1. Never give up. If you really want that treat (success) keep trying for it. At some point someone will open the cookie jar and give you one.

2. Jump up and head butt people to get noticed. Sometimes that is what it takes to raise the awareness of your brand or product. Just sitting there doesn’t get you anywhere.

3. Don’t sweat the small stuff. If someone barks in your face, just keep on walking and let it go.

4. Don’t underestimate the power of sleep. If you are in a bad mood, or need an attitude adjustment – take a nap. Also 10 – 16 hours of sleep a night is ideal (well for my Bulldog it is!).

5. Get along with others. Life is full of other cats and dogs (even squirrels and skunks) trying to do their own thing. Let them be and don’t interfere. Maybe help them along if they need it. Sometimes a good chase is fun.

I get a lot of calls from potential clients who have gone pretty far down the path to failure. It’s unfortunate. They have a great product with a weak brand and/or packaging. They’ve invested a significant amount in logo development, packaging creative and packaging inventory only to find out no one will buy it. You probably wouldn’t rewire your house if you don’t know anything about electrical work – you would hire an electrician, right? Unfortunately everyone is an armchair, kitchen table marketing person. Most people think marketing is common sense – and sometimes it is… However, believe it or not, marketing people do have training and experience with bringing new products to market that u may not. They may know more than you and can save you a ton of money and time!

Need help? Email: info@bulldogms.com.

I get this question a lot. There are many reasons why retailers aren’t banging down your door to carry your product. Here are a few…

1. They have no idea who you are and what your product is. Low or no brand awareness is the number one killer of any brand or product. How can a retailer buyer know who you are much less carry your product if they don’t know who you are or what your product is? The solution is to do some effective, targeted trade advertising and attend relevant trade shows. You don’t need to break the bank to increase your awareness levels. Postcards are another inexpensive way to get the word out.

2. Your product is too innovative. I’ve covered this topic elsewhere but it warrants a repeat here. Innovative products are hated by retail buyers because they are risky. Risk = less buyer bonus. The buyer is not totally to blame here. Truly innovative products may require a shift in consumer behavior. If you don’t have the money to get people to change their behavior your product will most likely fail.

3. A great product isn’t enough. You created your product, the brand name and packaging… and they suck. However you don’t want to hear it. You know better than the buyer, a marketing expert, etc. Too bad, you aren’t getting in. Your product is great but it is presented poorly with a crappy brand name and package. Success chances = zero.

4. You don’t have the right relationships. I covered this topic in more detail in my last post. Retail is all about the right relationships. If you don’t have them, you need to get them. You can cold call a retail account all day and send endless samples but the phone never rings. You need the guy that was in the buyer’s wedding party to get you the appointment.

5. You don’t have a plan to support the product. The retailer isn’t going to help you sell the product. They want u to do it? What is your plan to get consumers into the retailer to buy the product? Sales don’t typically happen by osmosis.

1. They have more SKUs (items) than you do. A lot of product businesses start out as a 1 SKU line. This is a formula for failure. You should never try to get retail distribution with a 1 SKU line. Create an infomercial and go direct instead – you’ll have a better chance of success. It’s not that hard to come up with more SKUs – different flavors, colors, sizes, scents. You get the picture.

2. They have the right reps. Retail sell-in is all about relationships. You can cold call retail accounts and send fancy sample packs all day and get nowhere. The guy who has product on the shelves has a rep that was in the buyer’s wedding party and goes to his/her house for barb-e-ques. You don’t have a chance against this relationship. Get the right rep and get a real appointment in front of a real retail buyer.

3. They can give the buyer the margin they require. This comes down to price. Their price is better than yours. Most pet retailers require margins between 50-80%. Consumer electronics depending on the category is between 25-40%. Grocery is 5-8%. If you can’t meat the retailers requirements – you don’t have a chance. It’s all about making money on the product.

Good luck & good selling. Need help? Contact us at info@bulldogms.com.

1. What lines do you represent? Find out if they are competitive with your line. There has been a lot of consolidation in the pet rep business. There are only 2 full service rep firms that handle Petco, Petsmart and PSP. Yes, there are probably 100 other reps that call on them, but they don’t have the resources to do the retail detailing you will need to be successful. Back to my point. It is rare that there is category exclusivity with reps anymore unless maybe you are a major food line.

