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I have been in the hospitality industry for over 20 years, and is evolving today faster than ever. As much CEO,I have been approached by sellers who look forward to telling me the latest product or service they believe will revolutionize my business. And I get it – they are passionate about their solutions. Their teams pour the time, energy and expertise in creating something they believe will change the game for restaurant brands. But here is the truth that many of my peers and I agree: not all points are created equal.
Over the years, I have chosen part This perfectly matches my company's goals, helping us grow and flourish in ways that both sides benefit. As much salesman Come on stage, my teams have also been to finish receiving points that were a waste of time for us and for the solution provider.
AGE It is one of our most valuable assets, and the right time can also be the last manufacturer of change. Here are my tips to set yourself for success and make your field calculation.
1. Find the right person to raise
Take the time to find the right person in the organization to contact. They are most likely to get into the right hands if you do it, and if they are interested, they can elevate it from the inside. If you are marketing one SolutionDo some excavations and find a technology leader. If it's a marketing platform, find CMO or the main platform user.
CEO is sometimes treated by a table and are required to redirect retailers to the right person within our organization. It should go without saying that this method is unlikely to be effective. When I get a real reference from a reliable contact to another organization that has verified the product and saw the value for their brand, I am much more prone to listening. Original references always beat Cold Outreach, and if your product is convincing, genuine reference will come naturally.
Connected: How to build strategic partnerships that actually promote growth
2. Do homework in our business
Many areas we take show that the seller knows nothing about our company. If you don't understand our business model, Challenges or where we are directed, how can you position your solution in response? There are common challenges in our industry, but this does not mean that there is a product of a suitable size that will address them. Personalize your taking instead of a general, distributed activity that makes prospects feel like a number.
Salesman It may be tempted to release the name of their largest customers, but if you are trying to appeal to medium or smaller companies that may be fiery. A better scenario would be a mutual connection reaching me in their name, which thinks they can be a good condition, and recommending that we connect.
Show relevant cases of cases demonstrating how your solution has helped companies similar to my own. I want to see evidence that you can help me succeed, not that you have landed Fortune 100 customers.
3. Get your company's name there beyond sales
Find ways to get to future customers, whether this is media coverage, presence of commercial shows or other creative marketing tactics to build general awareness. Commercial shows can be a gold mine to show your expertise if you do it right. Participate in sessions and use those nuggets to connect with attendees or other speakers. Refrain from aggressively throwing anyone who walks near your cabin; Instead, engage in a normal conversation to make a relationship. That real connection you make can turn out as a call to want to learn more.
A great example of recent times is a kiosk technology seller with which my company started working with last year. Our technology leader noticed the company in commercial shows even before we actively seek a provider. We knew they worked with smart brands, similar to our size, we believe, not just the industry giants. In our initial conversations, the company's general manager and Salespeople took the time to understand the nuances of our business and were clear how they serve a variety of company sizes. We found them to be a flexible provider that was super innovative and could bring great ideas to our business. They were honest that some of the skills we want are still in beta, and we can cooperate and grow together. That kind TRANSPARENCY And flexibility is what builds confidence and sets the phase for long -term partnerships. They continue to provide great support, and we have learned together to make the kiosk experience for our operators and clients.
4 Be thoughtful with your extension and avoid spammy tactics
Speaking of solutions providers, there are many ways to send massive email. It is not a bad thing to have lists of email, but do not overdo it, especially for the cold extension. Also, since more people use mobile phones than office lines, your sales team must still respect their personal space and not send text or call repeatedly, especially outside of traditional working hours. If you want to be distinguished, you have to be strategic and respectful in your reach.
Think about it as an online meeting site and don't make people interested. I have a seller who leave me two or three voices voice mail per week – all of these go unanswered. If your email or Linkedin extension looks like a general message of copying, it is likely to be ignored. Instead, focus on making real connections. Comment with thoughts in posts that resonate with you. If you want to achieve, try a softer approach: “If you ever need it, I would be happy to share more.”
5. Set up honest expectations and submit your promises
Nothing accepts a business relationship faster than to be sold by a team A, just to give a less engaged support team after the contract is signed. Sometimes, even worse, the whole support function disappears, and we are left to implement and activate ourselves. This has happened to a platform of industry leadership sales, and we were disappointed from day one and could not go so quickly through our contract conditions. That company will not receive a happy customer reference from me. Sadly, I have told my peers to stay away. So introduce your next client to account management and customer support team before signing the painted line.
Set realistic and more exceeding expectations. The result will be long -term clients, and happy customers can lead to more presentations!
Pitch intentionally, not despair
When times become difficult and leads to dry, it is seductive to head to constant cold calls and desperate extension. But this approach can be easily fiery. The best way to win your ideal CLIENTS is to open on purpose. After all, winning the business does not have to be the sole purpose. If both customers and the seller can learn from the pitch process and gain a valuable overview of ways to make improvements, this is a great victory.
Find the right person. Do your homework. Make real links in trading shows. Be thoughtful in your reach. Set up honest expectations. And most importantly, build confidence by demonstrating that you are invested in mutual success.
Because at the end of the day, successful partnerships They are not built on bright fields or aggressive tactics – they are built on faith, value and a genuine desire to help one another grow.