Presenting “Market Ready” Products To Retailers – Step 1

Carrie Jeske — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 12:16:53 +0000

Market Ready Products To Retailers.

Presenting Market Ready Products To Retailers

This is the part I love. Here’s part of the process and action steps I follow. Gather information on who you will target, make sure it’s accurate and then pick up the phone.

INFORMATION GATHERING

Go to the public library and ask for help getting a list of companies. I like D&B because I can login from home, but any source will do.
Study the Standard Industry Classifications (SIC) and North American Industry Classification System (NAIC) listings and determine, by industry, your best prospects.
Do an “Advanced Search” and select geography, headquarters, company size, or other important criteria. Export the contacts you want to an Excel Spreadsheet or contact management system. I like ACT by SAGE. Make a target list of the top 50 prospects you want to contact. The report should show their address, phone and website.

DATA CLEANING

Make sure your Excel worksheet has each piece of info in a separate column. I use these headings: Company Name, First Name, Last Name, Title, Phone, Email, Street Address, City, State, Zip, Website, Notes
Go to each website and research it for information such as, Invention Submission, Buyers, or whatever else jumps out at you. Generally retail companies have a title called BUYER that reports to someone called MERCHANDISE MANAGER each working a separate “Category” or isle or group of products in the store. Verify the address, phone and other information you can.

MAKE THE FIRST CALL

Dial the number and get ready to leave a voice mail message or speak with an operator.
Ask to speak with the right Buyer.
Have a short elevator speech with the benefits and gage interest. Get email and correct spelling of contact name. Mark your notes and follow up plan on the Excel spreadsheet.

Obstacles

Are you a one hit wonder or worth all their effort?

Do you have proper liability insurance?

Vendor paperwork and shipping requirements are a bear.

Pre-Work

A strong Sell Sheet, Demo Video and Price Sheet.

Samples. Not to be given lightly. It’s part of the close. Don’t blow it or waste it.

Retail Packaging, considering shelf space limitations.

Strong merchandising plan so it doesn’t sit on the shelf.

Strategic Considerations

Sell locally or Go Big?

Plan for Cash Flow & A/R

Regional tests can be good.

Low Cost / High Return Inventing Steps

1) Watch this video to learn how to earn up to $100,000 per product, as a product scout, while you sharpen your skills in our category.

http://www.willitlaunch.com/how-to-make-330000-inventing-for-tv/

2) For even more help read blogs and watch links:

http://www.willitlaunch.com/inventors-corner/

3) Here’s some NEXT Steps if you want to work on licensing outside ASOTV.

http://inventiveideas.com/when-as-seen-on-tv-wont-fly/

4) Here’s some of my agents available for hire, to make connections for you.

http://inventiveideas.com/licensing/

5) Join me on social networks and keep learning and helping others.

FACEBOOK LINKEDIN YOUTUBE TWITTER

Just takes 1 winner to earn millions.

See you on the shelves,

Carrie Jeske

market ready products

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How do I present my product to retailers? (Early stage answer).

Carrie Jeske — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 10:26:00 +0000

How do I present my product to retailers? (Early stage answer)

How do I present my product to retailers?

This question begs so many others. First we need to define “product”? Some inventors use this term, when they really mean “intellectual property” or “patent”. An idea is not a product, it’s a product concept or product idea.

Either way, the short answer is that you have two choices:

1) Do it yourself. (Takes more time, but you learn more about the market and your product.)

2) Hire someone to do it for you. (Costs 10-30% more but if there are pre-existing relationships then things move much faster.)

If you have a patent and want to license your patent rights and be paid royalties, you need a salesperson called a Licensing Agent.

If you have product market ready and want to sell it, either wholesale or retail, you need salespeople called Manufactures Representatives (MR) or Distributors.

I’ll explore these options in greater depth in a future blog.

AS SEEN ON TV

For the As Seen on TV market that I’m focused on now. I will act as an “Invention Scout” or “Licensing Agent” and take your idea directly to a group of people who can test the concept, develop the product, manufacture it and distribute on TV, in catalogs and through full mass market retail in 30 – 180 days. Just look at the products in stores on the As Seen On TV product shelves. You don’t need a patent because it’s a First To Market Strategy, but if you have one or get one, that’s always extra beneficial.

I look at products at the concept stage and will never ask you for money. Realize it’s a long shot (90+% failure) but if you train your mind to solve everyday problems in simple, low cost ways, you could earn between $300,000 to millions per year on one winning invention. You do need to educate yourself on how to protect your invention ideas appropriately. LEARN and EARN.

Keep trying! Here’s how I can help: