Our favourite tactics to deal with a No.

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As the meeting with the buyer at the retailer approached, I meticulously refined our pitch. I reviewed the product line thoroughly, ensuring I could confidently speak to each item's unique selling points. I gathered market research data to support our pricing strategy and competitive positioning. Anticipating potential objections, I formulated persuasive responses backed by testimonials from satisfied customers. Armed with a sleek presentation deck and samples of our top-selling products, I stood ready to make a compelling case for why our brand deserved a spot on the shelves of this esteemed retailer.

Does that sound familiar? Snagging a pitch with a decision maker at a retailer is a critical moment in driving wholesale success for your brand — these are make or break meetings. So, when you finally sit down (or hop on that video link) and come to face to face with a category manager you want to impress, the pressure is on.

It might feel counterintuitive, but one of the best ways to prepare for your pitch is moving through the worst case scenario: the buyer says no on the spot. A gut punch for any brand builder. But a no is just a stop on the road to yes. With careful planning, and by facing this possibility head on, you can transform a no in the moment. Here’s three ways to “no-proof” your next pitch and manage these moments with graciousness.

‘No-Proof’ the Pitch

1. Preparation: Prepare, then over prepare, and then prepare some more. You know your brand and product inside out — you can elevator pitch Kevin O’leary without breaking a sweat. Unless this is your first time meeting buyers you likely have your own sales deck down pat — so you need to switch gears and concentrate heavily on your target retailer. Imagine you’re on the receiving end of your pitch— would you be impressed by someone who is giving you a cookie cutter brand deck, or a tailored brand story that speaks directly to your category needs?

   If this is a five or six figure possibility, dedicate significant time in understanding their business, their assortment, their customer, their communities, their causes and everything that makes their business matter. Research their approaches and priorities — and pull through direct language and examples from their operations into your pitch. Show up to their locations and take photos — a selfie in the aisle where you want your product to be added to their planogram. Study their online e-commerce. Knowing who they are and what they need, including how they function with vendors (read vendor terms and conditions if publicly available) demonstrates your seriousness to their business. This will instil confidence in you and give you depth of detail to answer their concerns in the specific context of their business. It’s not enough to know your own product — you have to be prepared to pitch towards their purpose, and persuade them.

2. Empathy: acknowledge buyer concerns and feedback without defensiveness. Oof! It’s hard to not get your back up in the face of rejection. I always compare business development and the sales process to dating. We all want people to like us and pick us, but not every pairing will be a match. But, unless you put yourself out there, you won’t know until you try. Focus on giving your strongest performance and believe that every pitch is a learning opportunity, to better understand yourself, your brand and your category. The foundation of empathy is curiosity — it’s a fuel that can help you approach each pitch encounter with an open heartedness, and keep you safe from reactionary responses. Stay curious, and you can stay calm. Ahead of your pitch, ask yourself, what could cause concerns? What’s at the root of buyer feedback, if they aren’t giving a ‘yes’? In the moment, respond with kindness, and redirect. This involves deep listening. Actually hear what they’re saying. For example, “I hear where you’re coming from, you’re worried about A,B,C and we can do X,Y,Z”. Repeat their concerns back in your own words, then provide the data, examples, insights, confirmed capacities or brand commitments that can actively deconstruct that concern for them and convince them otherwise.

   Make a matrix or a running list of potential “no reasons”. Destigmatise the no for yourself in advance. That will take the sting out of it emotionally, and also give you a logical chance to work through your careful responses. Put these to memory. And practice them as much as your pitch, so your confidence and natural faith in a partnership with them has a chance to shine. This is a facet of the sales experience where support provides a lifeline for brand builders. As a boutique agency, we anticipate headwinds in the sales process and we navigate the impact of buyer feedback with founders, providing a ‘broker buffer’ for your wholesale strategy.

3. Persistence: The fact is, even with excellent prep, deep knowledge and a great attitude, you may hear hesitancy from a buyer. This is where ‘delulu is the solulu’ (haha). A no is not a permanent state of being - no is just no for now. Get ready to keep going. It can be timing, packaging changes, pricing changes, consumer changes, even macro economics shifting (interest rates have to come down at some point). Your best bet is to get product into the hands of buyer’s and confirm with them how you will continue to engage them. Is the category review happening again a year from now? Great, they’re be hearing from you again with business updates, and resubmitting your details with the goal of another meeting. Arm yourself with data that can work in your favour. Increased DTC sales to their region? An impressive listing with another marquee retailer? Wholesale reorder rates? New product launches? Raising a round? Share. And if you have received actionable feedback that can improve your chances in the future, decide if making changes is something your team can tackle over time. Go back to buyers and prove you’re a vendor partner that can take feedback and fulfill a commitment.

   Plenty of profitable partnerships weren’t inked on the first pitch. Read that again. How many of us heard from our grandparents and parents, ‘if at first you don’t succeed, try try again”. Try.

Power of a pitch

The pitch process is not for the faint of heart — you will face rejection and ‘no’ is an integral part of success. But with preparation and dedication, you can become resilient in the face of no, both on the spot and through the sales process. Within the power of a pitch lies the potential to get your products into the hands of your best customers in more communities and continue to increase your impact, and scale your brand.