Episode Transcript
Nina Huchthausen (00:11.086)
Hello everyone and welcome to the Makers Business Tribe podcast. My name is Nina and I'm the founder of the Makers Business Tribe podcast. I am also one of the founding members of Gymtonic Superfood Smoothies, which is about to franchise and we are currently conquering the Sunshine Coast and the Gold Coast. So I'm both a product business owner and running the Makers Business Tribe helping
health-conscious, product-based businesses get into retail and online a lot easier to ultimately leave the planet better than we found it, which that is my mission. And I feel like I haven't really shared that with you guys for a while, so I thought I'd just rattle this down, because hey, life's too short. Life's too short to not go all in and give it, give it our best, you know?
Give it our best, see how far our dreams can carry us. And yeah, for me, I don't think anything would make me happier if and when it comes to the end of my days, if there's more health and more feeling good moments for us all on this planet than it is today.
when we have our health, we can do anything. And when we have our health, we feel good. When we feel good, we don't do shit stuff. When we feel good, we want to support other humans. We want to be nice to our animals. And we also do better things for the planet. So that's where I really feel like I can I can do my bit there. Now,
Why did I also share with you guys, hey, I have this other business going with my awesome colleagues, Sam and Chris, is because if I'm only supporting businesses get into retail and with that to the masses without keep doing it myself, well, then I'm just teaching, right? But then you might also
Nina Huchthausen (02:34.518)
stay stuck in times. So that was one of the big drivers to join another team, which feels crazy at this moment in time to build another product business. But it's exciting. I am so, so, so pumped about this opportunity. And Chris is this crazy visionary and I need visionaries in my life. I'm like, whoa, whoa, whoa, where's this going? But we're gone. We're doing it.
And Sam is a very grounded human being who makes sure that all the T's are crossed and the I's are dotted and making sure everything is tracked and all done the right way, which I love. And I'm kind of in between. And I haven't built a franchise before and I'm excited about this. I'm so, so stoked. We're in the process of getting contracts drawn out. We're proving the business model, which is
one of my big jobs here and next week we're doing a big gym activation because this is a protein that has fibers and probiotics in it and it's really gentle on the gut and the flavor combinations are excellent and it's like every single person who tries it's like wow I haven't tried anything like it and it fuels you nourishes you so it's like health on the inside out
especially for people like me who got no time. And yeah, I'm loving it. I'm loving to loving going through this process and being able to walk the same path as you guys, as my tribe members, as anyone who's looking to turn their product dream into reality, which is cool because I'll like some shit will happen and then I can share that with you and be like, guys, don't do it.
You know or Hopefully lots of really great things will happen so I can be like guys try this Now what are we talking about in today's episode? I've been waffling along about me, but really what I wanted to share with you are a top five things That you got to do to get your product stocked in retail
Nina Huchthausen (05:00.248)
top five things you have to do. And how this top five things story came about is because it's really, really good to remind yourself to get back to basics, to get your house in order, and to ultimately...
dialing up the turn-on investment of your time, right? Because reaching out to stockists takes time. And if you're not prepared, especially after a few weeks off and you're kind of rusty, it can happen very easily that you're kind of doing this half-arsed lukewarm handshake and not getting the results that you want, right? So if you have been in the retail
business for a while, or this should be a really good reminder. And hopefully you're doing all of these 5 things. And if you don't, add to it, because it will increase your results, meaning more return for your time investment. If you haven't started on retail yet, and you're just getting curious, maybe you haven't even launched your product, and you're like, Man, what does it take? Get these 5 things in order, my friends. OK?
Also, these five points, I've recently launched an ebook. I'm talking you through how to do that if you wanted to get it. But regardless of that, let's delve into them. And let me most importantly, lean into the why of these five points. Yeah. Now, let's get started with the very first one. Top your number one thing that you have to do if you want to get stuck.
Know your audience. First thing, most important thing, know who you are talking to. This point is not just applicable to retail, but really with any human being that you want to do business with or even apply for a job for, you want to have done your research and you want to know who am I actually talking to? Who is that person? What is their business like? What are their values?
Nina Huchthausen (07:20.182)
And most importantly, which type of customers do they serve? Who are they serving? Who are the people that are attracted to this store? Who are the people that are walking past this store? And what are they looking for? What is their price point? What do they shop here at? What is the vibe? And
Does my product fit here? Do my people shop here? We see this quite often, actually, where people skip this skitip, this step, and rock up and try and have a conversation with the retailer. And they're not even realizing that there is no demand for their product at this store. But they were just on the list. They were just found on Google Maps. They were just maybe bought off some list, whatever that might be.
It complete waste of your time doing that. Yeah, it will also crush your confidence when you get a really hard no. But also if you have no idea what the retailer stands for and what they are looking for and what they want.
