Marketing Techniques (credit, small business, sales, court)

[yayamyers]

I have a new concept for my business that I'm developing. I am planning to launch it this weekend during a festival here where I live. However, I know that I'm going to have to do heavy telemarketing in order to get people to even look at my website or understand the benefits of carrying this product/service in their stores. Now, my questions are as follow (any help will be greatly appreciated):
1. Does anyone have experience marketing a new product to small bodegas/groceries? and if so, how did you compile a list of such stores throuought the country? I am having a hard time figuring out who I can call. My product/service can be marketed nationwide.
2. What would be the best approach when speaking to small business owners? I mean, I did a couple test calls and people seem to keep blowing me off, which is surprising, because they can make a decent profit by carrying my product/service in their store. Is there any special sales technique?
3. If anyone is interested in offering some critiques about what I'm doing, I would greatly appreciate it. I would rather it be a marketing consultant or someone with B2B sales experience, as that is the main market segment I am targeting. If you are interested in critiquing me, please PM and I will give you a link to my website. I don't want anyone to think I'm trying to spam in here. I just need a little direction.

I know I have a strong product/service. I just don't know 100% how to go about marketing it, and I have a limited budget as I have no credit or credit lines, so everything I have done and am doing has been out of my own pocket.

Any comments or suggestions will be great>>>>

[Bettylou22]

if you could get a chain or franchise to make a deal with, you're golden!


PS, people running stores don't want their time to be wasted. people calling or stopping by (for money) would drive me insane! send them something to look at while they're standing at the counter waiting for the next customer.

[yayamyers]

I have thought about pitching my product/service to a big franchise, like Walmart or 7/11 Stores, and actually went to their corporate sites to do research, but all the legalize scares the heck out of me. I was thinking of starting small for a year or so, until our system is completely proven and people starts knowing us better. But I would love to get in with a big frachise, LOL
Now, I completely understand what you are saying about people hating to get the calls. I really appreciate your suggestions, as I had not thought of that. I think I might do just that. I just don't know where to begin to get the addresses of these stores. Any thoughts?

[harry chickpea]

Find a distributor and hook up with it.

[Bettylou22]

addresses for stores? google maps?

on a side note, you're going to be spending a lot of time and money going from one store to another to try to sell your product. you'll realize fast that it's a waste of your time. find a distributor. or hook up with a big chain store (Giant headquarters is in PA and Giant=Stop and Shop).

now i'm curious. what are you selling?

[yayamyers]

Hello Harry and Iriekate, thank you for your input...however, I do not know what distributors I can use? I'm confused about that. Where do I find this info?
I'm going to check into Giant and see what I can do with them. Its just sooo scary to figure out how to talk to this big retailers. I don't know where to start. As to what I'm selling....I will send you a private message and tell you. I love my product, but I'm afraid that if I post it everywhere, someone else might try to snatch the concept. I wanted a patent or something to copyright it, but I'm having issues with that too.

[Houston3]

Originally Posted by yayamyers

Hello Harry and Iriekate, thank you for your input...however, I do not know what distributors I can use? I'm confused about that. Where do I find this info?
I'm going to check into Giant and see what I can do with them. Its just sooo scary to figure out how to talk to this big retailers. I don't know where to start. As to what I'm selling....I will send you a private message and tell you. I love my product, but I'm afraid that if I post it everywhere, someone else might try to snatch the concept. I wanted a patent or something to copyright it, but I'm having issues with that too.

"I wanted a patent or something to copyright it, but I'm having issues with that too."

If you have something new you need to do one of the two before you put it on the market.. Once it's out there and not protected you will be out of luck if someone picks it up for their own..Or be in a legal battle for years.

[yayamyers]

Houston, I think I might just use a poorman's copyright letter, where I will send myself a detailed description of my product/service, drawings, etc. via certified mail and not open it unless required by a court suit or something. At least for now, that might be all I can afford, lol. I still don't know how to get in touch with a distributor.

[yayamyers]

Ok, I have another question, if anyone can help me out. I am finding this whole marketing idea fascinating and disturbing at the same time. I am very charming, but hate selling stuff as I am kind of shy until I get to know people better.
Anyways....since my product/service can be marketed to various grocery/latin multiservices stores...how do I compile a list of such stores so that I can do store visits if at all possible. I know that sounds annoying for the store owners, but I can pitch my product in 5 minutes or less! Like, I know where a concentration of stores in my area are...but I don't want to miss a single one. Since these stores usually sell newspapers and things of that sort, how can I get a list that a newspaper distributor would use, or a magazine distrubtor would use?
I mean...what is the best way to get in the door with the small mom and pop grocery stores and the bodegas/hispanic owned businesses that sell products to Hispanics?

[Bettylou22]

google is your best friend.

google.com > maps > area in question > search "market" or "grocery" or whatever other search terms you can think of.

easy peasy!

google search to find what different distributors they may use.