Want to sell Direct? Top 5 areas to consider...

One key strategy businesses share with us in 2014: Expand their business model to include selling directly to their end consumer.

This can be a major undertaking.  We’ve found most companies consider only a part of the picture when implementing direct sales.  Here are the top 5 areas to consider when implementing a direct to consumer selling model in your business:

1.     Identify how to REACH them

2.     Determine how they will INTERACT with you

3.     Plan how the SELLING will happen

4.     Consider the delivery LOGISTICS

5.     Prepare what to do if there is a PROBLEM

 

Let’s look at each of these a little more closely.

1.     Identify how to REACH them

Now that the intermediary is gone… how will you reach your target audience?  Or, will you do this concurrently with the distribution network already in place?  Do you need to be mindful of the distributors concerns?

Consider what your prospects are doing when the need your product or service OR identify how you create the need without a sales force/distributor.  What can you do to reach these customers without encroaching on your existing sales model?

2.      Determine how they will INTERACT with you

How will the consumer interact with your company?  Who do they contact with questions? What is the knowledge level of those people and how can they help the potential customers?  Will customers be able to talk to someone?

Will customers have the ability to order online, through the mail, phone, physical location or some other way?  How and where can they go to make a purchase?  What needs to be done to make this happen?

3.     Plan how the SELLING will happen

Will the products have to sell themselves?  Does packaging need to be revised or updated?  Will the selling happen online, through websites/mobile devices, television/radio?  Will selling happen through the mail/letters or through other people?  How will prospects know about the product/service?  Consider how this will happen and how it will help them – why should they buy?

4.     Consider the delivery LOGISTICS

For your product or service, how much will it cost to now distribute one product/service for one customer versus the current distribution method?  How does that impact the operating margins?  Doe the price impact the sales methods currently in place?

5.     Prepare what to do if there is a PROBLEM

What if there is a problem?  How does the customer get problems resolved?  Who can they call or contact?

If you struggle to answer all of these questions, or want to discover more about what to expect when implementing a direct to consumer selling channel – talk with the experts at Marketing Management Solutions.  We can walk you through what to expect from the process, help run ROI (return on investment) and help you avoid the pitfalls.

Implementing a direct to consumer model can be a major undertaking when you consider adding the operational, financial, marketing, logistical and customer supports that must be added to the business.  But, the investment can reap large benefits with increased consumer demand, loyalty and bottom line growth.

Marketing Management Solutions can support companies through this effort with consulting from experienced professionals who have helped numerous companies successfully navigate and implement these necessary changes.  We’ve lowered the risk by implementing these initiatives with the selection of external resources, and then helped successful programs  establish new internal teams – including employee selection and hiring.

Direct Marketing , marketing strategy , Business Strategy