How can you adjust your conversation to meet their needs? Because at the end of the day, people buy, including stockists, they have a need. And if you can address that, and if you can show with stockists why your product would help them to serve their customers better, attract more to store, increase the amount of time that people spend in their store, or also increase the basket size, maybe your product is a product that people come to that shop.
for, or your product is a product that people add to their basket last minute at checkout, that's when we're winning. But you have to do your research and jump on the internet and ask Google about that store and see what you can find out. Or jump onto LinkedIn and have a little bit of a browse and see what you can find. There's so many options. Or you just visit them and just have a little bit of a peek.
Nina Huchthausen (09:37.838)
It's very important that you know who's there.
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and that you know what the retailer is all about and that you can match your story and your mission with their mission. And that you can adjust your pitch and your conversation based on where they are.
Nina Huchthausen (10:07.562)
A very, very important. So here's a hot tip of what we share with all of our clients when they fill their pipeline and research and just decide, okay, cool. I want to be stuck at IDA Hawthorne. First thing, once you figure out, okay, cool address and manager's name, look at who shops there. So first thing that you do before you reach out.
First thing, so whenever you do pipeline research, throw in as a step for you, know your audience, and do that research to make sure that you are not wasting your time. That's the most important thing. Then the second thing.
You want to tailor your pitch, meaning once you know who the owner is, who the manager is, and what their needs and wants are, the way you guide the other person from not caring, not knowing about your product, just doing their business, to saying a yes. And there are quite a few steps to this. When you do that, you can't just
rattle out a stock standard script, you need to dance with the other person.
So if you've ever danced in your life and maybe learned a few moves, you know that when you listen to a song, you adjust the moves based on the song. You can't be stubborn on the moves. You need to listen and lean into the music and see what works, what fits. Yeah? You can't learn a dance in isolation. You need to dance with the music and their nuances and variances to it.
Nina Huchthausen (11:59.586)
And it's the same thing when you're trying to have a conversation with someone. And if you want to lead the conversation to some place, you need to, yes, you need to have a really good structure and you need to know how you guide them from A to B, but you need to be utterly flexible in that. And once you've done your research and you know that this retailer is a really hungry person that he wants to
Increase their revenue revenue revenue revenue is everything for him And he is always super keen to have the latest and greatest products and for him packaging and something that pops is everything and he loves a good shelf display unit if you can see that in that store You want to talk that way if you can see that the store is just Absolutely meticulous and that this
that in that store what they really do not like is mess. Be very organized and guide the conversation in a way so that this person feels very much taken care of. Yeah. So have a look based on who you have the conversation with that you're telling your pitch. And most importantly, when you have the conversation, you want to focus on how can your product
benefit them. Make it about them. But that what makes it about them is different based on their needs and wants and based on their customers. Yeah. So the tailoring is most important. And that's why with our tribe members, we're not just giving them some sample script, but we help them practice. We dance, dance, dance, and throw them into different situations so that
Any type of person that you have a conversation with, provided they serve your customers, you can dance and lead the conversation or let them lead a little bit. But the tailoring of the conversation is really, really, really important. The number three is the humanness.
Nina Huchthausen (14:17.354)
when you have a conversation with anyone because the stockist is just, apologies, they're just another human being.
And human beings like to connect with other human beings. We like to be seen. We like to feel appreciated.
We, of course, we are here to do business. But if I'm struggling, if right now I'm on the phone, I'm juggling boxes and there are customers waiting in line to talk to me, hey, it's probably not the best time for you to just trying to squeeze in that meeting that you booked in to tell me about your products. So when you see that,
that even though you've booked in a time and you made the effort and come here, when if you see I'm struggling, maybe just offer me to have this another time to not add to my stress. Maybe see me in that moment and honor that I'm trying my best, but right now I can't support you.
But also when it comes to being that real human and not a salesperson is think about, well, if I stock your product, especially for the first time, I'm taking the risk because if I say yes to you, I pay that invoice, the risk is on me. So how can you make it?
Nina Huchthausen (15:59.48)
How can you make me feel safe that you don't just leave me hanging with that stock? How can you support me as a retailer that I will sell this? So.
Step into my shoes. Yeah, I do have reservations because this is my hard earned money that I'm spending on your product. And unless you're already a million dollar brand and there's huge demand for it, I'm carrying risk and I could be worried. So I have questions and I want to make sure this product is going to sell. Please help me to see that you help me market it, that you help me
train my sales staff that you help me get this product into the hands of customers. So be prepared and show me how you can do that. Please don't show me in any shape or form that you're annoyed if I ask a bunch of questions. And please also understand that I'm a very, very busy person. So please bring everything that you got so we can have an informed conversation.
And maybe let me talk if I want to talk too, because I don't want to just get a pitch thrown at me, you know?
So be a real human. I think is a very, very important one. At the same time, also be authentic. You don't always have to be at your best. I'm also not always at my best. We can be two humans that can connect over life and still do business together. So also don't be afraid to show up if you're not 100 % because at the end of the day, we're just two humans. trying to figure this out. We are both serving the same audience, you through your product.
