Getting a meeting with a new customer

Getting a meeting with a new customer

Challenge your sales people to use their network

We have talked a lot about the role of your sales people in developing relationships with existing customers. Important work that needs focus 52 weeks of the year. If you have capacity and you need to grow the top line, your sales people need to leverage their network and other skills to get meetings with new customers.

Recently we have had the opportunity to work on a project to get meetings for food businesses with new customers in new markets. The timelines are tight and we have a lot of work to do in a short period of time. We had to figure out how to get these people a meeting with customers that present the right opportunities. Not just any retailer or distributor, but the ones where there is a best chance for a return on the investment.

When you put your connections and the experience you have in the industry and some good research skills you can accomplish a lot. Here are some of the strategies we have been putting to work to get meetings with potential customers.

Online research

Every retailer or distributors website is different. Some share a lot of information that makes it easy to find who you are looking for. Others are cryptic and you wonder how people ever get in touch with anyone in the business. Don’t assume because one is a challenge, they all are. Worst case, you have to call the general front desk number and start asking questions.

Some have sections for potential suppliers to leave contact information. We have been surprised at how responsive people are to these online contact forms. To be honest we might have been skeptical but have been pleasantly surprised. Leave a real message and your name so they do not think you are some bot causing problems.

Industry trade publications are helpful. You might find the appropriate category person you are looking for. If you have a name, you can ask for them by name or use the company directory to get to their extension.

LinkedIn has a lot of information

It takes some time but you can find a lot of contacts on LinkedIn. People have different job titles and use different terminology so you have to be patient. Once you find one procurement person form a retailer you are targeting you can see the terms or titles they use. This can be helpful to find others in the same organization.

We are trying an experiment with LinkedIn Premium. It is a free trial but the paid version is not cheap, over $1,000 per year. We will see how it works. It is possible to send messages to people who are not contacts. It is nice all of the communication is in one place and they can easily see who we are. That has to be better than the voice mail with no context.

Leverage your connections

One of the most valuable things your sales people have are the connections they have made in the industry. We have put ours to the test this week. We have reached to people in the following segments of the value chain:

• People we have worked with
• People who called on me as suppliers
• People who work for the retailer but in a different department
• Distributors
• Brokers
• People who have done work for the retailer
• Industry associations

When you try to make the connections, sometimes you might need to get through two people to get to where you want to go. Most people have been very responsive and got back to us quickly.

The most effective use of connections is when people make a personal introduction. You have instant credibility and you can jump right into the discussion.

We still have a lot of work to do but thanks to our connections and lots of research we have a detailed list with a lot of names and contacts to work with. Challenge your sales people to leverage the connections they have and their research skills to grow your business.

I do have travel coming up to Toronto, Vancouver, Edmonton, Guelph and Winnipeg so if you want to connect or have an event in any of these locations give me a call or send me an email.

Peter

SKUFood Recipes for Success Podcast

In this episode of SKUFood Recipes for Success, we sit down with Kirk Homenick, President of Naturally Homegrown Foods, to explore how rebranding and innovation are driving growth and reshaping the snack category. Under his leadership, the business has evolved from a niche brand into a national and international player, with brands like Hardbite and the newly launched Poptastic. Kirk shares how evolving a portfolio is essential to staying relevant in today’s competitive CPG landscape.

Kirk unpacks the strategic decisions behind rebranding Hardbite, from refining positioning to aligning with shifting consumer preferences around ingredients, quality, and sourcing. He also shares the thinking behind launching Poptastic, entering a relatively stagnant popcorn category with a fresh perspective and a focus on differentiation. From product innovation like root veg chips and avocado oil chips to expanding into new formats, this conversation highlights what it takes to lead category growth, not just participate in it.

We also explore how brands can balance legacy with innovation, and the role of disciplined strategy in scaling across multiple product lines. Kirk offers practical insights on portfolio management, brand evolution, and building products that resonate with today’s consumer, while setting the foundation for long-term growth.

If you would like to be a guest send us a note. We are always working on the upcoming episodes.

Antigonish Community Soup Gathering

Each week when they have soup a chef will lead the volunteers and use the food that has been donated or purchased. One person donated 30 lobsters for the week so The Kilted Chef used them for a delicious lobster pot pie. Georgia and I were busy shelling the lobster.

People from the community are welcome to come to enjoy the soup and some is packaged for them to take home too. One really great feature of this concept is all of the left over soup is packaged and put in a fridge or freezer where people from the community can come and access it during the week. They also have an arrangement with Sodexo, the food service provider on campus to freeze food that is produced in the University cafeteria but not served. You might find mac and cheese or any number of meals in the fridge/freezer. There is also a pantry where people can donate food for people to take home to use in their own cooking.

We are ruining one of the best opportunities for Canadian food and beverage

It is so frustrating to see the destruction of the biggest shift in consumer behaviour I have seen during my time in the food industry. Emotions are running high and Canadian consumers want Canadian food and beverage. Retailers were putting up hundreds of thousands of signs (when you think about every store) to highlight Canadian products.

CFIA has had 17 complaints about signage on products that were wrong. 17 and we are going to see a class action lawsuit. Retailers were not being paid to do this. Yes, they want to sell products and Canadians wanted Canadian products. If people knew the cost of putting up all of these signs to promote Canadian it would make their head spin.

Yes, retailers need to be as good as they can be. But seriously, someone thinks they are trying to win by putting a Canadian sign on olive oil? It was a mistake and perhaps we should focus on the opportunity here.

Retailers are pulling back. Why wouldn’t they. It is costing them money and now people want to fine them and take them to court. Yes, signage and labelling is important and yes it should be right. 17 complaints out of hundreds of thousands of signs is not exactly trying to mislead someone or maple wash. Unfortunately, this small-minded thinking is weakening one of the biggest opportunities there has ever been for Canadian food and beverage. Retailers will find it easier to take money from large US companies to put up their Super Bowl signs.

With the focus on Canadian food and beverage we wanted to share a program we have developed with Alain Bosse, the Kilted Chef. We partner to share insights about Canadian food and beverage at conferences and events. We talk about where products come from, share insights about some hidden gems and of course Chef Alain has great tips for using the products at home. This is designed to be entertaining and engaging. Not just for food industry audiences, it works for everyone.