Getting Local Businesses To Sell Your Products?

[Alaine]

I know someone who started a small baking business. At first he began selling his baked goodies to neighbors and when he realized that people liked his cooking, he decided to approach a number of local business owners asking them to sell his home-made baked goods. He'd collect his money after everything was sold and the shop owners would keep their commission.

This can be a good strategy to get more sales fast if you don't have the money to spend on marketing your business.

Thoughts?

 

[Corazon]

In the olden days, my husband used to sell coco-snack in the office. Some of his colleagues would buy wholesale fore reselling. It was a good idea to harness your circle as your salesforce. How about if you have 5 colleagues who are reselling your product? That coc-snack is a home made dessert food, actually, that my husband cooked. It is mainly made of grated coconut that is cooked in sugar and water, boiled in the pan until after it had caramelized. He stopped that sideline business when he realized that he was not earning much to compensate for his effort of cooking and packing his products.

 

[ReadmeByAmy]

When I was still single and working in a company I came with the idea of selling pastries and other baked products. Since cooking and baking is my passion also in life I turned it into a small business. I had wholesalers who are selling my products. My sister, brother and sister in law as well some of my cousins who are all working in companies helped me to promote my products in their colleagues at work. Until such time that they continue on ordering and that was really stressful because I had only one helper at the house at that time and at the same time I am also working in an office. So when I came home from work I am baking and had only few hours to rest. And especially during the holiday season they are ordering by bulks that they will use as their Christmas present to their love ones. That is why I made it sure that the packaging of my baking goods is festive in appearance. I remembered there are 2 stores where we had a consignment terms for my baked goodies. Somehow I am earning but of course there is also hard work. Those were the days and when I got married I stopped already doing this kind of small business because my husband does not want me to get tired. And so if you are just starting and promoting your products you are right that you can offer your products on a consignment basis and what they had sold will be the one they pay to you. And indeed it is a good form of marketing strategy.

 

[Valerie]

I actually know a lot of people who have accomplished doing what the OP has stated. Baked goods seem to be the popular go-to when wanting to gain attention, do fundraising or even simply grow a bakery into something other than a corner store. A friend of mine married into a family that owned a bakery business. Basically, they grew at first through hearsay. Family and friends would mention the bakery amidst the owner's free sampling and other promotions. Gradually, the enterprise grew, and they were eventually given permission to sell their goods at the local supermarkets, restaurants and cafes.

Outside of the cake-mix box, we see evidence of this working for group exercise trainers giving free community classes then doing PR for their personal studio; bars offering free (or discounted) drinks from certain local alcohol brands; schools offering free classes; and stalls at events.

Small businesses should be your best friend. It's networking 3.0. Small businesses can help one another by creating a web of support.

 

[jona]

There is a term for that: Consignment, and it is great strategy for many goods, specially stuff like impulse buys since it is unlikely that a person will go out of his way to locate you to buy your baked goods yet if they are already at a bakery buying something else and see your product they may buy it to compliment whatever it was that they were already buying.

You don't have any overhead expenses since you don't have to keep a shop and you basically get paid once the item sells, this works for stuff like jewelry and clothing, specially accessories. Some people even sell their used cards like that.

Go for it, if your product starts to sell well the shop owner may end up buying it in bulk and start treating you as another distributor.

 

[CheckTheNumbers]

I've done a lot of writing for local businesses. You kinda just gotta call em and do what you can - learn persuasive speaking and make it as naturally a part of you as you can, be genuine, find people you want to work with. No substitute for genuine people.

 

[T J Tutor]

I know someone who started a small baking business. At first he began selling his baked goodies to neighbors and when he realized that people liked his cooking, he decided to approach a number of local business owners asking them to sell his home-made baked goods. He'd collect his money after everything was sold and the shop owners would keep their commission.

This can be a good strategy to get more sales fast if you don't have the money to spend on marketing your business.

Thoughts?

This has long been a practice, and in many variations, in markets worldwide for ions. Literally thousands of years. It's called "piggy backing" and many of today's top products, services, and businesses started out with this practice.

 

[Jessica Danes]

I think this is how a lot of small-item businesses become popular. I always see bracelet stands and small cosmetics (like lip balm) when checking out at my favorite stores. After a while, I'll see the younger generations walking around with those exact bracelets, making me happy another company is doing well for themselves. It's also nice to see small businesses with little options like that. It's like small businesses supporting smaller businesses.

 

[Collective Gem]

Love this post! great read, plus very intelligent people on here!