2. How do you charge? This is important. Most reps will charge between 3 – 8% commission of your wholesale cost. The reputable reps will ONLY charge on what they sell. If a rep asks for a retainer – RUN, don’t walk away. If a rep believes in your line they will do the upfront work to get the appointment and present your product on good faith.

3. What are your retail merchandising capabilities? This is also important. Petco & Petsmart have abysmal execution rates. Basically this means that your product has a 50% or less chance of being displayed properly on the store shelf if you rely on store staff. A good rep will have a “detailing” team that can go out and get your product from the back room and get it to the shelf. Sometimes this service will be included for the commission rate, sometimes it will be charged separately. It usually depends on the $$ size of your line.

Good luck and good selling!

If you need more info contact us at info@bulldogms.com.

In an effort to help you better prepare for your sales meeting with a retail buyer, I put together a list of things the buyer is thinking about during your sales presentation. Once you know what the buyer is thinking about, make sure your presentation touches on these topics. Most buyer meetings will be no more than 1/2 an hour so time yourself.

The buyer is thinking about…

1. Do I like the person. Yes, the buyer is judging your product based on you. How are you dressed? Do you come across as professional or sloppy? Are you dressed appropriately. Ask your sales rep for the dress code of the account and match that. Back in the day you wore a suit to a sales call. Today it varies by account. Are you shy or aggressive? Depending on where the account is located you may need to tone down your sales style. I learned this myself when calling on Petco (San Diego) and Petsmart (Phoenix). I am from NYC and was like a hurricane touching down on the buyer. I had to cool it a bit.

2. Do I like the product. Will it sell? Is it new and different or a me-too? Make sure to touch on the points of difference and the benefits rather than features of the product.

3. Where could I merchandise it? How will it fit into the plan-o-gram. When is the next plan-o-gram reset?

4. What is the price point and margin? Can I make money with this item?

5. Will it help me make my bonus this year or next? This is important. If your product is very new and innovative it may put the buyer’s bonus at risk. This is why a lot of true innovative products never make it on the shelf. Sometimes a variation on an existing product has more chance of success than a really innovative product.

Good luck & good selling!

One of the hardest part about starting any new product company is getting the product into retail. You can cold call retail accounts all day long, send samples, emails, etc. and get ZERO in return.

What you need is the right rep. Why? The retail business is all about relationships with retailer buyers. YOU don’t have them and the rep does. The great news is that most reps only charge commissions so you don’t pay a penny unless they actually sell something for you. If a rep ever asks you for a retainer – find another rep. However, given the work required to get a product in, a rep will typically screen out products that they believe have a limited chance of success.

If you are contacting a lot of reps and no one will pick up your line ask them why. Reps know all the ins and outs of retail and they usually have good gut instincts and understand the consumers in the product category.

If you have your prototype, brand name & logo, packaging, product liability insurance, logistics in place, sales presentation and brochure complete — now it is time to reach out and get the right reps for your business. Ask around. Join Linkedin, www.linkedin.com and search for groups that are relevant to your business. If you are in the pet business, consumer electronics, or food category, contact us at info@bulldogms.com.

Good Luck & Good Selling!

Here are a few things Bulldog Marketing & Sales, Inc. can do for your business. Please read our other posts for FREE helpful tips on marketing your products.

1. Strategy – We’ll help you develop your launch plan or product marketing plan. What are your objectives? Where do you want to take your business? Bulldog will help you plan for success.

2. Brand Name development – We will give you several names to choose from and conduct the preliminary online trademark search to see if it’s available. We have named tons of products.

3. Logo development – A logo is more than your name in a fancy Powepoint font. We’ll give you several logo treatments to choose from and we’ll refine it until you’re happy.

4. Advertising – We will create your ad. Whatever kind you need – print, online (banner/Adwords), TV, Radio, Newspaper. We use experienced designers and we don’t have the overhead of large agencies so we can do it cheaper and just as good (if not better!).

5. Retail Sales – The one thing you need to get into retail is the right relationships. We have them. We can get you in front of a buyer at Petco, Petsmart, Pet Supplies “Plus”, Regional Distributors, Target, Wal-Mart, QVC, & HSN. We also know CVS & RiteAid.

6. Infomercials – Want to sell your product directly to consumers? We can help. We can take the complexity out of scripting and producing your very own infomercial. We’ll also get the call canter and fulfillment house ready to go.

7. Social Media – Always wanted a Facebook page and Twitter account? We’ll create and customize them and help you get likers (fans) on Facebook and followers on Twitter.

