Do Your Customers and Prospects Know You Sell Food Gifts?

It’s mid-November. Crunch time! But if you’re like most distributors I know, you still want to generate as much business as possible by December 31. And since this is prime-time food gift season, going after food gift business is a logical way to accomplish this goal.

That said, if you’re a longtime customer of Maple Ridge Farms, you already know what to do this time of year, so it’s OK to stop reading. If you’re a newbie to the industry, or a veteran who has never felt comfortable selling food gifts, please read on.

I recently interviewed Tom Riordan about how distributors can sell more food gifts this time of year. I learned that the process begins with making sure buyers know that you sell food gifts. To help spread this message, consider the following:

Your timing is perfect. Granted, if on a year-round basis you educated your clients and prospects about why it makes sense to buy food gifts from you vs. Harry & David and the equivalent, there are sales you’d have already closed. But here’s the good news: 90% of food gifts for the holidays are ordered and delivered during November and December. In addition, according to American Express, half of all business gifts purchased for the holidays are food gifts.

You've got news to share. Take this stance when contacting customers and prospects and you’ll get your foot in the door. Many buyers don’t realize you are a source for food gifts, let alone the breadth of your offerings or the benefits of buying from you. If you don’t promote it how would they know? And if your regular contacts say they aren't responsible for buying holiday gifts, ask who is. One of their peers needs to meet you.

You've got samples to share. The distributors who sell the most food gifts always show up at meetings with samples. If you’re among those who can’t resist free samples at the grocery store, you get how this works. But with Maple Ridge Farms’ tasting programs, your audience doesn't have to share samples a bunch of random shoppers have touched. (I also learned that if possible, schedule an 11am meeting. By the time you pull out your samples, stomachs will be rumbling. This will work in your favor.)

Don’t worry about investing in samples that get enjoyed but don’t lead to an order. Many distributors report that a significant number of tasters place an order. Besides, if your customer or prospect says no to the sale, word will still likely spread that you showed up with delicious free samples. This makes re-introducing the idea next year even easier.

More is more this time of year. What company doesn't want widespread enjoyment out of its holiday gift budget? Food is ideal for small and large teams of employees, clients, and VIPs. True, a few head honchos might get a kick out of receiving a fancy schmancy personalized gift they can use after hours, but most leaders like the idea of their entire team getting recognition.

Branded gifts makes the sale easier. Yes, we’re talking about consumable items, but most Maple Ridge Farms gifts include a logoed keepsake as a reminder of the gift-giver’s thoughtfulness. Most Maple Ridge Farms gifts include a logoed keepsake like a crystal candy dish, wood desk accessory, or collector’s box. Assure your clients their food gift won’t be forgotten when it’s paired with a memento. (The crystal candy dish is not imprinted but the following items are: wooden collector vehicles, fax leather or wooden desk accessories, cutting boards, designer tins, and Rombe bowls.)

Presentation matters. If you've ever received food gifts from retailers or mail-order companies you know their packaging is ordinary at best. The logoed ribbons and gift card enclosures Maple Ridge Farms offers is just part of their “wow” mix. (I know this first-hand because I've been on the receiving end of Maple Ridge Farms gifts from vendors.) They also invest significant time and money to make sure their products create a splash upon receipt and arrive without dents or dings. Read this post to learn more about the process their Packaging Team goes through to ensure each package arrives in pristine condition at the customer’s door.

If at year-end you've made headway selling food gifts but realize there was even more business to snag out there if you had started pursuing this business earlier, make a point of visiting with Maple Ridge Farms at next years’ trade shows. Chances are you’ll walk away with a ton of additional ideas for building your food gift business next year. (Look what I got just from a short phone call with Tom!)

Cathy Cain-Blank of CC Marketing is a periodic contributor to the Maple Ridge Farms blog. Her company creates email communications and online resources for promotional products distributors and other small/midsize businesses.