The food industry is vast and delicious. There are as many food options as there are regions in the world. From fast-food chains crossing borders to the local deli to supermarkets dishing out by the aisle, edibles are making their way to everyone’s mouths. If you are the supplier for food products, you are basically meeting with one-third of man’s essential requirements: FOOD, clothing and then shelter. The best part of being in this industry is that you are technically catering to (mind the pun!) each and every citizen of the world. However, here are a few sales tactics that could help you do better:
- FREE SAMPLING – the minute there is the word “Free”, you have everyone’s attention. People like a good offer and when you tell them that they can have a taste and not pay for it, you automatically have their stomach’s grumbling. Many bakeries, delis and supermarkets put out a platter so that people can take a taste and that entices them to want more. If you are in the restaurant business, you can have a server surprise a guest with a sample offering.
- OFFERS – one of the smartest ways to make sure your day’s wares are sold while at the same time pleasing your customers is to come up with offers. You can get ideas for this from your local bakery to the nearest fast-food joint. Bakeries usually have discounts after 8 or 9pm so that people buy more and basically clear the counter by closing time. Fast-food restaurants have day specials or buy-one-and-get-the-second-at-a-discount type of offer. You will get a lot of patrons by giving.
- SURVEYS – another great technique for you to get more customers is to have surveys. They let you know exactly what the patron wants. This shows customers that you care about them and want to know what they would like. This will also help you to develop new products that you know will sell because of the demand. Have a suggestion box prominently displayed, attach survey cards to checks or keep a suggestion book near the cashier. Make sure to read them regularly and correspond with those who have made the suggestions so that they know their voices have been heard.
- DISPLAY – the first impression your customer gets is from the eyes. How you display your items is key to whether the patron stops and buys or moves along. Even if you have an online catering business, you need to have more visual aids than words. When it comes to food, basic ingredients can be mentioned (because these days there are people who have gone gluten free, vegan, soy allergic, etc. and you need them to know what you have put into your dish). Have good lighting and systems in place to showcase your food both online and off.
- UPDATING – in this day and age, your business should go beyond producing food. A prime example would be food trucks running in New York. They have a limited number of resources and don’t even have a permanent location for patrons to find them. However, what they do is keep customers excited by constantly updating their social media pages. Down to letting people know what’s going on behind the scenes to which street they are stuck at due to traffic. By doing this they not only create hype, but they also indirectly inform customers where they are going to be next and keep them in anticipation.
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