Most sales trainers today employ sales techniques from the turn of the century. These old-school techniques are rehashed ideas from the late 1800s and early 1900s. Even though they no longer work, they are still passed down to new generations of salespeople. The print on demand supplements industry has seen significant growth in recent years, much of which has gone unchecked.
As competition has increased, many businesses have looked for any way to gain an advantage and make more money. Not all of these strategies have been as open and honest as others. Some supplement companies have used deceptive strategies to make millions of dollars. To hit the ground running and succeed, avoid the following top five sales pitfalls:
TOP 5 PRINT ON DEMAND SUPPLEMENT SELLING METHODS TO AVOID
1. Chasing the Wrong Leads
Everyone enjoys a challenge, but you’re fighting a losing battle if you spend most of your time trying to persuade hesitant or noncommittal leads. Rather than constantly looking for new, long-shot potential clients, consider investing in older leads who previously expressed interest but may have fallen by the wayside. Build a strong client base by cultivating these businesses or individuals. Another reason you may be chasing impossible leads is because you are relying on inaccurate lead information. Bad data occurs more frequently than you might think, and much of the problem stems from poor data hygiene.
2. Selling Features, Not Solutions
Your clients may have grown accustomed to a never-ending parade of salespeople attempting to persuade them to purchase their supplements. Although features and prices are important considerations in any potential sale, they should be something other than your primary goal. Make sure to sell your product’s capabilities to potential customers. Rather, demonstrate how your company can meet a need in their life or workplace. Essentially, demonstrate how your product solves their problem. It requires careful research ahead of time, but it will pay off in the end. As a result, clients will notice how hard you worked to tailor your pitch to their specific needs or issues.
3. Overselling
Overselling is a common pitfall for many salespeople. It occurs when your prospects are already extremely interested in your product following your initial pitch. Even if they appear ready to sign on the dotted line, you continue to sell to them to seal the deal. The more you try to persuade prospects who are already convinced, the more likely they will flee in the opposite direction. Learn when to back off and let potential clients take control of the conversation. Once you give them some breathing room, they will be ready to consider your offer seriously.
4. Violating FDA Regulations
With the rapid growth of the supplement market in recent years, supplements have become an extremely popular option for consumers and occupy a large portion of the advertising space. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) determines which foods, drugs, and medical devices are safe to use. If a product is found unsafe or violates the law, they may take legal action to prevent you from selling those supplements.
The growing consumer awareness of personal health and well-being is a major motivator for consumers to check whether supplements are FDA approved before purchasing them. As a result, it is best to sell FDA-approved supplements to ensure your customers’ safety and to boost your company’s credibility.
5. Leaving the Next Steps Unclear
Ecommerce order fulfillment is a process that begins when a customer places an order on an e-commerce website and ends when the product is delivered to the customer. Picking, packing, labeling, shipping, and delivery are all part of the process. Order fulfillment for ecommerce is separate from the core competencies of running a print on demand business.
If customers are happy with the order fulfillment process, such as late delivery or damaged packaging, they will likely purchase from that company again. If you are a small e-commerce company looking to scale up and expand, keep in mind that your order fulfillment process significantly impacts your customers.
KEY TAKEAWAY
The sales landscape is constantly changing, and keeping up is in your best interests. With so many changes and so much focus on our industry, now is an excellent time to evaluate your marketing practices to ensure they are clear and effective. Though it is easy to become complacent with your sales process and the tactics that shape it, you must remain aware of ways to continue improving and moving forward. The techniques listed in this article are a good place to begin.
Take your time, research, and partner with a top ecommerce fulfillment company to reduce the major risks. Fulfillplex will handle all logistics, from shipping to fulfillment, so you can focus on marketing your business. Our Account Managers work with you to achieve your brand vision and grow your business. Get in touch with us now!