Establishing a relationship with clients is the key among the first steps to developing a unique selling approach of the retail products that are carried within the veterinary office.

Step #1 Get to Know Who You Are Selling To
Reasons you should get to know clients and their pets:

1. Knowing your clients and their pets by their first names makes clients feel important.
2. Getting to know clients’ pets and what they like or dislike may help to introduce a new product to an owner who has difficult or picky pets.
3. Being familiar with products that clients like to use with their pets both in food and nonfood items will help to sell existing products and also select new ones to carry.
4. Talking to clients and listening to their needs will help to identify if they have an interest in trying a new type of product that you don’t currently carry.

Step #2 Do Your Homework!
Research the pros and cons of the products, and once you have identified the products you feel are right for your office, it is time to get input from staff. Following their feedback, if the product still looks good, offer it to clients.

Step #3 Give Clients a Reason to Consider the Products
Offering a display area for the products:

1. Show the information of the leading brand against your product so clients can see the comparison for themselves.
2. Provide visible samples so clients can see what it is that you are comparing.
3. Have small samples of the food products available for clients to take home to try with their pets.
4. Have samples of non-food products available so clients can try the product with their pet for sizing, color and interest.
5. Practice using the non-food products so you can easily show clients how they work.

Step #4 Give Clients the Reason to Buy the Products
Your role is to help clients understand what the product is, what its benefits are and to offer a comparison of the available options. Having a thorough understanding of the retail products being carried in your office is vital. While it isn’t necessary to memorize all of the information, it is important that you are familiar with all of the parts of the brochures and the displays in order to quickly find the answer to a client’s question. Your knowledge will allow you to stand behind the product, which will boost client confidence and increase sales.

1. Be able to provide clients with up-to-date information on the product
2. Provide factual information that compares your product to other brands
3. Provide information that compares cost, quality and quantity
4. Using the product with your own pet will make a strong selling point
5. Provide a money back guarantee

Step #5 Feedback
Always ask for feedback on the products you sell, as this information can prove invaluable.

1. Good or bad, feedback will help you to make decisions about carrying the product in the future and will also help clients realize that their opinion matters.
2. When taking feedback, ask if their information may be shared as examples in case other clients have similar issues or questions about the products.
3. Feedback helps you be straightforward with other clients about the pros and cons of the product.
4. When you offer a money back guarantee, always be willing to take the product back without showing unhappiness that the client wasn’t satisfied with the product.

When introducing new products, don’t be dismayed if the sales are not what you hoped for right away. Clients who are pleased with the product will spread the word and the sales will come! Need more help with establishing your unique selling proposition? Contact your Covetrus representative today at 855.724.3461.