Update on sales progress and the purchase of some 'heavy' machinery!

Labels: equipment, fishbowl2, marcela, sales

BBC Olive has always been my favourite food magazine. They have gone even higher in my esteem now- one of my products is featured in it- that's two features of my products in two consecutive months! The article is called 'Buy Like a Pro' and it follows an article on Mexican food, written by Thomasina Miers.

Now, after having the endorsement from the magazine for two of my five products, how can I best use this to help sales? I've laminated the articles and placed them on the table right next to the products I've offered for customers to taste at the shop in Brighton where I've done a tasting session today. We sold out of most things.

But now I've left the shop, everyone happy with sales, what happens next? I've left the laminated copies of the articles in the shop, but I think I need a fantastic sales strategy to 'sell like a pro'. Tastings are well and good for selling on the day, but mega expensive if I look at the amount of people who we reach.

How often is it a good idea to do tastings? How to follow up in order to increase and then maintain a high level of sales, reaching the maximum potenti sales in each retailer?

Labels: fishbowl2, marcela, sales, sales techniques, selling

2 blogs ago I listed my plans for the early part of 2010. Well, this year is about tackling my paperwork and systems demons. I’m determined to implement good systems for solid financial management and credit control. It may sound really simple but now I’ve hired a book keeper, I don’t have to be tied up doing this time-consuming task which is best left to the expert. We are devising a financial control system, it’s developing really well and I feel much more on top of things.

My desk was nothing short of a bombsite. I decided that if I were to develop a solid financial system, the office systems needed to dramatically improve too, just like a tall building needs good foundations. Paperwork has been a weakness that I needed to tackle head on, improve, and move forward. Now the trick will be to maintain it.

This year is also about improving sales and breaking even. I have had my head down, chopping, mixing, potting, sending samples and selling. I will keep an update about my progress towards breaking even, but for now, my mantra is sales, sales and sales. Now that Christmas has long gone, shops are looking for new things to stock, I’m keeping focused... if you have any suggestions to help me on my quest to break even, do contact me through twitter... and wish me luck!

P.s. in case you wondered, I AM going to the gym! (but not every day)

Labels: 2010 plans, break even, financial management, fishbowl2, marcela, sales