How to Sell to Hospital Gift Shops
There's no doubt that adding a hospital gift shop to your client list would knock the bottom out of your gift or gift basket sales. Hospital gift shops come with a built-in clientele of well wishers and family members looking for the perfect "thinking of you" present. The question is how do you wrangle yourself a hospital gift shop? You'll need more than a swanky basket and some slick salesmanship to land this client.
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Things You'll Need
- Gifts or gift baskets ready to sell
- Price tags
- Business cards
- Price sheet
- Phone
Instructions
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Price the wholesale contents of your basket or gift. You'll need to know how much each gift costs you in order to gauge a good price. Assemble your product, keeping in mind that you will be selling your product wholesale to the gift shop. The gift shop will need to make a profit on top of your profit.
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2
Create a price sheet to show your potential client. The price sheet should be in table form and give the price of the basket you are selling with a complete listing of the suggested retail markup. In a third column, show the profit the store will make as an example to your potential client.
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3
On the back of your price sheet, include a listing of your products by specialty or titles. Popular hospital purchases might be get-well-soon items, new-baby-arrival themes and activity gifts for pediatric patients.
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Create price tags for your baskets with suggested retail prices the gift shops may use. Having products ready for the store shelves is a handy selling tool for wholesalers.
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Use your computer, printer and a graphics program to create a business card for yourself. You will need to make your card look professional, not cutesy. Your contact information should include your phone number, address, email address and the name of your business.
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6
Make a list of hospitals in your area. Add the phone numbers to the list. Call each hospital and ask for the gift shop. Ask the operator who runs the gift shop.
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Ask for the gift shop person by name if you know it. Introduce yourself quickly but clearly. Tell the manager that you were going to be in the area on a certain day. Ask permission to come by and show her some of your work.
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When the manager accepts your offer, show up on time with your products, price sheets and business cards. If she doesn't immediately accept your offer, ask her for permission to contact her again in three months to see if her needs have changed.
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Tips & Warnings
Stay friendly and professional no matter the response of the manager. Managers eventually change and so do purchasing agents. Developing a good rapport may help you win that client.
Avoid adding foods to your products. Many patients are under diet restrictions and a sweet treat may offer too big of a temptation.
