Page 188 - 597 Business Ideas You can Start from Home - doing what you LOVE! (Beginner Internet Marketing Series)

Step 9. Find and Sell to Buyers 181

Try not to make these incentives sound like a desperate attempt
to make a sale. In other words, don't beg. Approach it as a win-win
solution-he gets product to sell at an arrangement he's comfortable
with, and you make a sale. Before you offer the kitchen sink, ask
what's holding up the sale. It may be a more minor issue than you
expected, such as timing-and one that you can address without
sacrificing profit.

How Much Does the Buyer Have to Purchase?

Most companies that sell wholesale have a minimum order
quantity required to place an order. For example, Moisture Jammz
has a reasonable $120 minimum first-time wholesale order amount
(which equates to twenty-four pairs of our gloves or socks). At that
price, it's not a huge investment for a new client to try our line. Hon­
estly, $120 is about as low as you should go for a minimum order,
and don't go higher than $500 on products that have a low whole­
sale cost (say, from $5 to $20). For some small mom-and-pop stores,
ordering a new product and having to pay anything more than $125
for an initial buy may seem like too big a risk. If you have costly
opening minimums, it gives the impression that you don't want to
work with smaller stores. The bottom line: Try to be flexible . Don't
turn away business.

If you feel a buyer is gauging her risk, ask her what it would take
for her to place an order. I know, it sounds like a car salesperson
line. But even though it's a cliche, the question puts the ball in her
court and requires a direct answer. It's especially useful at trade
shows where you need to close the sale when the buyer is standing
in your booth. Try to make an arrangement that suits the buyer
and where she feels there is little risk in purchaSing. For instance , if
she's unsure her clientele will buy your product, offer her a thirty­
day full refund policy. If she says the opening order is too large,
offer a discount. Do whatever it takes (within reason, of course) to
get the new account.