Email is a valuable tool
Believe it or not, when I started in this industry, we did not have email…perhaps I should not say that too loud! Memos were typed and often 3-4 copies were made and sent in brown intercompany envelopes to the people within the business, and mailed to those outside. How things have changed. Now you can create an email, with a complex attachment and within seconds copy several people.
Email is fundamental in your relationship with your customers. Although it is very quick and efficient, there are several points to consider when you try to develop a relationship with a retailer.
Learn about your customer
As you develop the relationships with each customer and the people working there you need to learn about them. They all want to do their job differently. For some people email is the best form of communication and for others it is considered dated. Talk to them and get a sense of how and when they want to communicate. One of the nice attributes of email is no matter when you send it, they will find it in their inbox. Unfortunately, it is so good it gets over used. When we talk to people who work with retailers they receive hundreds of emails every day. Not sure how they can manage all of this communication and focus on the priorities. Try to figure out how effective it is with each customer.
Some basic considerations
One valuable component of email is it ensures you have a record of the communication. If you really have to, there is proof you told them something or they committed to a specific program. Sometimes you just need to send them a note to confirm something.
We do not advise delivering bad news via email. It almost seems like you are hiding from it. You need more immediate forms of communication. You can follow up with an email to confirm a conversation but we would recommend this is not the best form of communication for shortages, food safety issues etc.
Before you copy the entire grocery industry, think about who really needs to know. It is efficient to include specific people and important for certain messages. Try not to over copy people. One different tactic here is to send your note to the category manager and perhaps a separate note to the assistant. You can say to the assistant in a separate email ‘I let Karen know we would be ready to ship the seasonal program on October 25. Can you let me know when you see it in inventory so we can get our reps out to the stores to support the merchandising program.’ It is more time for you but this allows you to ask a specific question which the category manager does not need to be involved with. You also show some respect to the assistant and help to build the relationships with them.
Pay attention to your email signature. You can send some good communication this way. Change it regularly and include things like ‘Visit us at booth 365 at SIAL’. They probably will not remember the booth number but they might make a mental note to talk to you at SIAL.
Attachments are great with email. It is an opportunity for you to include some facts in a spreadsheet, photos or other documents. Keep them quick and avoid too much complexity. Make sure you get the print area set properly. Nothing worse than sending a spreadsheet to a printer that is not formatted properly and prints 12 pages when you really need 3.
Only put in email what you want to have a record of. Be careful not to include too much as it will live on forever. When you are having discussions about cost of goods do not share too much. During the period of inflation we went through retailers were demanding a lot of information which I would be careful about putting in an email.
Some great opportunities for email
Building relationships takes time and also bringing value to the interaction. Only send email when you know you are adding value to your customer. Email for the sake of email will get you deleted very quickly.
It is a great tool to foreshadow some changes such as cost increases. You cannot be the person who sends repeated emails about negative news but you can set the table for change. If you know your packaging cost is going to increase in 6 months when your current inventory runs out, let them know this is happening. You can tell them you bought as much as possible before the increase but the reality is you will be faced with a .10 per unit increase. Then when you need to actually get the price change, they will be ready for it. No guarantees but every bit helps.
In your face-to-face meeting you might have discussed certain targets for service level or sales per store. You can create a regular update (not too often) to keep them informed. Provide a simple summary and the details if they want to dive in. You might not always get an answer but they know you are focused on it.
If you have the opportunity to travel to different markets share a few photos. Perhaps a few good ideas you captured. Do not limit it to your specific items. Look across their category. Spread out the ideas. One email with 10 ideas will just get put aside. Create 5 emails over time with 2 ideas each.
Another photo opportunity is trade shows. You see different packaging and selling ideas. Grab a few photos or samples and share them with your customer. Get a sense of what they think before you invest too much time and money in something.
Important emails
Probably the three most important emails will be the follow up from a face-to-face meeting, volume targets and program details. You need to ensure you are on the same page with these initiatives.
A good, concise email to summarize a meeting, your sales targets or the plan for the next quarter is valuable in your relationship. It is their last chance to say ‘No, that isn’t what we discussed.’
Do not include photos from travel or trade show in these emails. Keep it to the important summary and once you get confirmation or no argument, this is your indication you can get to work to make it happen.
It is a balance
You want to respect their time but you also need to build a relationship, knowing your competition is in their inbox too. When you create an email just confirm there is value in it for them. You can probably find a reason every week or at least every 2 weeks to communicate with them via email. These are very important tactics in your journey of creating and building relationships with your customers.
Peter
SKUFood Recipes for Success Podcast
In today's episode, we have the Kilted Chef, Alain Bosse grace our virtual kitchen. With his signature attire and boundless culinary creativity, the Kilted Chef has become a beloved figure in the culinary world. He has charmed audiences far and wide as an Ambassador of Atlantic Canadian Food and his unique culinary flair.
Get ready for a delightful conversation filled with anecdotes, insights, and perhaps a dash of tartan charm as the Kilted Chef shares his passion for food, culture, and the joy of bringing people together through the universal language of cooking. Whether you're a seasoned chef or an enthusiastic home cook, this episode promises to leave you hungry for more.
Loblaw warns of higher food prices
After a period of high food inflation retailers are trying to warn consumers there is more to come. We know commodity markets fluctuate but the impact of the trade war the United States has initiated with many countries will have an impact on the shelf soon. According to Loblaw, the impact of increased commodity prices and tariffs will mean $1.00 spent on coffee will now be close to $1.82. Raw materials are more and tariffs on Viet Nam will drive it up even more.
We continue to hear retailers are looking for more suppliers who can tell their story about Canadian products and avoid some of the tariff issues.
SIAL 2025
Excited to share the stage with Jo-Ann McArthur from Nourish Marketing and Sophie Cote from Innova Market on April 29th at SIAL in Toronto. We are part of the Trends and Innovation track. We will each deliver a 30 minute session to help you understand what is happening with consumers in the market and how to leverage the innovation and Canadian roots to get on the shelf.
Where is Peter speaking?
I do have travel coming up to Toronto, Saskatoon and Calgary so if you want to connect or have an event in any of these locations give me a call or send me an email.