At FAIRLING, in addition to e-mail, you can also use chat to communicate with potential customers. This way, some conversations can be conducted a bit faster and less complicated and questions can be answered easier and more directly.
In this Help Center article, you will find a small guide on how to use the chat successfully and small tips on how to deal professionally with interested contacts.
1. How can I use the FAIRLING chat?
The FAIRLING chat is available once a store sends you a contact request in the virtual trade fair. In this case, you will also be notified by mail that a contact request has been sent to you. The messages from stores can be found in your personal inbox. Your inbox can be accessed in the header of your FAIRLING log in area.
The FAIRLING chat is your perfect tool to handle all questions related to the order process. Besides only sending simple messages, you are also able to upload documents and images to assist your potential customer as best as possible. This is important since a simple contact request is not always an order and often, some open questions still need to be answered (e.g. about the material of the products, order discounts, etc.). To leave a good first impression, please make sure to get back to the shop owner as soon as possible via chat after you received the request. Nobody likes to wait – and especially if shops are urgently looking for new products to stock, they might start to look for alternative brands if they don't hear from you.
Besides getting back to the stores as soon as possible, there are other things that you should follow in a business sales chat. Make sure to follow the following points to fully convince the store owner about the possible future cooperation:
2. General Etiquette in Business Chats
Always appear professional and represent your brand. You are not chatting with friends, but with potential customers that want to be treated respectfully.
Don't forget to say hello even when chatting. Always be friendly and honest. Despite not communicating face to face, all of your comments ultimately affect people. Therefore, always use an appropriate tone and remain polite.
Avoid block letters. This is considered shouting in written language and is not appropriate in a professional context.
Choose your words carefully and write directly about the matters at hand. Unlike the spoken word, written words cannot be emphasized by facial expressions, gestures, and intonation. For this very reason, irony, for example, does not work.
Also, have some patience when chatting. Store owners are also busy people and the new brand is not always the number 1 priority in their minds. So sometimes it may take a while until you get an answer. If you don't hear from them over a longer period of time, it is of course still okay to send a follow-up message, but try to choose the timing wisely.
3. Chat Properly When It Comes to Generating Sales
The first point of contact is the most important one. Choose a nice form of address and briefly introduce yourself, your position in the company, and your brand.
Feel free to start with a compliment: write something nice about the store and why your products are a wonderful fit for it. Everyone is happy to hear something nice, and it helps shops to feel valued when it comes to the upcoming collaboration. :)
In general, make the conversation a little more personal than in an email, so that the communication can be more casual and relaxed. Especially when it comes to setting up long-term cooperations, this can become quite handy.
Keep the conversation going: answer the reseller's questions directly and ask relevant follow-up questions. This way, your conversation won't be boring, it does not end randomly and you can get straight to the important info.
Try to answer quickly and don't keep your contact waiting too long.
Feel free to offer samples during the conversation. This way you can convince the store of your great products. Check out our article on product samples to learn how important they are!
End the chat just as politely as you started it: say goodbye with a nice message and let your retailer know that you would be very happy about a potential partnership!
Remember: even though a potential customer may not want to order right away, always remain polite, understanding, and respectful. By doing so, you can leave the door open for any potential future collaborations.
4. Further Procedure If The Conversation Might Stop
If you haven't heard from your contact for a long time, you are welcome to follow up again in the chat or by mail. It can always happen that messages are lost or the person is busy at the moment. They are usually always happy to receive a message and a small reminder.
If the store does not respond, you can also try other ways to contact them to get the conversation back on. You can certainly find their email address, social media accounts, or a phone number where you can get in touch alternatively to do a polite follow-up.