What Sales Channels To Sell Your Product

Think back only to the final couple of decades of the last millennium, and the options were simple: open a shop; have an office; operate via a mail-order depot; supply a third-party retail outlet. The list of where and how to sell was limited quite simply by the huge logistical problem of the delivery of your product or service to the end-user.

So, the fundamentals of selling are still broadly the same, despite three decades of solid technological progress. It’s the methodology of the supply and delivery that differs.

Think about it – whatever happens in the wider tech landscape, businesses and end-user consumers still want and need your products and services. But, their preferred method of delivery has been expanded by the advent of mobile devices, always-on Internet, apps and other innovations we now take for granted. And what this means is that, as a business, you need to adapt and finesse your offering, to reach your preferred target client, customer or consumer.

Sales Channels are all about where your customer sits!

In essence, this means being aware of where your customer sits, in terms of what makes it easier for them to complete their transaction with you. So, ask yourself this question: Which route to market represents the simplest way for your customer to take delivery of your product and, at the same time, pay you for that unit?

Is it an app? Is it a website, packed full of e-commerce loveliness? Is it a mail-order offering where your customer browses online or in your shop or via an email, then chooses, pays via card or PayPal, and then you use a fulfilment house to deliver?

There are a myriad of ways in which the physical transaction can take place, ranging from a good old-fashioned shop visit or office meeting, right over to a credit/debit card or PayPal-linked app purchase. But, whichever route the payment and hand-over of goods occurs, there’s one vital thing to remember – customers, whether they are business-to-business or end-user consumers, always respond positively to a strong brand and good customer service.

And what that means is that – especially where the transaction is a remote one – it is essential to build a good rapport with your customer, by majoring on service differentiators, which will make them feel positive about your business.

In essence, therefore, while it’s very true to say that “everything has changed” since the advent of the Internet, it’s equally correct to make the point that, in reality, customer service and a recognisable business proposition are even more important than they have ever been. Indeed, in a crowded and increasingly accessible and global market, these two pivot points are the mainstays of how your business can stand out from your competition.