Selling Confectionery: Wholesalers Share Tips

Established confectionery wholesalers in the UK have links to specialty suppliers all over the world. Years of experience in wholesaling have given them a unique perspective on how their retailer partners succeed in the business.

Here are two expert tips to help confectionery retailers move their stock.

Keen Local Knowledge

Many successful retailers go beyond the four corners of their shop floor; going to great lengths to learn more not just about the local community, but the nearby businesses as well. Take, for example, hotels in the area. Hotels often host weddings and other events where sweets and confections are very much in demand. Confectionery wholesalers tend to see a surge in orders whenever their retailers manage to identify and capitalise on these local events where sweet treats play a role.

Another example is when retailers partner up with local real estate agents. These agents are always looking for ways to gain the favour of potential clients, and offering unique branded complementary sweets helps make those agents stand out. Once deals like these are secured, retailers can find themselves set up to regularly supply local real estate agents – creating a reliable customer always on the lookout for new, attention-grabbing sweets.

This is how networking with local businesses – and even local residents – comes in. By being fully aware of the local community’s needs and complementing those needs with the right sweets, a retailer can build partnerships that are lucrative not just in the short-term but in the long-term as well.

Creative Marketing Tactics

Marketing is something that no business in the world – including confectionery wholesalers – should overlook. This is, however, challenging for the smaller retailers who have neither the budget nor the manpower to invest in large-scale marketing campaigns.

Utilising readily available marketing materials in the form of the wholesaler's resources can solve this. Most wholesalers in the business of confection already have a wealth of digital and non-digital advertising materials – from flyers and brochures to video clips and digital images. Getting in touch with the wholesaler and requesting use of their existing marketing materials will help cut down on the costs of obtaining marketing materials from scratch.

Then there is the wide-reaching effect of social media. Retailers can make good use of platforms like Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to share their unique products, which in turn are likely to be shared by those who appreciate the sweets. This becomes especially effective when you share mouth-watering photos that bring out the best in your confections.

Another effective marketing tactic is to set up an email newsletter campaign and tempting people by offering prize draws for those that sign up for the newsletter. This allows retailers to find new customers and better retain returning ones with special offers, information on new products, and any other reason you can come up with.

These are two of the more important and easy to implement tips from expert confectionery wholesalers. Keep them in mind, and you’ll find it much easier to move stock while reaping a higher return on investment.