8. Websites – Need a website quickly? We can get you a professional one created in a week or so. Blog style or product focused – it’s your call.

9. Public Relations – Need a press release and ideas for how to get press pickup? Yep, Bulldog can help. We know the editors at Pet Business, Pet Product News and Pet Age among several others.

10. Be Your Marketing Department – You don’t want to hire staff to run your marketing? No problem. Get a Bulldog instead. We can handle all of your marketing for much less than hiring just one junior staff member. At Bulldog your business is handled by senior level marketing staff only.

Contact us at info@bulldogms.com for a comprehensive proposal. Please include your website and contact info.

Also, check out our ad in June’s Pet Business. Preview attached.

Leading Pet Chain Now Selling Innovative Pet ID Tags
Secaucus, NJ — (May 15, 2010) –SmartTag™ (http://www.idtag.com), the innovative pet recovery ID tag powered by eAlert™ and produced by LittleGifts, Inc., announced today its availability at PETCO. SmartTag’s eAlert feature sends a pet’s profile by email to surrounding shelters, rescues and its veterinarian if a pet is reported lost. In addition, if a pet is found, a call to SmartTag’s 24/7 Pet Recovery Emergency Response Center connects the pet to its owner in minutes.

“Now the most effective Pet ID recovery system will be available to consumers nationwide,” said David Sarnowski, VP Sales & Marketing. “Being available at PETCO allows our advanced pet protection system to go mainstream. SmartTag is no longer for just early adopters.”

SmartTag will be merchandised in the collar/lead area with “Aisle Invader” POP displays. The POP will include the SmartTag ID and a quick overview of the product benefits as well as information on how to use the product. In-store circular ads and tagged print advertising in Dog Fancy along with trial promotions will drive sales at PETCO. TV support is scheduled for July 2010 to promote the product and service.

SmartTag will retail for $9.99 with service plans starting at $9.95 for 1 year of service. It is also available for purchase at www.idtag.com.

About SmartTag:
SmartTag provides pet owners with an around-the-clock solution for recovering lost pets. On the back of each stylish SmartTag is a unique serial number. The pet owner simply registers this number at IDTAG.com and creates an online pet profile — including pictures, vet records and owner contact information. If the pet ever goes missing, the owner simply calls SmartTag or logs onto the website. Thanks to eAlert™ technology, an instant Lost Pet Alert will be automatically broadcasted to local shelters and rescue organizations within 50 miles of a pet’s last known location. Then live operators, available 24/7, will call up to six emergency contact numbers to notify the owner as soon as the pet has been found. If someone recovers a pet with SmartTag they can call the toll-free number on the tag or log onto www.IDTAG.com.
For more information, call 1-888-560-0985 or visit www.IDTAG.com.

I have come across so many clients who think they will strike it rich by selling their 1 SKU line on their website. The thinking goes – “I get to keep all of the margin. All I need to do is sell 1 million units and I’ll be rich!”. Unfortunately I have the job of letting them down. The top 10 online retail sites are as follows: (I think the data is from 2008, but it doesn’t matter)

1 Amazon.com Inc. $24.5 B
2 Staples Inc. $9.8 B
3 Dell Inc. $4.53 B *
4 Apple Inc. $4.25 B * *
5 Office Depot Inc. $4.1 B *
6 Walmart.com $3.5 B *
7 OfficeMax Inc. $2.775 B *
8 Sears Holdings Corp. $2.774 B *
9 CDW Corp. $2.47 B
10 Best Buy Co. $2.45 B

* Internet Retailer Estimate

Take a close look at the list… What is the difference between these sites and yours? 1) They sell tons of DIFFERENT PRODUCTS, 2) Many also have a large, established brick & mortar retail presence, 3) They have established brand names. The list goes on and on.

The problem with your business is that you may be selling a 1 SKU line or a multi-SKU line of one category (e.g. dog toys, shampoo, mp3 players, whatever). That’s one problem.

The real problem: YOU WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO SPEND ENOUGH TO GET MASS AMOUNTS OF PEOPLE TO YOUR WEBSITE. I don’t care how good you are at Google Ad Words or at buying media you are. If you don’t have millions to spend on advertising you are done.

What to do? Unfortunately you need to suck it up, hand over a 50%+ margin and go retail. It is the only path to success.

On another note: I have never seen anyone be successful just selling at a retailers .com site. You need both. Getting on Target.com is a good start because it gets you a vendor number. But the next step needs to be getting on the shelf.

Good Luck & Good Selling!