to
measure your
success from this
program

Optimizing Your Product Pitch to Retailers

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