Nina Huchthausen (17:51.542)
me through stocking your product. Okay. That's point number three. So we got three points so far. Number one, research is everything. Helps you to be real, helps you to dance with number two, tailoring your pitch. And it helps you to feel real, be really confident to listen to me. Because if you've done your research and you kind of know who I am and what I'm going through, you can lean into me.
Because you're confident. You kind of know what's happening.
But also when you're real to see me as your friend, don't build this big wall in between you and me. Don't make it too formal. Be you. Let's have fun together. Okay. Because my day is very stressful. Let's have fun. Let's be kind. Do all of that stuff. But then when we're doing that also point number four, prove the demand of your product to me.
Because as I said to you before, I copied out for, am I going to sell this product? But if it doesn't sell, it's going to collect dust. Show me some data. What can you show me, even if you're at the start of the journey, do you have some testimonials that show me that people love this? Do you have some sales data? Do other people, other stockers have been selling it successfully? Or what's your online sales like?
Do you have an active social media presence or what are you doing? How are you going to dial up demand for this product? What can you do? Maybe I'm the very first stockist and you're like, man, Nina, got nothing. Well, can you do an activation for me in store? Can you, can you go, can you run a bunch of markets around this area, sell that product?
Nina Huchthausen (19:49.656)
get people in your database, and then send them to my store. What can you do to drive traffic to me? How could you do it? Be creative here, but show me how you could do it. Because I might be super hungry and keen to do it, but show me that you're going to do your bit. Yeah, because I can only do so much. I might have 2,000 skews here in my store. How am I going to promote that? Yeah? Maybe you have a
some, a bunch of marketing material you can share with me. What sales training are you going to do? How are we going to make sure we're going to create a win-win situation? Show me that point. Okay. Now, most of us talking through, I hope you took some notes, guys, you want to have that point mapped out. It's very important. Yeah. Cause that you really want to show to all of your stockists.
And you want to have a plan. How are you going to turn this into win-win situation? Yeah.
And then the last point.
Have your ducks in a row, okay? Now, what does that mean? There are a few things here under this point, but you definitely want to be organized. So if you tell me you're going to send me something, you need to send it to me. I got no time to follow up, okay? Your inventory needs to be reliable because if I like your product, I need to trust that I can keep stocking it. I don't want to keep hassling you and I don't want to be out of stock.
Nina Huchthausen (21:28.546)
because there's nothing worse for my customers if they like your product and they keep coming back and I'm out of stock and I need to keep apologizing for it. That is shit ass, okay?
I have clear terms of engagement, so I know exactly how I'm working with you, what services you do for me, when you're going to do it, what the payment terms are, all of that stuff. Have a button down. Make it clear and easy for me. Yeah? And make sure your product looks awesome. Every single product that lands in my shelves looks really awesome because shelves space is very rare.
It's very scarce for me and I need shit hot looking products. I need products that turns people's heads. I need products that gets people excited to come into my store. I need my aisles to pop. When that's your product or whether it's it's upon a shelf display, there's something to make your product stand out. Help me out to make this an
awesome customer experience and to make my store look different from my competition. Okay.
So those are the five things, five points. Key thing, know your audience. Tailor your pitch, be a real human, prove demand, prove how you're gonna make, turn this into a win-win situation, have your ducks in a row, make this smooth sailing for me. Then, honestly guys, even if your margin isn't exactly what I want, if all of these boxes are ticked,
Nina Huchthausen (23:13.038)
That's what makes win-win partnerships happen. Because yes, 40%, 50%, that's all well and good. But if the product doesn't sell, if I have low confidence or I have doubt what the product is going to sell, it doesn't matter how much the margin is, unless you give the product to me for free, I might say no to it. Because at the end of the day, I need to sell this thing to make money. I'd rather make a little bit less money at first and then maybe, you know, we can see over time.
We can change the margin situation, but I definitely do not want to sit on your stock. So if you want me to try this product, hit those five points and we can have a deal. Okay. So my friends, I hope that this little storytelling was helpful for you. Please, please make sure that you take these five boxes before you approach a stock is because they just must have points.
Once you do, get out there, pitch your product, do not hold back. And remember, Stockish, same as you, their own business to serve humans in the best way possible. And they can only do that through products that are unique and different, through your products. And Stockish can either browse the internet after hours, try and find it, or have it easy through people like you.
sticking their head and giving them a call and pitching their products to them. You're making their life easier. If you have these five things in order, you'll have smooth sailing. But also when you do your research and you realize, hey, I don't think my people shop there. Don't bother. Focus on all the thousands of other stockers that do and get your product in there. Okay? So with that, my friends, I hope
So a short, sharp, awesome, fun episode for you. Let me know if this was valuable. If you like this podcast, please subscribe and put a rating in five stars. Of course, I'd appreciate that. And share, share, with the world, you know, because the more people get to see and experience this podcast, the more I can support them on that journey in the best way I can.
Nina Huchthausen (25:34.998)
and the more health conscious products we get into the market so we can all thrive and have a better life together. Bye for now.
