Know-How Exchange : E-Marketing

Since the lodges & hotels already offer soap to their guests, why would your soap be better for their guests and/or accommodations? Is the soap less expensive? Are the ingredients in the soap better for their guests? Understanding the answers to these questions, contact a local hotel. Do they purchase from other local vendors, or are their amenities purchased through a distributor?

Before you do anything, you need to conduct information interviews with several of the buyers for the hotels you are targeting. Don't try to sell them anything. Just learn how they make purchase decisions, who is involved, who their suppliers are, etc. In fact, I wouldn't even describe your product to them. Just ask your questions, listen closely to their answers, and take detailed notes.

After you've spoken with 5 or 6 of these folks you'll have a much better understanding of the issues that matter to them, and you'll have a good understanding of what it will take to sell to them.

This isn't about your product. It's about their needs and how they go about addressing them. Don't get sucked into the trap of telling them about the ingredients or quality of your soaps -- no matter how much you are eager to do so. There will be time to do that on your sales call when they are likely to be more interested in that sort of thing.