Should I Make a Deal for Demo Supplies?

[Deeder]

Help! This is the email I just received from a customer. She has just started working for a new company that sells a natural fruit concentrate drink. She is using our quick stir pictures at her demo tables in grocery stores across MA. What do I do? I'm too new to know!!!

" I was thinking how much I like the Pampered Chef small pitchers with the plungers and how they could be perfect for our demo kits. We have 3 pitchers at each site for the 3 flavors we sample. I used the ones I have the other day at a private school holiday fair, and they worked great. I got a lot of inquiries about the pitchers while I was pouring the samples. I told people that they are Pampered Chef and how well they work for adding the concentrate to water. I kept thinking I should have had your business card to give people! So, as I am about to purchase maybe at least a dozen pitchers elsewhere, I thought I’d give you a chance to see if we can work something out. Also, we are going to having our product in 150 Shaws stores here in a few weeks and will be doing demos starting in January there through their demo reps where we can give them the supplies or pay them to use theirs. We may be needing even more pitchers if we decide to have them use our supplies. Is there any kind of deal we can strike up?"

What should I do?

 

[DebbieJ]

Call her and talk about it. I would personally give her a discount--10-20%.

 

[gailz2]

Get on the phone with the HO and see what discount can be arranged for a potentially huge customer. Congratulations!

 

[kaseydee]

If she is talking large qty's I would give her a breakdown of discount.

1-12 10% off
13-24 15% off
25 & up 20% off

Something like that...just used the numbers for example.

 

[pcchefjane]

Hmmm....10 pitchers would put her at a "Show". You could offer her the discount based on how many she buys and tell her she can have "free product" too!

 

[crystalscookingnow]

I would do what Debbie has suggested. You could definitely do it where every 12 they order, they get one free ($150 catalog party, use the discount on the free one & then eat the rest).

 

[kaseydee]

GREAT idea Crystal! That hadn't even crossed my mind.

 

[Deeder]

Good idea Crystal!Buy 12, get one free.Sounds good to me. My gut tells me it's not going to be enough for her.

 

[kaseydee]

work the numbers vs the different levels of shows

 

[crystalscookingnow]

It's a starting point. Ask her how much/often she feels that they would be ordering. Obviously with larger orders, you could give away more. You know, Buy 24, get 3 free or something like that.

 

[wadesgirl]

HO has a max quantity of 50 of 1 item being sold, otherwise they handle it themselves, so watch out for that.

 

[etteluap70PC]

If they want more than 50 it can be done. Call your director. You will need to call HO and ask to specifically speak to someone who deals with large orders. There are only a few people who can deal with this at HO. PC will not give a break on the price but I would definelty give 10-20% off.

 

[DebbieJ]

Do a show with several "guests" each ordering 10-20 each.

 

[SeeMe4PC]

My 2 cents....

When I read the post - my first question was "what is SHE suggesting as a deal"?
Much like recruiting - LISTEN before you speak - I would call her and listen to what it is that she wants or thinks would be a good deal. I would have several of the options from above listed out on paper and know at what point I will not make a deal. That way you can quickly make a decision after hearing her proposal and you don't lose her by having to call her back again.

Sounds like a great opportunity - I hope it turns out to be an awesome deal!