Think beyond the standard sell sheet to enable meaningful conversations with operators.
For foodservice brands, the point of sale may be the only point of contact with a busy chef or operator. It’s a critical moment. Tip sales in your favor by leveraging your marketing strategy and creative resources to better equip your sales team. As your brand assets amplify the conversation with operators, orders multiply and your product stays well-stocked back-of-house.
Such results require keen assessment of the bigger picture. Are the brand assets you have on hand spurring the momentum you need? Here’s how to get going.
Build data-driven, culinarily-charged selling tools from the start.
Effective sales tools are a conversation starter. They quickly answer a front- or back-of-house need and present a new solution to an operator’s pain points. How well do your sales tools actually speak to the foodservice buyers who are running the show? The answer depends on how they’re making decisions, and how they best interact with your teams in the field. Your tactic must keep pace with the restaurant rush. While there’s no one-size-fits-all solution, the smart approach is to define your strategy with data-driven insights.
Keep aligning, keep connecting.
As the complex foodservice sale continues to evolve, it’s increasingly critical that your sales tools share a common thread with your overarching brand marketing efforts, both strategically and creatively.
Consider the following key elements:
- Brand-specific selling points that align with your strategy.
- Sales-building educational and training content that operators return to and trust.
- Flexible approaches and assets tailored to optimize how your sales teams interact with chefs and operators.
- CRM integration to smoothly close the sale and foster brand advocates, on the operator’s terms.
Follow 5 steps to sales-tool success:
1. Start with a well-articulated marketing strategy and brand positioning statement.
2. Write for an audience of one.
Establish a user persona and speak to them. Think of a specific chef or operator. What are their pain points? How does your offering solve their pain? How do they use or consume content?
3. Drive the story with data and insights.
Bolster your brand claims with statistics, trends, and other quick-hitting facts that break up your selling content and add value for the operator.
4. Create flexible assets.
Every relationship is unique. Arm your sales team with tools and assets that can be adapted for individual needs – e.g. hard-hitting presentation decks, printed sales tools, atomized content that can be shared via text/social.
5. Ensure consistent brand usage.
Maintain brand ownership with templated files and standardized elements. Set the sales team up for success – not only in the sale but in brand standards adherence.
Leading the foodservice sale requires flexible integration.
Sales enablement is more than whipping up a sell sheet every time a new product launches – it’s an opportunity to equip the sales force with tools that lead to more meaningful conversations around the brand. As the foodservice sale continues to evolve, you can stay ahead with a nimble and integrated approach.
